Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Archibald (Archie) Nicholas Bonnett enlisted at Moss Vale on 9 March 1918 as the war approached its 4th year without any sign of a finish. He and six others had been sufficiently inspired by the speeches of returned soldiers at the Moss Vale Show that weekend. Within three short months he was to embark on the SS Field Marshall on 19 June 1918. The war was now turning against the Germans.

Born at Taralga north of Goulburn NSW 15 April 1895 to John and Lily Bonnett he was almost 23 years of age and single. He had been working as a farm labourer for ₤1 a week for George Tate on his Oakdale property in Kangaroo Valley at the time of his enlistment.

He did not get to see active service in France as he contracted measles on 26 July 1918 during the voyage and was held over for a month in Capetown South Africa for treatment. He eventually disembarked in England on 27 September 1918, just six weeks short of the armistice. This time was spent at the 9th and 14th Training Battalions where he was assigned variously to the 33rd and 30th Battalions.

The war was now over and the longest serving soldiers were given priority for the return home. Archie was next assigned to general service duties and was unlikely to have minded the enforced “vacation” in the old country or the four months spent in Belgium from February 1919 with the 55th Battalion. He was one of 26 new re-inforcements from Australia brought into billets at Rance on 1 February. Light snow was falling.
Their days were mostly occupied with education – arithmetic, bookkeeping, French, Latin and English studies of Milton or Shakespeare. Vocational classes were available for dairying, poultry keeping, fruitgrowing and wool classing.
Sports followed in the afternoon, with snowball fights popular when the weather obliged.

The 55th was merged with the 53rd Battalion at this time, with quotas of men progressively being marched out for return to Australia. The battalions finally left Rance on 2 April for Marchienne-au-Pont, Belgium where day passes were issued to allow the men to enjoy the theatres and cinemas at nearby Charleroi.

Archie’s chance came on 22 May 1919 when he was marched out of France to Weymouth England departing 9 July and disembarking in Sydney 4 September. He was discharged on 19 September 1919 indicating he was not suffering any disability. Archie was fit and well.
He was to be awarded the British War Medal but not the Victory Medal as did not see active service.

He married Olivia (Ollie) Dora Turner at Kiama in 1923. For reasons known only to Archie and Olive they adopted the surname Byrne after the war and so he went by the name Archibald Nicholas Byrne. Archie’s father John Bonnett had died in 1922 and Byrne was his mother’s maiden name.

He and Olive lived in Jamberoo in their later years where Archie had been working as a truck driver and labouring for the local council. There were two children born to the marriage - sons Stewart and Archibald Lloyd.

Archie served his country again when he re-enlisted at 44 years of age for the Volunteer Defence Corps (VDC) during the height of World War 2. The VDC was formed in 1940 and was 100,000 strong by 1942. These men were engaged as coast watchers, airfield defence and as security guards at key installations. This allowed younger men to be recruited into the fighting forces overseas.
He served with the 13th Battalion VDC as N266971 Pte. Archie Byrne from 5 May 1942 until the end of the war, discharged on 15 September 1945.

Community concern amongst Jamberoo residents saw 20 men volunteer to establish the Jamberoo Fire Brigade in April 1944. Archie was elected Captain. He was also active throughout WW2 with the Jamberoo Patriotic Fund in local fundraising for WW2 servicemen.

Like many WW1 veterans, Archie watched with concern as his sons enlisted and served with the A.I.F. during WW2.

Stewart enlisted at Dapto in 1942 and served as a Sapper with the Royal Australian Engineers (NX125026) against the Japanese Imperial Army in New Guinea. A social was held at the Jamberoo School of Arts for Stewart (and Pte. George Seymour) on 31 October 1942 prior to their embarkation.

Stewart was wounded during the Aitape-Wewak campaign in northern New Guinea June 1945. The final Australian campaign on mainland New Guinea, Archie and Olive worried for their eldest son as the war in the Pacific edged to an end.

Lloyd (NX119534) enlisted at Port Kembla and appears to have falsified his birthdate to enable acceptance. He gave his birthdate as 7 May 1921, which was highly unlikely given that Stewart was born 5 July 1921. His parents had celebrated his “coming of age” in May 1944 which suggests Lloyd was actually born in 1923.
Both men completed their war service and married soon after. Lloyd was best man for Stewart when he married Elizabeth Douglas on 3 November 1945. They honeymooned at Cronulla before moving to Cliff Road Wollongong after his discharge from the A.I.F. He worked as a carpenter.

Stewart returned the favour and acted as best man for Lloyd when he married
Betty Lewis at the Presbyterian Church Wollongong on 25 October 1947. They set up home at Bulli, in the northern suburbs of Wollongong and later in Wright Street Fernhill. Lloyd worked as a storeman. By 1977 he and Betty had moved into Allowrie Road Jamberoo close to Archie and Ollie.

Archie suffered a stroke in December 1964 and was admitted to Kiama Hospital. His speech and mobility were affected and after his discharge from hospital his health gradually deteriorated.

He was later moved into the Garrawarra Hospital at Waterfall NSW north of Wollongong and passed away there on 21 December 1966 aged 71 years. Olivia survived him until 1978.

There is no known photograph of Archibald Bonnett.