Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

From Ballarat & District in the Great War

Lt John James Graham Colclough DCM, C de G

Brigadier-General “Pompey” Elliott saw a lot of outstanding incidents of courage during his war service, but one particularly outrageous act of daring by a former VFL footballer left him with a particularly vivid memory, one he would recall on many subsequent occasions. The soldier in question was Graham Colclough.

In the 1850’s the Colclough family migrated to Australia en masse from their estate Goresgrove House (and its adjacent castle) in County Kilkenny, Ireland. The combined impacts of the agrarian revolution and the potato famine had pushed even the wealthy families to seek new challenges.

By the time John James Graham Colclough was born on 18 October 1883, the family had established significant land holdings across the colony. Although the new baby was born at Ascot Vale, his father, Richard Colclough, was most closely associated with the property, Tatong Station near Benalla. His wife, Jane Graham, was also born in Ascot Vale, the daughter of a successful cattle salesman. Graham was their first-born and he, and his subsequent three brothers, spent their early years in the Colclough family home of Zetland Villa in Farnham Street, Flemington.

By the early 1890’s, Jane and the children had moved to “Carlowrie” at 125 Edward Street in Essendon. It was there that a further three children – including two daughters – were born and were young Graham spent the rest of his formative years.

Graham was enrolled as a teenager at Melbourne’s Scotch College. Whilst there he established himself as both academically sound athletically outstanding. During the years 1899 to 1901, he played both cricket and football for the schools Firsts. It was during this period that he showed the early characteristics necessary in a leader, spending time in captaincy roles with both teams as they won five out of a possible six inter-school premierships.

Throughout his time at Scotch, Graham was often named amongst the school’s most outstanding students with prizes in a variety of subjects from mathematics to gymnastics. He was also a member of the school shooting team.

In his final year at Scotch, 1901, Graham was signed by then reigning VFL Premiers, the Melbourne Football Club. He was to play 11 games that season alongside Melbourne great, Fred McGinis, but showed his maturity by pulling out of the match against Collingwood on 18 May, because he wanted to study for his exams on the following Monday. In all, Graham sat nine matriculation examinations whilst at Scotch – Latin, algebra, geometry, history, English, French, arithmetic, chemistry, and geography, and passed in every subject except Latin.

According to the school, Graham was awarded the Dr Herman Lawrence Prize, which was set up along the same lines as the Rhodes Scholarship and designed to recognise both academic and sporting excellence.

After graduating from Scotch College, Graham was cleared from Melbourne in 1902 to play with the Ballarat Football Club. An attacking backman, Graham turned out for the red and whites for four seasons from 1902 to 1905.

During this time, Graham took over managing the family property Glenairlie at Woodburn Creek, Meredith, in partnership with his brother, Richard Leslie Budds, where they grazed a sizeable flock of Merino, comeback and crossbred sheep.

His commitment to community involvement was immediately obvious with both he and Leslie joining the Meredith Christian Young Men’s Society and taking part in local sporting events. In March 1906, they both showed their athletic prowess, with Graham winning the final of the 100-yards handicap and running second to his brother in the 120-yards St Patrick’s Day Handicap. He also joined the Meredith Cricket team, opening the batting and donning the gloves as wicketkeeper, and played for the Meredith Football Club.

As a committeeman and Clerk of the Course, Graham took part in the annual race meeting of the Meredith Race Club. It was such an exciting event that a special train would be put on to bring people from Ballarat, whilst many others travelled through to the town by train from Geelong.

On 3 March 1908, Graham looked to begin the next important stage of his life when he married Mary Grant, the daughter of neighbouring Woodburn Creek grazier, David Grant. The wedding was conducted by local Presbyterian minister, Reverend George S. Moorhead, at the bride’s family residence, “Grantleigh.” Despite the informal setting, the wedding was quite lavish – Mary appeared in a gown of white chiffon taffeta ‘handsomely trimmed with lace.’ She was attended by her sister, Grace, and Graham’s sister, Ilma. All carried shower bouquets. The gifts to the young couple were so extensive it covered several column inches in the Melbourne Punch periodical. Perhaps the most important gifts though, were those exchanged by Graham and Mary – he gave her a gold watch and chain, whilst her gift to Graham was a dressing case.

