Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

William Thomas Finn
The early years.
Born 23rd November 1889 at Kilmore in Victoria.
Son of Thomas William Finn (Policeman) and Annie Sarah Gilbert.
William was a delicate child who was allergic to cow’s milk (an allergy that still runs through our family), and was raised on goat’s milk. His mother related an instance when he was small sitting in a washing basket and a girl who was bigger than him sat on his stomach, resulting in a hernia which gave him a lot of trouble when he was older.

Figure 1 William with his mother Annie Finn (nee Gilbert) his sisters (left to right) Margaret and Annie.
His father was very religious and insisted the children attend Sunday Mass with him, William would try and get out of going by saying that he had gone to another Mass. So Sunday dinner became question time – what was the Gospel and sermon about? If Will couldn’t answer there would be hell to pay, so he would lay in wait for the girls before dinner so they could tell him the answers.
From the age of 15 until 18, as required by law, (Australia was the only country at the time to have compulsory militia training) Will was a member of the 7th A.I.R Rifles at Ballarat. The 7th AIF had a long history as a citizens defence force which had commenced in 1837 at the former Bath’s Hotel in Ballarat. The original name changed numerous times from the original 3rd or Ballarat Battalion of the Victoria Rifles to the City of Ballarat Regiment in May 1941. Their original uniforms must have been ‘something to behold’, “bottle green tunics and trousers with red facings, black belts were worn by all ranks, those of officers being patent leather with silver mountings and the head dress was a busby for full dress and a small round peakless cap for undress”. The 1914-1918 war found Ballarat providing the better part of the 8th and 39th Battalions (former members fought at Pozieres, Bullecourt, Ypres, Menin Road, Lys, Hazebrouck. Amiens, Hindenburg Line, Krithia, and the landing at ANZAC).
The only occupation that is evident after leaving school was – car painter – which was listed on his Army enlistment form. These were the days after Henry Ford founded the Ford Motor Company and cars were painted with a varnish like paint (lead based) that required numerous sanding and repainting, sometimes the cars took up to 40 days to complete. These lead based paints have now been proven, if inhaled or ingested, to cause short and long term adverse health effects.
Will’s hobbies included painting (art) and writing, his sister Margaret affectionately remembered to him as “a kind and gentle man who did no harm to anyone”.
The War Years
Australia had been involved in the First World War since 1914 and although Prime Minister Billy Hughes had conducted two unsuccessful referendums to bring in compulsory conscription, the government was forced to use other methods to encourage volunteers. By January 1916 there were “road shows” organised together with local citizens, interspersed with the traditional advertisements for The Coliseum – Drama with Muriel Starr, Vaudeville at Her Majesty’s Theatre complete with the Phenomenal Equilibrists (wire balancing) of Carl, Merlyn and Ted Russell together with a Swiss Tyrolean Singer and a Dutch comedian. The Pathes Pictures were screening “The Old Hypocrite” From the Ballarat Courier Newspaper.
“THE CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS.
Returned officers and soldiers to and from the recruiting rallies being held throughout the Ballarat military area has been met by several gentlemen who have offered to place their motor cars and their own services at the disposal of the Citizens' Committee; who are arranging the transport. To-night a rally will be held at Beaufort. Lt-Col Bolton and his staff of returned officers, as well as a number of returned soldiers, will visit that town. The Camp band will also accompany them, as Messr D.Ronaldson and J.Snow and Co.-have offered, their cars. For Saturday next, two cars will be needed for Waubra. It is proposed to send the Camp Band under Mr Percy Code, through the district to play patriotic airs and music to rouse the people to attend. Messr C. Glenney, J. Gower,and C. Denniston have also offered their cars for later trips. Still more are needed for further trips, and names sent to Mr T. Harris at the Show Grounds will be heartily welcomed. Mr J. J. Griffith (E. Rowlands and Co.), with his motor driver, Mr W. Davey has proven a tower of strength by the loan of the big motor lorry to convey the band. The driver of the lorry is untiring in his attention, and this help is deeply appreciated.

