Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Son of James and Marion Elizabeth Howlett, of Metung, Gippsland, Victoria, Australia.

IN MEMORY OF THE LOVED SON OF J. & M. HOWLETT, OF GIPPSLAND

A farmer from Metung, he joined the AIF on the 14th of November 1916 at the ripe age of 21. Almost one year later he would be dead. Trooper Howlett 3119 fought with the 3rd Lighthorse Machine Gun Squadron at Beersheba on October 31st 1917. He was badly injured when the Australian lines were attacked by air. He suffered through a leg and arm amputation before dying a few days later.
Below are the respective extracts from Warrant Officer P. M. Hamilton of the 4th Light Horse Field Ambulance, and Trooper W.E. Dee 780 of the 3rd L.H.M.G.S AIF. Although a lot of reports and eye witness accounts vary slightly, they explain the events best.
P.M. HAMILTON - Hostile aircraft dropped five bombs at 17:00 on the 3rd Light Horse Brigade, killing four and wounding twenty-eight Australians. Forty-six horses were killed, and sixteen wounded. A bomb was dropped on the 4th Light Horse Field Ambulance about the same time, some six horses lay disembowelled, blood running everywhere. Just before sunset, the bearers returned from watering their horses ... 16 men with two horses each. As they dismounted, a German Taube came over – for the third time in 24 hours! With the setting sun behind him, and flying very low, it was impossible to see him until he was right overhead. I then saw the observer leaning out of the cockpit and the bomb leave the plane a few hundred feet up. The bomb burst on impact with the hard ground ... a direct hit on our bearer lines! He then turned and machine-gunned the camp, which added to the confusion. In the black dust and smoke, horses were rearing and neighing, while a few galloped madly away. Men were running and shrieking. Grabbed my medical haversack and ran about 20 yards to reach Brownjohn. His left leg had been blown off ... bleeding badly. His hand was also wounded. Staff Sergeant Stewart came running and together we got a tourniquet on his thigh in about 90 seconds ... Others were attending Oates, high right arm blown off, and Hay with his left buttock cut clean away. I found Hamlyn being dressed, with a bad wound over his heart, and in great pain. Gave him a shot of morphia. Cogan, Brown and Whitfield also slightly wounded. Bill Taylor was one of the worst types of casualty – shell shock. Apparently standing between two horses, only a few feet from the bomb, he was not hit. But we placed him on a stretcher, a pathetic, incoherent, weeping wreck, unable to walk.
W.E. DEE - It was on the evening of October 31st about two miles from Beersheba; Three Aeroplane bombs were dropped on our troop; Knocked out 18 out of 21; Killed 24 horses. Three men died in the field. Howlett was badly wounded in the right arm and side and in the left leg. He was attended to on the field and was then taken to the field dressing station, and from there to Beersheba Hospital where he stayed for a day or two. He was then transferred to No.14 A.G.H Abbassia. He died there about 6th or 7th November, and is buried in Old Cairo Cemetery. I was wounded at the same time and was in the 14th.A.G.H. when he was there. On the whole he seemed fairly cheerful. He had to have his arm amputated and died soon after. Think he came from Victoria: Was a very hearty chap: Always got on well.

HOWLETT.- In proud and loving memory of our dear son and brother, No. 3119, Trooper Albert Reginald Howlett, late 8th Light Horse, 3rd A.M.G. Squad., died on 10th November,  1917, from wounds received in action in Palestine.
"Tis just one year - we dare not mourn or weep;
'Twould grieve him so to know us all so weak.
The memory of his splendid life, his brave and
fearless end,
Bids all who loved him "carry on" for Britain
and her men.
-(Inserted by his loving father and mother, brothers, and sisters.)