The death of Graham’s father, Richard Colclough, on 28 May 1908, brought to a close a life of one of Victoria’s older colonists. During his 53 years in the State, he had established himself as a successful horse and cattle breeder at Tatong Station, but he had also acquired the large grazing properties at Oaklands Junction, Dandenong, and “Glenairlie” at Meredith.

After their father’s Will was read, Graham and Leslie were able to continue running their Meredith property and extended their connections to the wider Meredith community. As early as 1910, Graham was acting as a Justice of the Peace in the Meredith Police Court. He also showed early political leanings and was at one point secretary of the Meredith branch of the Peoples’ Party. The party would later actively support the call for conscription.

Graham and Mary welcomed their first child, Richard Roy Grant, in 1909. The baby was born in Ballarat East, possibly at the Ballarat Female Home and Maternity Hospital in Scott’s Parade.

A second son, John Graham, was born five years later. Seemingly, the birth had been protracted and difficult and Mary was slow to recover. She was sent to stay at the home of George and Sara Trekardo, in Ascot Street, Ballarat. Her death on 4 November 1914 was a sad conclusion to what should have been a happy time for Graham Colclough. The funeral cortege, which left the house in Ascot Street, and proceeded to Meredith, gradually increased in length until it was fully a mile long on reaching the cemetery.

Jane Colclough then took on the care of her young grandsons as Graham actively sought to join the AIF. However, a blow to the mouth from a cricket ball whilst wicketkeeping for Scotch College, which had knocked out several of his teeth, looked set to scupper Graham’s hopes.

In early July 1915, it was announced that he had secured a position as a transport officer and was about to leave for Egypt. At this stage, he had already been rejected twice by the army because of the damage to his teeth. It appears that this position did not eventuate.

Eventually, Graham was successful in being accepted as a volunteer, enlisting at Melbourne on 27 October 1915. He was the first of four of the Colclough brothers to join the AIF – Herbert followed on 28 January 1916, then Lorrie on 23 February 1916 and finally, Gordon on 28 July 1916.

When he enlisted, Graham revealed a great deal of information about himself. Despite his participation in the Scotch College Shooting Team, Graham had not pursued further military training. Of course, he was a widower, but he named his oldest son as his next-of-kin, even though the boy was still only 6-years-old. He also gave his occupation as a stock and station agent as opposed to grazier, which was how he was usually recognised. Intriguingly, he stated that he was born near Meredith…

His medical examination was also very revealing – he stood nearly 6-foot tall and weighed 12-stone 4-pounds, with an impressive chest expansion of 5-inches – from 34 to 39-inches. He had a medium complexion, with blue eyes and black hair. But it was his numerous scars that hinted at many a physical scrap on the football field – both knees and buttocks, left thigh and left hip bore the marks of his early life. Once again, however, his teeth were called to question and he was passed fit subject to this issue being cleared.

On 11 November, Graham signed his oath and he was posted immediately to the 23rd Depot Battalion at Royal Park. He was soon recognised by his innate leadership qualities and was promoted to acting-corporal on 9 December.

Graham was transferred to the 20th Depot Battalion at Castlemaine and appointed to A Company on 18 February 1916, but was soon back in Melbourne at the Broadmeadows Camp. His official posting to the 16th reinforcements of the 5th Infantry Battalion came through on 18 March, along with the issuing of his regimental number – 5073.

With preparations underway for embarkation, Graham was promoted once again, this time to acting-sergeant.

The day before he embarked, Graham’s youngest son, 18-month-old, John Graham, who was still living with his grandmother in Essendon, died quite suddenly on 31 March. It is impossible to imagine how Graham coped with this burden as he boarded the troopship Suffolk the next day. Certainly, it would have been a very long, sad voyage to Egypt.