For the first time since the present recruiting campaign opened the volunteers from Ballarat deemed physically fit to enter the ranks went in to double figures yesterday. The percentage was also higher than usual. Out of the 25 candidates who presented themselves 12 were accepted and two were referred to the medical board. Ballarat however has not yet contributed 100 men to the new army. It is supposed to contribute - East and West together - close on 500, apart from the monthly reinforcements. At the rate the men are coming forward it will take more than three months to accomplish the task.”

The Headlines from the Ballarat Courier in January and February 1916 continued to press home the urgency of what had now was becoming a universal war:
ZEPPELINS OVER PARIS.
GERMAN GUNS AT ANZAC
WASHINGTON AND BERLIN- Grave situation, relations may be broken off.
WESTERN FRONT- Artillery and Grenades - Enemy positions bombarded.
RECRUITING CAMPAIGN -Provisional Certificates - Advice to Local Committees.
BOMBING ATTACKS -Daring ventures at midnight.
HUNS TRENCHES ENTERED - Enemy's Losses - 200,000 men a month - exhausting the reserve.
RUSSIANS IN BLACK SEA -Complete Mastery- 1500 Enemy ships sunk.

The Newspapers published an extract of the Kings Speech “I am sustained by the determination of my people at home and overseas to carry the flag to final decisive victory in this struggle, which was forced upon us by those who hold in light esteem the liberties and covenants which we regard as sacred. I rely with confidence on the loyal and united efforts of 'all' my subjects, who have never failed me. I pray Almighty God that he may give us is blessing."

Patriotic Poems in the papers included :
Australia has no fears.
Across our planet's surface,
One blood streak runs today,
And 'mid the clash of armies
Mild Peace has flown away.

We praise our boys in khaki,
And praising know full well,
That when they reach the trenches,
Their lives they'll dearly sell.

They come from outback stations,
From where the saltbush grows,
Sun-kissed, strong-limbed and virile,
To down our brutal foes.

Hun dogs may glut their blood lust,
In battlefields afar,
And Kultur running wanton,
Make dim the morning star.

But wait the boys in khaki,
The boys who have no peers,
Shall smash the Kaiser's legions,
Australia has no fears.
- James Barbour.
And editorials as in the Maryborough & Dunolly Advertiser 2nd Feb 1916:
“Every man, woman and many children can do something. The young men can enlist and endeavor to induce others to do likewise. Those ineligible and who have the means can assist by subscribing to the war loans-even though the amount be small. For the past 18 months many women have devoted every moment of their spare time to assisting our men, and their work has been highly appreciated by the men in the trenches and in the hospitals. Women, you can do much more. Some of you impede recruiting. This should not be. Think of the horrors perpetrated in the countries overrun by the Huns-the violations, mutilations of men, women, and children, and the thousand and one crimes committed. Think of the tens of thousands of homeless widows and orphans-made so by the lust for power of one man. If these things do not make you desirous of inducing you to make your male acquaintances do a man's part, think of what some of your sisters have done. Some time since I drew attention to the case of the Neyland family at Birchip. In this case seven sons went to the front. Several similar cases have since been cited. The latest case is that of Mrs. M. M. Burkett, of Clifton Hill. She has two sons at the front since the beginning of hostilities, and she now offers three more sons. In doing so she said, "I am much attached to my sons, but at a time like the present patriotism comes before everything else, even a mother's love."
We can all do something in this struggle.
We have great liberty in this fair land of ours. It is not so manifest to those who have not visited other lands, and they therefore have not the opportunity for comparison, hence it comes about that we have loud-mouthed sedition-mongers proclaiming we would be better off under German or some other rule. If they believe this why do they not go where they “would be better off?". They certainly “would be better off" Australia's shore. Our freedom is unexcelled in the universe. . Such being the case, we should not abuse our freedom by turning it into, licence, We have had altogether too much disloyal acts and utterances since the war broke out, in the case of aliens they are promptly brought to book and punished. The case of those born under our flag and enjoying our manifold advantages who give utterance to disloyal sentiments there has been too much laxity, and in some cases undue advantage has been taken of this. This should not be the case. Punishment should swiftly follow any attempt to weaken the work of the authorities in connection with the war. It is over a week since attention was drawn to a treasonable article in the “Labor Call." The article was the personification of hostility to recruiting, People have been anxiously waiting to see what action the Federal Government would take in the matter, but up to the present all -we can learn is that the Acting Prime Minister has sent the article on to the Crown Solicitor, Surely this disgrace on the fair name of, Victoria is not to be permitted to go unpunished, Sir Alexander Peacock has promised to see if a stop cannot be put to such seditious publications, and I trust he will succeed.

