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Australia

"The grandson of German migrants, Edward Mattner was born in Oakbank, South Australia on 16 September 1893. He was working as an assistant teacher in South Australia when he decided to enlist two weeks before his 22nd birthday in 1915.

While serving in the 18th Battery of the 6th Field Artillery Mattner would thrice distinguish himself. The first occasion occurred in June of 1917, the battery was under heavy bombardment and a nearby ammunition dump caught fire, endangering the men, the guns and the ammunition. Mattner, with four others used buckets of water to try to extinguish the fires as well as moving ammunition while boxes were exploding around them. For this bravery Edward would receive the Military Medal..." -  READ  MORE (www.awm.gov.au)

"A SPLENDID RECORD. SOUTH AUSTRALIAN THRICE DECORATED.

Many remarkable performances have been written down, to the credit of mem bers of the Australian Imperial Force, and among the recipient of honors Second- Lieutenant E. W. Mattner, of the Battery, Field Artillery, certainly deserves to have his name prominently placed. The officer for some time in command of the battery, but now transferred to the command of the Artillery Brigade, gives details of Lieutenant Mattner's distinctions in a letter. The young South Aus tralian soldier is a son of Mrs. E. L. Matt ner, of Oakbank. He left Australia as a gunner, and was in turn promoted to the rank of bombadier, corporal, sergeant, and second-lieutenant. As a corporal he won the Military Medal at Messines in June last. He was a sergeant when the D.C.M. was granted to him for his behavior in the engagement at Menin-road, Ypres, in September.

He gained his commission in the field in October, and a few days later he was wounded, but remained on duty. Before many more days had elapsed he had won the Military Cross. During his 27 months on active service he has never missed a day on duty, and each decoration has been for personal bravery under heavy shell fire. The officer, who has himself been mentioned in dispatches five times, considers Mr. Mattner's record without parallel in the Australian artillery and, he thinks, in the British army. Lieutenant Mattner went through the fighting on the Somme, at Pozieres, Bullecourt, Messines, Menin-road (Ypres), and Paschendael. It is interesting to note that up to November 17 last the 18th Battery had been awarded 41 decorations. Thirteen of the non-commissioned officers had been granted commissions to that date and were serving with various units." - from the Adelaide Advertiser 07 Feb 1918 (nla.gov.au)

From Adelaide High School Magazine, Christmas 1916, p 11-15

Letters from the Front.
______
Extract of letter from Driver E. Mattner, 18th Battery, 6th Field Artillery Brigade :-
"We proceeded to a village called Bois Grenier, south of Armentieres. It was at this
place that our sub-section built a gun-pit reputed to be 'some' class. The inside decorations
were great -boarded floor, electric lights, bunks arrayed like berths in a ship, the fancy part of
all were the curtains, made from linen. As we had two sailors with us, I may say that we had
arrangements to perfection. Alas! all things change, and after ten weeks at Bois Grenier we
were sent to Belgium. Our stay was not too long, as in July we were sent to the Somme to be
in the big push. as we were in it - yes, right in it till September 5. 'The Big Push' - yes, it was.
Proceeding to it, you see a mass of conglomerated masses, apparently no law or order, but yet
every detail is worked out and nothing left to chance. Water schemes, tram lines, food
supplies, ammunition stores - all proceed in their regular sequence. Caesar's ghost! Talk
about guns, the place is crammed with them, packed like sardines, and when they all spoke
the whole place was one livid mass of flame - as clear as daylight. No One can realize,
without seeing it, how the Germans had fortified this part of the line. Their dug-outs were
from 30 ft. to 60 ft. deep, fitted up into rooms, with electric lights, settees, stores, and beds.
These rooms were all lined with wood, some were papered, some had neat designs worked
out for ceilings. Many evidences of the dug-outs being inhabited by women were found, and it is also evident that hospitals were built in their second-line trenches. They had most
elaborate trenches and underground passages, the latter stretching for miles underground,
some going right under our own trenches, these being used for 'listening posts.' The offensive
was inaugurated by the explosion of a British mine. The crater that it left was 200 ft. in
diameter and 64 ft. deep. Heaps of Germans were left - some with an arm sticking out, others
with a leg, etc. - a most awful sight, and the smell was hardly eau de Cologne. It is reputed
that over 10,000,000 shells were fired in one particular sector in fourteen days. These shells
ranged from 18-pounders to the gigantic 16-inch howitzers, whose shells weigh well over
one ton. The whole landscape was changed; you could not get a foot in any direction without
stepping into a shell hole. For all the world it looked like as if some gigantic plough had been
among the place, churning things upside down. The villages of La Boiselle, Pozieres,
Ovillers, etc., were absolutely levelled to the ground. It was decidedly hot work and risky,
and one is rather fortunate in having a whole skin. No one in our crowd can grow a
moustache on account of the close shaves they had. Anyhow, we left the Somme, and we are
now in Belgium. I often wonder if anyone can ever realize what this land and France have
suffered. By the way, we relieved a battery here which has been in action since the outbreak
of the war; they were a part of that contemptible English Army. Many are the tales they can
tell of the great retreats; how Germans were mowed down in their mass formation. Ruins!
Well, you cannot describe them. nothing has escaped the hand of the plunderers - vaults,
coffins, cathedrals have been ruthlessly plundered. But the cathedrals! What majestic works!
Works which took centuries to build were demolished in a few hours. I was mighty glad to
receive the mid-winter A.H.S. Magazine on September 8. The number was decidedly
interesting. Whilst the school is doing so well in football in South Australia its Old Boys in
France are doing equally well. Captain Armitage has earned a great name. It was sad re
Clarrie McLaren."