Just a week after arriving at Port Suez, Graham, as part of the expansion and re-organisation of the AIF, was transferred to the 58th Infantry Battalion at Tel-el-Kebir.

Strangely, as the 58th was preparing to leave for France, Graham was sent through to England instead. He sailed from Alexandria on HT Aragon on 13 June and travelled through to Plymouth, a trip that took ten days.

An anomaly in Graham’s service record leaves the period of time from his arrival in England (23 June 1916) until 7 March 1917, when he marched into the 15th Training Battalion at Hurdcott, unaccounted for. It is a period of over seven months where we have no clue as to his activity.

For the next five months, Graham was with AIF Details around Hurdcott and Fovant. He finally sailed for France on 6 August 1917.

After being processed through the 5th Australian Divisional Base Depot at Le Havre, Graham marched out to his unit on 9 August.

As a result of his absence from the 58th Battalion during these months, Graham was spared the mauling they received during the Battle of Fromelles on 19 July 1916. The 58th lost nearly a third of their fighting strength as a consequence of the disaster.

When Graham finally joined the 58th Battalion, the men were enjoying a well-earned break from the frontline and were in billets at Sercus, west of Hazebrouck. It was also a happy reunion with his brother, Herbert, who had been posted to the same unit.

The 58th Battalion’s next major engagement came at Polygon Wood on 25 September. The men arrived at Chateau Segard on 23 September and were forced to march single file with Lewis guns, grenades, picks and shovels beyond Hooge with a careful spacing of 50-yards between each platoon.

Under very heavy enemy shellfire, on 25 September, Graham set about constructing Lewis gun positions. His unrelenting coolness and confidence when the enemy began to advance kept his men calm and in high spirits.

When the German attack was at its strongest, Graham took the audacious step of leaping forward and bayoneting several of the enemy. His leadership and this individual act of bravery kept his men cool under continued pressure. Although he had suffered a shrapnel wound to the head, Graham refused to leave his post and assisted in preparations to withstand a flank attack after the enemy had obtained a foothold in the trenches being held by the unit to the 58th’s right.

Much against his will, Graham was later compelled to go to the dressing station to have his wound attended to. There he discovered his brother, who had also been wounded by shrapnel during the German shelling.

For his devotion to duty and the splendid example he set that day, Graham was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal. It also earned him the admiration and respect of Brigadier-General H. E. Elliott, Commanding Officer of the 15th Brigade.

‘…11th October

We have been recently engaged in the most desperate fighting. On the 25th, one of my battalions, under Major Neil Mack Freeman, Col. Denehy being away on a holiday, again did the most service.

One of the most gallant of the British Regular battalions, whose, nickname in the service is the 'Diehards,' was utterly broken and some taken prisoners. This left the battalion with its flank fully exposed. They had driven off the enemy attack, or at least checked it to their own front, and had to now meet a fresh and formidable attack through the broken British line, and to do it had to bend back their line at right angles to their front. They suffered 75 per cent of their numbers in casualties, but never budged an inch and even advanced when the enemy began to retire.

They slew the enemy in dozens, though he fought desperately. One brave man even organised a bayonet charge on our trenches, and led it himself well in front; but Sergeant Colclough, an old Melbourne and Ballarat footballer, sprang out of the trenches to meet him, and drove his bayonet clean through him, killing him on the spot, which so disheartened the others that they ran back in a great hurry.

That Boche had hard luck, since he chose Colclough's post as the spot for his charge, for Colclough, a hard-faced, dour Scotch Australian, is the most famous bayonet fighter we have in the Brigade, and naturally burned to put some of his famous thrusts and parries into practice.

Next day the Brigade advanced at dawn, and notwithstanding that the British had not yet restored in full, their broken front, we swept the Boche back for nearly a mile. You can guess we need reinforcements now, and the Brigade was especially mentioned in General Plumer's orders for the assistance it gave the British Division on the right in the action. I have never known an instance of this before. Divisions are frequently mentioned, seldom Brigades or Battalions…’

Graham had certainly made a name for himself that day, which would not soon be forgotten by any who had witnessed it.