There were also interspersed stories which humanised the faces of those fighting.
Ballarat Courier"of 25th January, 1916,
Forwarded by Mr C. Fenner, principal of the Ballarat School of Mines:-" One of the most interesting geological specimens ever received for identification at the Ballarat School of Mines was that which arrived yesterday. It consisted of a tin of carefully packed fossil shells sent to the Principal, Mr C. Fenner, by his friend, Crpl. A. M. Sullivan. The shells were from the entrenched area in the steep slopes of Gallipoli, and are all of one type. They are gastropods, belonging to one of the later periods of geological history, and are encased in a yellowish mudstone. Authorities agree that that strip of Gallipoli Peninsula was the scene of one of the fiercest battles in history, and it is interesting to think that in the intervals of the fighting Crpl. Sullivan could find time to collect these extremely interesting geological specimens," Mr Fenner remarks that “this is one little bit of Gallipoli we got, anyhow.”
Ballarat Courier Wednesday 2nd February 1916.
LIFE IN GERMAN CAMP.-Horrors and hardships. NEWCASTLE Tuesday.
Hatred of everything Germans is expressed in a letter to his father Mr J Thompson of Hamilton, by MR JR Thompson a young musician who was interned in the Ruhleben camp in Germany for more than 12 months and was in December last exchanged for German prisoners.
“As you know” the letter says “I have been exchanged as not fit for military service, and one must really thank God that I have had so much good luck in getting out of the hands of the detestable Germans. I cannot yet write detailing all the horrors and hardships we prisoners went through. However, I am now out of the place and I loathe, despise, and hate everything that is German.”
“I was in the hospital for 7 weeks before I left Germany, so you can imagine the condition in which I have arrived in England, my weight being only 96lb. I arrived in London without either clothes or boots, the Germans having taken all our woollen things including the rugs we had.”
Will was allocated to the 2nd Reinforcements of the 39th Battalion when he enlisted on 7th February 1916 at the age of 26 years and 3 months.

The 39th Battalion was formed on 21 February 1916 at the Ballarat Showgrounds in Victoria and drew most of its recruits from the state's Western District. It became part of the 10th Brigade of the 3rd Australian Division.

The military hierarchy was: 3rd Australian Division.> 10th Brigade > 37th, 38th, 39th & 40th Battalions.

The main battalion sailed on the Ascanius from Melbourne on 27 May, arrived in Britain on 18 July and commenced four months of training,

