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Police Station, Russell Street, Melbourne, Victoria

Chute, a locality in central Victoria, Australia, 173 kms [107 miles] west of Melbourne, situated 61 km [38 miles] west of Ballarat; 13 km [8 miles] north of Beaufort, the area is dominated by 302m Granite Hill, part of the Great Dividing Range.

Arriving, in 1852, Lochaber, Argyleshire, Scotland born, Norman MacPhie [1834-1924], a 55 year resident of Granite Hill, 13 kms south-west of Lexton, married Euphemia Duncan McFarlane [1847-1934], a native of Mount Barker, South Australia.

Norman, together with Euphemia, commenced a Granite Hill farming/grazing property, as well as raising a family of five sons and three daughters.
Arriving, in 1870, Elizabeth was the first of the children registered at Lexton, with 1890 arrival, Alexander, the last. Sixth child, fourth son, Angus, upon completion of school, worked as a farm hand.

Enrolling, in February 1901, leaving for South Africa in mid-February, 21 years of age, Angus McPhie was appointed corporal in the 5th Victorian Mounted Rifles, composed of a regiment of Australian forces, under the command of Colonel Thomas Price.

The Second Boer War [1899-1902], also known as the Boer War, the Anglo-Boer War, or the South African War, a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics [South African and the Orange Free State] over the Empire’s influence in South Africa. Triggered by the discovery of diamond and gold deposits in the Boer republics, the Boers launched successful attacks against British outposts in the opening stages however were pushed back by reinforcements [including the Australian contingent]. Though the British swiftly occupied the Boer Republics, numerous Boers engaged in guerrilla warfare, however, eventually peace was negotiated.

Mobilised at Pretoria, between 24 March and 4 April 1901, to combat the guerrilla warfare tactics of the Boers, the 5th Victorian Mounted Rifles were attacked, at Wilmanrust, the 5th Victorian Mounted Rifles sustained heavy casualties, 19 killed, as well as 41 wounded.

Awarded the Queen’s South Africa medal, Sergeant Angus MacPhie, service number 890, participated in guerrilla warfare with poor logistics, combined with disease, ensuring a tough campaign. Often going without basic needs of food and water, enteric fever proving a constant drain on man power. A capable enemy, combined with these factors, the Queen’s South Africa medal was hard won. Modern Boer War casualty rolls exceed 50,000.

Returning to Victoria, Australia, Angus MacPhie became a resident of Campbell’s Creek, employed, as a miner, at the Cumberland Reef [Cumberland and Phoenix] mine.

Appointed to Russell Street on 15 March 1904, Granite Hill, Lexton, Victoria, born miner, 24 years of age, Angus MacPhie transferred, in 1905, to Kyabram.
Returning, in 1906, to Russell Street, Melbourne, the year following, he served at Sorrento, on the southern tip of the Mornington Peninsula, before returning to Russell Street in 1908. Serving, in the same year, at Queenscliff, on the southern tip of the Bellarine Peninsula, again returning to Russell Street in 1909.

Collingwood police station witnessed his 1910 arrival, as well as his 18 May 1911 departure to Russell Street. Whatever the reason for such wanderlust policing has been lost in the mists of history, without detail being recorded on his Victoria Police service record.

Citing previous 6 months service with 8th Battalion Infantry, although details of this service is not recorded on Australian War Memorial indices, together with 16 months active service, although not detailed perhaps this service refers to the Boer War, Angus MacPhie enlisted in the AIF on 19 August 1914.

Embarking from Melbourne, Victoria, on board Transport A20 Hororata on 19 October 1914, the battalion, after a brief stop in Albany, Western Australia, proceeded to Egypt, arriving on 2 December.

Participating in the ANZAC landing on 25 April 1915, as part of the second wave, 5’9½”, Angus MacPhie shared the sorrow of losing Victoria Police colleagues, Sydney Smith [5540 Carlton], together with Isaac Oswald ‘Ike’ Webster [5481 Bourke Street West], as well as Corporal Reginald Penrose [5883 Melbourne Detective Office], at Plugge’s Plateau.

Following the disastrous Gallipoli landing, Sergeant Angus MacPhie was appointed, in the field, Company Sergeant Major [27 April 1915], further acknowledging his leadership, as well as the man management skills.

Ten days following the landing, the 2nd Brigade was transported from ANZAC to the southern end of the Gallipoli Peninsula, to reinforce invading British Empire and French troops near Cape Helles in an attempt to capture the village of Krithia.
Commanding the Australian 2nd Brigade, Major General James Whiteside McCay was seconded, together with the Brigade, to assist erratic British General Sir Aylmer Gould Hunter-Wilson in the attack on Krithia. Ordering McCay to launch an attack, without conducting proper reconnaissance or preparation, desperate Hunter-Wilson engaged the Australians in a deadly, insane, mission.

Along with the neighbouring hill of Achi Baba, Krithia was required in order to advance up the Gallipoli peninsula to the forts controlling passage of the Dardanelles straits. Becoming separated, whilst advancing through the tangle of complex spurs and ravines in the darkness, troops encountered fierce Turkish resistance; reinforced by mid-morning arriving Turkish troops under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Mustafa Kemal.

Capturing minimum ground, after two days of costly fighting, the objectives remained out of reach; the Turkish defenders successfully repulsing every assault; the two Battles of Krithia [6-8 May 1915] proved costly with 133 killed or died of wounds, including Company Sergeant Major Angus MacPhie [5127 Russell Street], together with Lance Corporal Harold David Hogben 5880 [Bourke Street West].
Having no known grave, 34 years of age, Company Sergeant Major Angus MacPhie 966 [5127 Russell Street] is commemorated at the Helles Memorial, Gallipoli Peninsula, Turkey.

Angus MacPhie

In loving remembrance of my dear brother and our uncle, Sergeant-Major Angus MacPhie, 6th Battalion, B. Company, 2nd Brigade, who was killed in action on May 8, 1914, at Cape Helles, aged 35 years [late constable of Russell Street Barracks] — [Inserted by his loving sister, E. Carland, and nieces and nephews, Lizzie, Nina, Phemie, Doris, Bernard, Norman, and Frank [on active service.]”

Nephew, Private Francis James Carland 6486, of the 14th Battalion, thrice wounded in action on the Western Front, died at Caulfield, Victoria, in 1931, aged 34 years - refer to his entry.