Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Farrier Sargeant Albert (Bert) Paul Koebcke  20185

Albert Paul (Bert) Koebcke was born in St.Kilda in 1889. On enlisting on Janaury 12, 1916 he lists his nearest of kin (NOK) as his sister in law Annie Fasham of White Hills a small mining hamlet north of Bendigo. Annie was married to Private Charles Fasham who was already serving with the 6th Battalion in Egypt.

Bert lists his occupation as a Blacksmith. At the time he worked for the Bendigo Dredge Company No. 2 Battery one of the remaining large scale gold mining operations still operating in Bendigo at the turn of the century. 

The Bendigo Advertiser reported on the employees of the No. 2 Battery presenting Bert on his enlistment with a set of Barling pipes, a fashionable smoking pipe at the time.  (see photo) The article went on to say - ‘Gunner Bert Koebcke 29th Battalion, 8th Brigade, AIF who was the first to enlist from those employed at the Dredge. The presentation was made by the engine driver Mr C Prouse who referred to the stirling qualities of Gunner Koebcki as a comrade and workman, and expressed his wish for him to return safely from the front. The Manager Mr T Smith endorsed Mr Prouse’s remarks. Gunner Koebcke was on final leave and returned to Melbourne on the same day’. (Trove – Bendigo Advertiser May 9, 1916)

Bert would commence training at Maribynong in late January 1916 at the base of the 8th Field Artillery Brigade. (FAB) initially as a ‘Gunner’, however, on April 1, his blacksmith skills are put to good use and he is promoted to Farrier Sargeant with the 8th FAB, 32nd Battery. 

Bert would embark for war on HMAT Medic on the May 20, 1916 with another White Hills / Epsom lad, Driver Charles Irwin who had also earlier joined the 8th Field Artillery Brigade. It is not known whether Bert and Charles knew each other however, they had adjoining Service Numbers of 20185 and 20184.   

After nearly two months at sea, Bert and the other reinforcements for the Field Artillery Brigade would disembark on the south coast of England at Plymouth on July 18, 1916. Further training in Field Artillery takes place in England at the Larkhill Garrison on the Salisbury Plain.

The 8th Field Artillery Brigade (FAB) was initially formed in Egypt as part of the 'doubling' of the AIF to create the 4th and 5th Divisions.  However unlike its counterpart 8th Infantry Brigade the 8th FAB was allocated to the Third Division. In July 1916, the division's artillery component was formed, consisting of three batteries of 18-pounders and one 4.5 inch howitzer battery. The process of raising and training took some time and consequently the division was not transferred to France until late 1916. (Wikipedia)

Bert would embark from Southampton for France on December 30, 1916. Troop transport ships generally arrived at northern French port of Le Havre, Bert would be ‘Taken on Strength’ (TOS) into the 8th FAB and his active service on the western front would begin. 

In January 1917 the 3rd Division's artillery had been reorganised so that it consisted of two field artillery brigades, each of which consisted of three six-gun 18-pounder batteries and twelve 4.5 inch howitzers. These brigades were the 7th (consisting of the 25th, 26th, 27th and 107th Batteries) and the 8th (29th, 30th, 31st and 108th Batteries).

In April 1917 the division was moved to the Messines–Wytschaete Ridge section of the line in Belgium, taking up a position on the extreme right of II ANZAC Corps, with the New Zealand Division to its left. It was here, in early June 1917, that the division undertook its first major engagement of the war when it was committed to the fighting during the Battle of Messines.(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3rd_Division_(Australia)

As a Farrier Sargeant, Bert’s job would have been ultimately responsible for the shoeing and condition of all of the horse's feet within the unit. The teams of horses needed to be constantly shod and ready to shift the Field artillery and ammunition wagons at a moments notice. The troops responsible for these teams of horses were called ‘Drivers’. Although not a frontline role, the Drivers job was crucial. War Correspondent C.E .W Bean wrote,

'These Australians had won themselves a special name on this battlefield for the way in which they went straight through the nightmare barrages laid on the well known tracks which they and their horses had to follow.  Where many might hesitate, these men realised that the loss would be less, and the job better done, if they pushed on without hesitation. This comment was justified.  It was undoubtedly through the conduct of the drivers, as well as through that of the gun-crews and observers, that the Australian divisional artilleries in this battle - as General Gough wrote when they left his army in September – ‘earned the admiration and praise of all.'          (Source - C. E. W. Bean’s Official History online, Volume IV, pp 729-730 )

Apart from a two week stint in hospital in Boulogne in Northern France in late May 1917, suffering from advanced haemorrhoids, (a common complaint among the AIF soldiers) Bert would spend all of 1917 and 1918 in the field on active service, a remarkable feat. He would be granted three weeks leave to return to England in August & September 1918, however he would be back on duty with the 8th FAB when the Armistice is signed in November 1918.

He would serve another winter in Europe after the war was over finally returning to England via Southampton on May 6, 1919. He finally sailed for Australia on June 19, 1919 on HT Windhuk reaching Melbourne on October 2.

Albert Paul (Bert) Koebcke is remembered by the people of White Hills. The names of the local lads who sacrificed their lives and those that were fortunate to return from the Great War are shown on the embossed copper plaques on the White Hills Arch of Triumph, at the entrance to the White Hills Botanic Gardens.