The Second Reinforcements departed on the Orontes for training in London on 16th August 1916. His diary details his voyage on the Orontes describing the departure from Melbourne “The band played all the popular airs spiritedly (including Australia Will Be There) and the boys sang along with great volume to the tune of the above. After entraining the relatives and friends were allowed on the platform.
Many hasty “au revoir”s were wished within the remaining few minutes. After the train started to move the boys rested as well as they could in the limited spaces. They had been up all night with the final details. The special train went via Geelong; where we stopped ½ hour and picked up more troops. The Geelong Band struck up a lively air as we passed into the station.
We reached Port Melbourne about 9 am; the train passing down the wharf alongside RMA Orontes. At the land end of the wharf a big crowd of civilians, even at this early hour were waiting for permission to get nearer the boat. Other troops were there when we arrived, the boat was taking rifles from Seymour, Geelong, Bendigo and Ballarat.”
Progressively through the trip Will was amazed by the diversity of the places that the ship berthed on the way to England, in Durban South Africa, “Thursday morning 7th Sept. 1916. We march into the city and several are told of duty. I am spending the day visiting the Art Gallery, Museum and Library. Had a good ride in a rickshaw. These rickshaw men are very interesting. Perhaps about 30 of them are standing alongside their jinker like conveyance. They make all sorts of faces to attract your attention and a whistling sound. All kinds of coloured beads are on their bodies and big horns and other ornaments and decorations on their heads. It is a great joke of theirs to go bucking like a horse when you go for a ride. The different classes are a study. You see the little children with their long dresses on, of all the bright colours talking and walking along like old women. Then you will notice the women carrying different things on their heads, water vessels and baskets laden with fruit etc. Along will come a Kaffir on a bike with parcels hanging all around him I believe very few of them can read and they will ask someone in the street to point out where they are to go.”
He detailed the daily on board life, of training, concerts and the inevitable sea sickness.
The Orontes arrival in England Monday Oct.2nd. “As we had to sleep without blankets last night, I was up at 4am. Very miserable sort of morning, thick fog and misty rain. 9 am. The fog has cleared somewhat, and one gets a view of the surroundings. On one side of the boat nice green hills and on the other side is a thickly populated area. 10:30 am. We are about to be transferred from the main boat to a tender. It takes some time to complete final details, but about 11am. The above moves away from the main boat and in a few minutes reaches the Princess Royal Wharf, and we are to entrain here for Salisbury Plains. This is the end of the 16,000 miles, voyage completed in 147 days. It was sometimes rough, but taking it right through, it was a most enjoyable trip.”
On arrival in England the new arrivals marched out to the 10th Training Battalion where they remained until the 10th October when the reinforcements joined the full 39th Battalion. On the 18th November a peace march was held where the entire complement marched from Larkhill, Amesbury, Stonehenge, Winterbourne, Stoke, Shrewton and back to Larkhill. Then on 23th November the 39th left Southampton for France arriving on 26th November, where they marched to Billetts at Merris and on 27th marched to Armentieres via Bailleu/Niepe Road just in time for the onset of the terrible winter of 1916-17. The 39th rotated in the trenches with the 37th, 38th, 40th which were the other battalions in the 10th Brigade.


An example of the planning for trench warfare dated 8th January 1916 is in the Secret Order No 10 . The War Diary for the 10th describes the alternating trench raids (8th December was the first) by both the German Army and the Australians with casualties reported and documentation, equipment brought back to AHQ for review. The 4 pages of instructions for the Australian raiding parties covered every minute detail. A small part is listed below.
OBJECTIVES 2.
(i) Capture of enemy personnel, material and documents.
(ii) Inflict casualties.
(iii) Obtain identifications.
(iv) Destroy or take enemy machine guns, mortars, minenverfers (mine warfare), material etc.
COMPOSITON
OF PARTY 4. The composition of the party will be,
a) O.C.RAID Capt.C.L.Giles 39th Battn.
b) Right Party under Lieut. V.R.BINGLE 39th Bn.
Four (4) scouts, each carrying pistol, leader carries a wire cutter in addition.
Three (3) bayonet men each carrying 10 rounds of S.A.A.in trouser pocket in addition to having magazine charged and one round in chamber.
Four (4) bombers each carrying 20 grenades in apron.
Two (2) men 10th Field Coy Engineers each carrying material for demolition.
Two (2) runners armed with pistol.
c) Left Party, under 2nd Lieu. W.G. JEWKES 39th Bn.
Details of party as above.
d) Support Party under Lieut.P.L. SMITH 39th Bn.
Who will act as O.C. ASSAULT.
Four (4) parapet men with 50 rounds S.A.A. in bandolier over shoulder and magazine charged.
Two (2) telephonists armed with pistol.
Four (4) runners armed with pistol.
Four (4) spare men armed each carrying a rifle and bayonet and 50 rounds S.A.A. These men will take charge of prisoners.

