Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

David John Baxter, known as Jack, was born on 29th May 1895 at South Yarra, Victoria, Australia.  He was the youngest of 6 children born to his parents William and Harriet Baxter.  He had four older brothers…William, Frank, Percy, George and one older sister Winifred.  After completing his education Jack worked as a dental mechanic.  Prior to WW1 he served 2 years with the Senior Cadets and 1 year with 13th Australian Medical Corps. 

On 19th August 1914 Jack enlisted for WW1 in the Australian Imperial Force at Melbourne VIC aged 19.  He’s described as being 5ft 6ins with a fair complexion, grey eyes and fair hair.  His service number was 44 , his rank Private and he was assigned to the 2nd Field Ambulance (2nd FA).  His hometown was South Yarra VIC. 

After completing his initial training at Broadmeadows Camp VIC Jack embarked on 19th October 1914 from Melbourne on HMAT Wiltshire, one of the 36 ships of the First Convoy which sailed from Albany WA on 1st November 1914.  He disembarked at Suez, Egypt, on 24th November 1914 and proceeded to Mena Camp.  He remained there till 5th May 1915 when he and the whole of the 2nd FA embarked from Alexandria and proceeded to Lemnos Island where they anchored in Mudros Bay.  They remained there until 24th April when they sailed for Gallipoli, anchoring off Gaba Tepe in the early morning of the 25th April 1915.  The unit transhipped to HMAT Mashobra and at 9am the Bearer Division, 3 Officers and 113 other ranks were towed ashore in pinnaces, landing under heavy fire.

Field Ambulance units formed a key part of the military system to evacuate casualties in British and Commonwealth forces during the First World War. They were responsible for taking wounded from Regimental Aid Posts (RAP) just behind the front lines back to Casualty Clearing Stations (CCS). Minor wounds, injuries and illnesses were treated at either an RAP or CCS, while more serious cases were forwarded for further treatment to General Hospitals.  One of the conditions of soldiers' service in the Field Ambulance, and for that matter the Army Medical Corps in general, was that they were not permitted to carry arms of any kind.  Men of Field Ambulance units frequently acted as stretcher bearers in the front line, recovering men under sustained gunfire and artillery barrages. This was particularly common in the confined battlefields of the Gallipoli Peninsula.

On 2nd August 1915 Jack was admitted to the 2nd FA hospital with an undisclosed condition.  He was evacuated from Gallipoli and admitted to 1st Australian General Hospital (1AGH) at Heliopolis, Egypt, on 15th August then transferred to the ANZAC Convalescent Depot at Helouan a week later.  In mid-October he proceeded to Zeitoun Camp and a week later re-joined his unit at Sarpi Camp, Mudros, on Lemnos Island where the unit had moved to in early September.  On 2nd December 1915 Jack was admitted to the 3rd Australian General Hospital (3AGH) at Mudros with para-typhoid fever.  He re-joined his unit on 18th December 1915.  The whole unit embarked from Lemnos Island on 31st December 1915 on the ferry boat “Waterwitch” then transhipped to HMT Tunisian.  They disembarked at Alexandria on 2nd January 1916 and proceeded to Tel-el-Kebir Camp, 70 miles north-east of Cairo. 

On 24th January 1916 Jack was attached for duty to the 3rd Australian Field Ambulance (3rd FA) at Tel-el-Kebir then in early February he was attached for duty to the Australian Dental Corps, No. 5 Unit.  He embarked with the 3rd FA from Alexandria on HMT Kingstonian on 27th March 1916 and disembarked at Marseilles, France, on 4th April 1916.  In early July he and the No. 5 Dental Unit were detached from the 3rd FA for duty with the ANZAC Corps.  They re-joined the unit on 6th September 1916 at Proven in Belgium.  The unit moved to Buire, France, on 23rd October 1916 and took over running the Corps Rest Station.  On the 11th November 1916 the Rest Station was bombed by the enemy.  The following is an extract from the 3rd FA unit diary: “At 00.40 this morning an enemy aeroplane flying low, dropped 6 bombs on the 1st Anzac Rest Station.  Five patients were killed outright, thirty three wounded more or less seriously and three slightly.  Of the personnel at this station one was killed, four seriously wounded and one slightly wounded.  All of these belonged to No. 3 Australian Field Ambulance.  One bomb was dropped on the Orderly Room, destroying a number of the records of the station and of the unit.  Damage was done to four marquee tents and eight bell tents.  The distinguishing lamps were burning brightly at the time the attack was made.” 

Jack was one of the casualties and suffered a shrapnel wound to the right shoulder.  He was admitted to the 38th Casualty Clearing Station at Heilly then 2 days later he was transferred to the 2nd Canadian General Hospital at Le Treport.  On 27th November 1916 he was evacuated to England from Le Havre on the hospital ship HMHS Asturias and admitted to the Beaufort War Hospital at Bristol the next day.  After convalescing, in early February 1917 he proceeded to the Australian Army Medical Corps (AAMC) Training Depot at Parkhouse Camp near Tidworth on the Salisbury Plain.  He transferred to the AAMC Motor Transport Company in early June 1917 and proceeded to the 2nd Divisional Supply Column in mid-June 1917.  Jack was admitted to the 7th Field Ambulance hospital with VD on 29th July 1917 and transferred to 39th General Hospital at Boulogne a week later.  He was discharged in mid-September and proceeded to 4th Ammunition Sub Park near Abeele in Belgium. 

