Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Raymond Gifford REYNOLDS (Roy)  

Roy enlisted just two weeks following the declaration of war. He was just 19 and placed with the First Pioneer Battalion, in 2nd Field Ambulance, part of the newly formed Australian Medical Corp. Roy would leave Melbourne on the first ever A.I.F Flotilla of Australian and New Zealand troop ships.

Roy Reynolds was one of the first Bendigo lads to enlist and possibly one of the last to return, five years and 290 days later.

He is also possibly one of the only Bendigo men who would return from Europe for two weeks furlough in mid 1918 and made the journey back to Europe arriving in England on November 14, 1918, just three days after the Armistice.

The Bendigo Independent reported on September 12, 1914: -‘Amongst those accepted for service in the second Expeditionary Force is Mr. Roy Reynolds, an assistant in the silverware department at Myers. Before his departure for the Broadmeadows camp he was presented with a Waltham watch by his co-workers’.[1]

We get a small insight into the perilous situation Roy finds himself on the cliffs of Gallipoli Peninsula no doubt painting a rosy picture for home consumption: -                                                                    'Writing from "Terra Firma Villa," Brighton Beach, ' to his parents in Wills Street, on June 9, Private Raymond Reynolds says:—

"I suppose ere this letter reaches you will have read in the papers a full account of the landing of the troops. I think I am permitted to say that our troops were allotted rather a difficult task, and had it not been for the great gallantry shown, the position would never have been taken. So far I have managed to avoid the bullets, which the enemy is freely distributing around the country. As to my health it has never been better. I live in a hole dug in the side of a hill and its jolly comfortable except when it rains, when it becomes like a miniature lake. I am glad to say that it does not rain often. As for food, it is very good, thanks to our splendid Army Service Corps. There is always somebody who is not satisfied. It is rather hard to think of anything that will be of use to the enemy, and I think I may be permitted to say that the enemy made a vicious attack right along the line, but again the boys rose to the occasion and inflicted heavy losses on the enemy, who were forced to retreat to their trenches. Our mail reaches us fairly regularly, and no difficulty is experienced in getting letters. Papers and books are in valuable, and I think everybody knows the advertisements and stories off by heart in the books in our possession at the present time.[2]

Roy would survive the horrors of Gallipoli and move to an even more frightful theatre of war even he would could have never imagined.

In 1918, at the insistence of Prime Minister Billy Hughes the A.I.F was forced to introduce ‘Anzac Leave’ – 2 months leave for the seven thousand men still fighting on the western front who had enlisted in 1914. Roy would be one of these. 

The Bendigo Independent would report in mid May 1918: - ‘Lance-Corporal Ray Reynolds, Military Medalist, a member of Myer's Bendigo staff, and one of the original Anzacs, returned to Bendigo by the express last night, and was warmly welcomed by a large number of the employees of Myer's on his return to Bendigo. L.-Cpl, Reynolds enlisted on August 16, 1914 sailed with the first Australian Division on October 19, 1914, and has been on active service during the whole of this time, having spent six months on Gallipoli, and the remainder of the time in France, and is now home on two months' furlough. When asked about the manner in which ho won the Military Medal, L-Cpl. Reynolds, with the true Australian spirit, said he preferred to leave that to some one else to tell.

L.-Cpl. Reynolds was delighted to be back in Bendigo’.[3]

Returning to England days after the war ended, Roy would become engaged and seek discharge from the AIF which was finally granted in June 1920.

Military Medal

'For conspicuous bravery at BOURSIES on the 7th & 8th and 9th April, 1917. He acted as Stretcher Bearer from the 12th Battalion Aid Post back to a relay post about 1 1/2 miles in rear, and carried and tended wounded under constant heavy shell and Machine Gun fire for two days. On the last day he worked continuously for 24 hours under very heavy fire until quite exhausted. During the whole time he was carrying continuously through a heavy barrage of Artillery fire and for more than half a mile on each trip was under direct observation of the enemy and exposed to heavy Machine Gun and Snipers fire. He set a spendid example by his coolness and courage, and by his devotion to duty was responsible for the evacuation of a considerable number of wounded men.'
Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 174
Date: 11 October 1917

BOURSIES on the 7th & 8th and 9th April, 1917

In late March 1917, the German Army was withdrawing back to its new fortress, the Hindenburg Line, which stretched from Arras towards Bullecourt. Elements of the AIF pursued the enemy towards the Hindenburg Line and fought in a series of villages as the enemy used rearguard actions to allow as much work as possible to be completed on the Hindenburg Line. Throughout the 8th of April, the Australian soldiers were subjected to heavy shellfire from German forces. Under heavy machine gun fire the Australian soldiers captured Boursies.[4]

[1] The Bendigo Independent (Vic. : 1891 - 1918)  Sat 12 Sep 1914  Page 8
[2] The Bendigo Independent (Vic. : 1891 - 1918)  Fri 20 Aug 1915  Page 5  FROM THE FRONT.

 [3] The Bendigo Independent (Vic. : 1891 - 1918)  Tue 14 May 1918  Page 6 Military Medallist Returns. L-CPL. R. REYNOLDS.

 
[4] http://anzac-day.net/capture-of-boursies-westernfront-ww1/