The Report for a raid on 26th December provides a first-hand view of trench fighting.
“The scouts went forward at 5-15 pm to report on wire and cut if necessary. They found the wire very well cut by trench mortars and 15 minutes uninterrupted work would have completed the job. Soon after commencing one scout was shot in the shoulder and replaced. The enemy began a bombardment of our front line with “Minnies”, “Pineapples” and rifle grenades. As soon as this lulled a raiding party went forward but the scouts discovered a working party in the gap in his wire. The raiders were then withdrawn and the working party dispersed by Lewis Gun fire. Severe retaliation on the front line caused the OC (Officer in Charge) Raid to send his raiders out into NO MAN’S LAND, where they lay until the enemy’s fire ceased. A telephone line was taken out and hung along a line of willow trees to the point of assembly.
Shortly before 9-30pm the OC Raid considered that conditions were now favorable for carrying out the operation. The Right Party under 2nd Lieut. R H McDougall floundered through a ditch close to the enemy’s parapet and found his parapet very much damaged by our fire and very heavy going. Two bombs (grenades) thrown at this time wounded the four leading men of the party. Reorganisation was effected immediately and the party entered the enemy trench but was unable to catch the thrower of the bombs. The Left Party under 2nd Lieut. J W McDonald met with no opposition but the leading bayonet men saw one of the enemy running away down a communication trench. Bombs were thrown and landed in the communication trench but, the result could not be ascertained. After staying in the trench for 12 minutes the word to withdraw was given. Officers and Non-Commissioned Offers remained on the enemy’s parapet until the last man had left and returned across NO MANS LAND. All the wounded were got away without difficulty.
The party brought back 2 rifles, some ammunition, 1 periscope, and a full pack containing many articles of clothing, three letters, several other papers, and an ordinary small scale commercial map. These articles were the property of Christoph Steinmetz of the 23rd Bavarian Regiment, the letters being written from Nurnberg.
One man of the Left Party reported himself wounded after the raiders had returned to our lines. Enemy trench was found to be in good condition, and there was a plentiful supply of bombs in some dug-outs in his parapet.
The message “IN” was received at Brigade Headquarters at 9-52 pm and “OUT” at 10-2pm. The party reported at Brigade Headquarters about 12 midnight on its way back to billets and the above particulars were obtained from the OC Raid, Captain JA Lambden and the Officers commanding the Left and Right Parties. -Signed Brigadier General W Ramsay McColl” .

The winter bought with it the additional hazard of freezing conditions and snow, which not only froze men and equipment, but also the trenches were easily identified by the dark lines against the white snowfall. The cold did have one benefit which was to freeze the water underfoot in the trenches and cancel the squelching noise of the men pulling their boots out of the mud as they were approaching enemy trenches. The ground was so frozen that they could not even dig trenches, so they tunnelled forward underneath the ground to a forward position and then tunnelled upward.

An example of the landscape at Passchendale after aerial and mortar bombardments.
The Third Salvage Company
In AIF Order no 452 dated 10th January 1917, Major General John Monash CB Commander of 3rd Australian Division authorised the formation of the 3rd Division Salvage Corps. And on February 1st the Salvage Company was established. The role of the Salvage Company was to recover equipment from the battlefield. The salvage was assessed and if serviceable returned to the battalions.


