Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Son of William Ah LOY and Elizabeth nee CHAPMAN

Private Samuel Loy    AIF 5127

“On entering the building Private Loy, accompanied by his wife, was greeted with ringing cheers. The building was beautifully and suitably decorated with the flags of the Allies, a large Union Jack across the back of the stage bearing the words, "(Home, Sweet Home,)”

This was how the Bendigo Advertiser reported the welcome home for Private Samuel Arthur Loy at the White Hills Public Hall.

The paper went on to say “Having voluntarily responded to the call of your King and country, and heroically done your part in the great European war against the tyranny and military oppression of a ruthless foe we, the residents' of White Hills, desire lo express our admiration of your zeal, valour, and patriotism, our appreciation of your services, and, our gratitude to the Almighty for your safe return.”

Samuel Arthur John Loy enlisted December 1915, returning home in June 1917. Samuel listed his occupation as a labourer and at the age of 36 was much older than most of the other Bendigo lads who were enlisting. He was married to Agnes and they had no children. He listed his contact address at a boarding house run by Mrs W. Gittons of Hargreaves street.

Enlisting just before Christmas, Samuel trained at Bendigo racecourse before heading to Broadmeadows camp on March 10. He is enlisted in the 7th battalion, 16th reinforcements recruited to replace the depleted 7th Battalion who had suffered greatly at Gallipoli the prior year.  Along with many other Bendigo lads, Samuel’s Unit embarked from Port Melbourne, on board HMAT A23 Suffolk on  April 1, 1916. After six weeks at sea they disembark on May 12 in the Suez with just a two week lay over before they disembark from Alexandria for France landing June 4 on the Troop ship ‘Tunisian’. From Marseille, in Southern France it is three days of trains through the heart of France to the stepping off town of Estaples in Northern France for the ‘British Expeditionary Force’ arriving June 7, 1916. 

Only two weeks after arriving at the front, Samuel is admitted to Hospital with Measles. By July 23, he is back at the front line trenches in the Somme valley at the battles of Pozieres which were fought between 23-27 July and 15-21 August.

Pozieres, a small village in the Somme valley in France, was the scene of bitter and costly fighting for the 1st, 2nd and 4th Australian Divisions in mid 1916. The village was captured initially by the 1st Division on 23 July 1916. The division clung to its gains despite almost continuous artillery fire and repeated German counter-attacks but suffered heavily. By the time it was relieved on 27 July it had suffered 5,285 casualties. The 2nd Division took over from the 1st and mounted two further attacks - the first, on 29 July, was a costly failure; the second, on 2 August, resulted in the seizure of further German positions beyond the village. Again, the Australians suffered heavily from retaliatory bombardments. They were relieved on 6 August, having suffered 6,848 casualties. The 4th Division was next into the line at Pozieres. It too endured a massive artillery bombardment, and defeated a German counter-attack on 7 August; this was the last attempt by the Germans to retake Pozieres. (AWM site) 

 After Pozieres the battalion manned trenches in the Ypres Salient region in Belgium close to the French border. Here, Samuel is again hospitalised on October 13, with a condition listed as ‘Rheumation’. Two days later this is recorded as ‘Trench fever’ or better known as shell shock. On the 15th of October he is transferred to the Hospital Clearing station in the northern French town of  Hazebrouk and then two weeks later he is back at the British base in French coastal town of Estaples.

Things get worse for Samuel’s health as he is also diagnosed with hepatitis and shipped to England on November 14 on board the hospital ship St Denis out of the port of Boulogne on the French west coast.

Landing in England for the first time a very sick Samuel was transferred to the Brook General Hospital, Shooters Hill, Woolwich, in East London on the Thames River.

Samuel would spend a cold Christmas and New Year at Brook Hospital being discharged to a rehabilitation hospital on the Sussex coast at Weymouth on January 29, 1917. Here he would spend another two months recuperating until April 8 when he is discharged to return to Australia on ‘H.T 37 Barambah’ out of the port of Plymouth on the English south coast. Samuel’s casualty record still stating he was still suffering from hepatitis and Rheumatism.

Arriving home two months later on June 13, Samuel’s eighteen month experience of war would leave him terriblt ill still with Hepatitis and & Rheumatic fever. On reaching Melbourne he was too ill to travel straight to Bendigo and spent 12 days in hospital in Melbourne.

At a further welcome home event in White Hills on June 29, 1917 Samuel would be fated alongside two other White Hills returned soldiers in Privates Jack Houston and George Every.  The three were seated on the hall platform, and on the wall were the words. "Our Heroes."

The day before on June 28, the Bendigo Advertiser headline read - Grateful Soldier, stating Private Sam Loy returned to his home in White Hills attending his former school grounds and presented each child with a bag of sweats and peanuts and was gratefully thanked.

Samuel was to receive the British War Medal and Victory medal and despite his terribly experience of war lived to the age of 90, passing away on June 2nd 1971. He is buried in the Bendigo Cemetery. 

He alongside 66 other local heros are immortalised on the White Hills 'Arch of Triumph'