In early March 1918 Jack proceeded to 2nd Australian Motor Transport Company (AMTC) and on 29th April 1918 his rank changed from Private to Driver.  Jack transferred to the 1st AMTC in early May 1918 and a month later was admitted to 2nd Australian Casualty Clearing Station (ACCS) with an abscess on his neck.  He was evacuated to England and admitted to Whipps Cross War Hospital at Leytonstone on 15th June 1918.  Two weeks later he was transferred to 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Harefield.  After convalescing he proceeded in early July 1918 to No. 3 Command Depot at Hurdcott Camp near Fovant, Wiltshire.  Two months later he proceeded to No. 1 Command Depot at Sutton Veny, Wiltshire then in mid-October he proceeded to St Budeaux rest camp at Devonport.  On 9th December 1918 he embarked from England for return to Australia on HMAT Leicestershire and disembarked at Melbourne on 22nd January 1919. 

In 1922 Jack married Eunice Lavinia Praetz  and they welcomed a son, Norman.  After the war Jack worked as a labourer.

On 27th September 1940 Jack enlisted for WW2 at Melbourne aged 45.  At the time he was living at Baxter, a township 30 miles south-east of Melbourne VIC.  His son Norman also enlisted in 1941 and served with the 2nd Independent Company in Timor before being discharged in 1944.

Jack’s service number was V6403, his rank Private and he was assigned to the AAMC Details.  After completing his initial training at Pell Camp he was promoted to Corporal on 1st October 1940 and posted to the Dental Corps at Bendigo Camp.  Throughout October he was posted to Caulfield Camp and Bonegilla Camp then in in early November was posted to Darley Camp at Bacchus Marsh.  In mid-November 1940 Jack transferred to 107th Convalescent Depot at Broadmeadows Camp. 

In early May 1941 Jack was promoted to Lance Sergeant and proceeded for duty to the 5th ACCS at Balcombe Camp on the Mornington Peninsula.  In early October 1941 he returned to the 107th ACCS at Broadmeadows then transferred to the 3rd Military District Dental Units.  Ten days later he embarked from Sydney for New Guinea and disembarked at Port Moresby on 3rd January 1942.  In early March 1942 he was detached for duty to the 39th Battalion then in early May he was posted for duty to the 113th Convalescent Depot at Rouna south-east of Port Moresby.  In late May he was posted for duty to 253rd Dental Unit then on 30th June 1942 he was promoted to Staff Sergeant.  A month later he was evacuated to the Main Dressing Station (MDS) at Bomana Mission with dyspepsia then transferred to the Base Hospital.  In mid- August 1942 he was transferred to the 113th Convalescent Depot, then on to the 5th ACCS and finally to the Advanced Dressing Station (ADS) at Murray Barracks Port Moresby.  He was evacuated from there to Australia on 24th August 1942 on the hospital ship HMAHS Manunda and disembarked at Brisbane QLD 5 days later.  He was admitted to the hospital at Redbank Camp in Brisbane with recurrent malaria and transferred to the 117th Australian General Hospital (AGH) at Toowoomba QLD.  Upon discharge he proceeded to the General Details Depot(GDD) in Brisbane but became ill again and was returned to the 117th AGH at Toowoomba.  In early December a medical board assessed him as unfit for active service.  He proceeded to the GDD in Brisbane on 17th December 1942 and a month later was posted for duty to the 51st Dental Unit.  In mid-February he was posted for duty to 70th Dental Unit then transferred to 66th Dental Unit on 24th February 1943 at Puckapunyal Camp. 

On 19th July 1943 Jack was evacuated to the 2nd/7th AGH with an upper respiratory tract infection then transferred to the 86th Camp Hospital.  He re-joined his unit a week later.  On 31st August 1943 he proceeded to Headquarters GDD and was discharged from the service on 16th September 1943. 

After the war Jack later moved to Queensland and in 1967 was living at Margate north of Brisbane.  Jack passed away on 10th December 1984 aged 89.  His cremation Memorial Plaque is located at the Albany Creek Memorial Park Cemetery and Crematorium. 

David John Baxter was awarded for service in WW1 the 1914-1915 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal and the Anzac Commemorative Medallion.   For service in WW2 he was awarded the 1939-1945 Star, Defence Medal, War Medal 1939-1945, Australia Service Medal 1939-1945.

Respectfully submitted by Sue Smith 3rd April 2023.

Sources

https://www.hawthorntramdepot.org.au/papers/anzac/aitken.htm

http://www.rgcrompton.info/crompton/1821info11f2.html