Lieutenant James Walley was the Commanding Officer of the 61 men in the Company. William T Finn was listed on the first transfer list from 39th Battalion dated 4th February 1917(page 11 on War Diaries Appendix 3).
The men were grouped in Sections, A (with subsections 1 & 2), B (with subsection 3 & 4), C (with subsection 5 & 6) there were 10 men per subsection who were listed as Sorters/Packers, Investigators, General Salvage, Company Books.
The War Diaries for the 3rd Salvage Company are available from https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/AWM4/19/5/
The following example of the work done by the Salvage Company is from the War Diary of the 3rd Salvage Company dated March 1917.
“During the month of March the weather improved somewhat, enabling better results to be obtained of Salvage, except in the trenches which articles were still frozen together, which made the work of salvaging particularly hard at times. Bombardments were more frequent during this month, at times putting an end to any idea of salvage in the trench area. Periodical inspection by PC Company and Sectional Commanders brought to light quantities of military material left behind by units which was promptly taken charge of by the Salvage Company. Salvage collected in trucks could only be removed during the night on account of enemy observation, and driver reports many anxious drives during period of loading, at times only about 55 yards from front line trenches.” Lieutenant James Walley.
Routine Orders in the 3rd Salvage War Diaries document the numerous dangers which the troops were exposed to, from gas which can “still be hanging in the air of the trenches”, enemy aircraft “take cover in the shadow of walls or trees and avoid all unnecessary movement”. Many soldiers including Will, suffered from dysentery and boils which had been caused by infections from rats and lice which abounded in the trenches. After a year with 3rd Company Salvage he was in hospital for 5 days. On the 2nd March 1918 he was listed at being in Hospital No 310. The wounded and casualties are listed in the 3rd Salvage War Diaries.
The next year, in March 1918 during a leave period, representatives of the 3rd Salvage Company were given the opportunity “to go through the workshops there (Calais) to see how all salvage is treated at the base. This was a great opportunity for those selected and it was regretted that the whole Company could not make a visit there. Although we had been trained to recover everything from the battlefield, billets etc. etc. and that use could be made of same, (no matter how apparently useless it may appear), we had no idea of the real value of such articles until we saw for ourselves, and we may truly say it was an ‘eye opener’. First of all a tour was made to where salvage is unloaded and dumped as it comes from the line, and we were at once curious as to what treatment certain articles would receive to make them useful again and others the use that could be made of them other than their original use. We were able to make a thorough study of some of the workshops, having two days at our disposal, but would have liked to spend a week there. A few instances may be quoted:- At one time water-bottles with covers that had been pierced by shrapnel or a bullet were not collected, but for the past 12 months these have been gathered and sent to Base in the ordinary way, where the bottles are stripped of their covers and gloves made from the covers and sold to the Labour Battalion at 3 ½ pence per pair! We were interested in the use of salvo rifles. Each rifle as it comes from the line is taken to pieces and the part overhauled: Rifles which have been damaged are repaired and made good. Bayonets tested, those which are found to be unserviceable are sent to England the stub melted down and those which stand the test are overhauled and re-issued again”. Captain James Walley.
During this period with the Salvage Company the harsh reality of the work is described in the Oct 1917 Salvage Company War Diary Sheet 46 at Ypres. This was after the 3rd battle of Ypres.
“.. from 4th to 22nd October.. it seemed during this period through the terrible strain which the Company underwent, that days were weeks and weeks were months. The difficulty attending salvage operations were from a transport point of view practically insurmountable… Salvage there was certainly in such enormous quantities that it would have taken 5,000 men and 50 motor lorries at least months (if working without interruption) to have cleared it. A number of GS wagons were attached to the Company for duty but owing to the conditions of the roads, and they being under continuous shellfire and enemy bombing these could not be made use of….the whole of the country over the Friezenberg Ridge and to the left of Zonnebeke.. was practically and death trap for the unwary and the labour entailed enormous, apart from the fact that the shellfire was incessant and that the horrors apparent to the eye were such as has never been seen before, men’s arms, legs and heads protruded through the mud; skeletons here and there, bodies strewing the battlefield unburied and untouched, it being impossible to bury the bodies owing to the shortage of man power and the impossible conditions.
All the battles fought over this ground during the past three years were repeated to the eyes and it was over this sector the Company worked to recover as much as possible of the vast quantity of salvage lying about. Frequently dumps were made only to be found the next day completely destroyed by shellfire. In addition to recovering salvage the men often gave a hand at stretcher bearing but when it is realised that it took a man in perfect physical condition at least 3 hours to carry four rifles 3,000 yards, one can obtain a slight idea of the conditions.
The whole road.. was strewn with debris of every description; overturned lorries, motor cars & wagons; dead horses and mules and men; bombing from above and incessant shelling from guns of all callibres both night and day all over the area especially on the road contributed a state of chaos and horror at times that defied description. “ Captain Walley.
During warm periods, the smell, and the rats combined with the lack of sanitation, caused numerous cases of dysentery and boils.
William remained with the 3rd Salvage Company until 2nd May 1918 with brief stints in hospital for boils and dysentery until he returned to the 39th Battalion who were then stationed in the Meteren area Northern France.


In May 1918 the 39th listed Battle Strength as 44 officers, 105 NCO’s and 664 men. “During the early hours our artillery very active on enemy forward area. At break of dawn artillery planes became active. At 7am one of the Aust. RE8 machines was attacked by an enemy bi-plane and driven down aflame. Both pilot and observer were killed”.
As May progressed, the 39th were rotated in and out of the trenches and an insight on how tension was relieved was shown in the diary for 16 to 18th May.
“In the afternoon 39th played 37th a football match on the Allonville ground. The game throughout was well contested but the system of the 37th prevailed over the individuality of the 39th with the result that 37th ran out winners by 6 goals”. Lt Col Patterson.
‘When the German Army launched its last great offensive in the spring of 1918, the 39th Battalion was rushed to southern France and played a role in turning the German drive aimed at the vital railway junction of Amiens.’ By June 1918 the 39th had moved through Villers Bretonneux, Mont du Bois and Bouillancourt en Sery.
‘The Allies launched their own offensive on 8 August 1918, but the 10th Brigade was the 3rd Division's reserve on this day so the 39th did not play an active role. It was involved, however, in an ill-conceived attack that failed to capture the village of Proyart on 10 August. Not daunted by this experience, the battalion continued to play an active role throughout August and early September in the 3rd Division's advance along the Somme Valley.
The 39th participated in its last major action of the war between 29 September and 2 October 1918 as part of the Australian-American operation that breached the formidable defenses of the Hindenburg Line along the St Quentin Canal.’-AWM
The 39th (as part of the 3rd Division) together with the 5th Division were relived after this battle, capturing 3,000 prisoners but suffering 2,600 casualties.
The war ended on November 11th 1918 with the 39th “resting out of the line” and was still in France in January 1919.
Will was given leave in London on 15th January 1919 after numerous hospital admissions for advanced boils, dysentery and then a sprained ankle (all of which seemed usual afflictions in reports). While he was there he was transferred ex leave to AIF Headquarters in London to the Records section and the No 1 Com Dept., this was a result of a request from Headquarters to all Divisions, for assistance with processing the documentation regarding movements of men, equipment and animals.
He left England on the “Derbyshire” on the 22nd April 1919 to return to Australia, where Will was officially discharged on 30th May 1919.
Note: By the end of the war, 416,809 Australians had voluntarily enlisted, of those, 60,000 were killed. This equated to 38.7% of the male population between 18 and 44. Also 156,000 were wounded, gassed or taken prisoner.
The horrific fact is that deaths averaged 38 per day for the 1,560 days of the war. Of those Australian soldiers who survived, more than half of them were discharged medically unfit.
After the War.
When Will arrive back in Australia, he told his sister that he had been a stretcher bearer, as with many (including my father) who had experienced the horrors of war, it is my belief after researching these records, that he did not want to relive, or retell, these horrors to his family. Only one mention of “stretcher bearer” could be found in the hundreds of pages of documentation read in this research, and that was only an incidental reference in the Salvage Company Diary.
Senior Constable Thomas Finn, Will’s father had been transferred from Ballarat Police Station to Kensington, and nothing further is known about Will until 22nd August 1919 when he enlisted with the Royal Australian Garrison Artillery at Queenscliff Victoria as no 2268. It is unknown why 21 days later he was “taken off strength”. (With troop movements, an addition to a company was listed as “on strength” while a movement out was listed as “off strength”.)
On 10th March 1922 he signed for the British War Medal at Victoria Barracks, and on 16th October 1923 he signed for the Victory Medal with his address listed as 28 Brighton Street Flemington Vic.
It isn’t known how he was employed after the war, but he loved to travel and sent his sister beautifully embroidered cards from places he visited. He loved exploring caves with stalagmites and stalactites.
He was hospitalized at the Brighton Anzac Hospital and on the 29th May 1927 at the age of 36 years and 6 months years and he died from sarcoma right testicle (which had been existing for 10 years), secondary growths in brain, liver and right kidney (2years) and was blind.
His mother whom he was extremely close to, was heartbroken and kept Will’s room as he had left it.