After his wound was attended to, Graham was transferred through to the 3rd Canadian General Hospital at Camiers, where he was admitted on 26 September. Three days later he was transferred to the 3rd Convalescent Depot at Le Treport to complete his recovery. He was discharged on 9 October and rejoined the 58th at Broodseinde Ridge at the end of the month. Confirmation of his Distinguished Conduct Medal was received on 31 October.

In further recognitions for his work in the Ypres Sector, Graham was awarded the Belgian Croix de Guerre on 16 February 1918. The medal was presented to him ‘by the General in charge, on the field.’ He was then selected for officer training and sent to England on 20 March.

As a cadet at the No6 Officer’s Cadet Training Battalion at Oxford, Graham underwent extensive instruction both in practice and theory. He was still at Oxford when he was informed of the death of his younger brother, Lorrie, who died of a gunshot wound to the chest on 29 August 1918.

Graham continued with his course throughout the final months of the war and he did not qualify for his commission until October.

A confidential report on his achievements as a cadet was glowing in every regard. The assessing officer stated he was ‘a splendid type of man – thoroughly reliable and trustworthy; a first rate leader of men.’ It was noted that Graham had suffered a significant amount of hearing impairment due to ‘wounds received in action, which will handicap him in the field.’ An alternative was suggested to him returning to the frontline. ‘…He is however a capable & efficient instructor & would in my opinion be more usefully employed as an Instructional Officer than in the field. I am willing to take this Cadet as an instructional officer in the battalion under my command…’

Intriguingly, the report states that Graham served at Gallipoli, where was alleged to have been wounded, and that he was wounded for a third time during action near Messines in March 1918. There was, however, no documentary evidence to support either piece of information.

On 4 November, Graham was formally commissioned as a second-lieutenant. With the cessation of hostilities, he was returned to France on 22 November. He rejoined the 58th at Favreuil, south of Arras, on 5 December. Although he was over 40-kilometres to Daours, where Lorrie Colclough was buried, it can only be hoped that Graham was able to make the journey to his brother’s grave.

Graham was promoted to full lieutenant on 4 February 1919, but problems with deafness were soon to result in an admission to the 55th Casualty Clearing Station at Charleroi.

Many soldiers who had earned distinctions on the field of battle were given “special” early return to Australia. Graham Colclough sailed home to Australia onboard the cruise ship SS Karagola, leaving England on 30 April 1919. The ship made excellent time and reached Port Melbourne on 12 June.

‘…Despite the frequency with which transports have lately been arriving, there has been no indication of waning interest on the part of members of the public. The welcome given to the troops who arrived yesterday by the SS Karagola was extremely cordial, and was greatly appreciated by the men. The State commandant (Brigadier-General Brand) was on the pier when the vessel arrived, and briefly addressed the soldiers, who were afterwards conveyed by the usual route to the A.I.F. Depot, in Sturt street, where relatives and friends gave them a rousing reception…’

When Graham arrived at the Meredith railway station on 17 June, he must have been very surprised to see so many people braving the freezing conditions specially to greet him. As the train drew in at the station, ‘…cold, icy showers…almost froze the waiting and expectant gathering…’

It was a welcome home fit for one of the bravest men of the AIF.

‘…As the gallant soldier, loved and respected by all sections of tile community, alighted from the train, three ringing cheers were given so heartily that windows and doors were opened all along the train to enable passengers to get a glimpse of Lieut. Colclough. There is no doubt ho looks well, and says he never felt better, and hundreds of people will be glad to hear that the Lieutenant is in the best of “nick.’” Many of the Ballarat Football Club's admirers of their once sterling back will he particularly glad, and will look forward to this soldier again donning the red and white…’

His brothers-in-law, William and Robert Grant, were on hand to drive him home to Woodburn Creek.

Things had changed considerably whilst Graham had been away at the war. Leslie Colclough, who married Meredith girl, Jessie McNaughton, in 1915, had turned to dairy farming and left Glenairlie to pursue interests at the Colclough property at Oaklands in New South Wales and then at Longwood near Avenel, Victoria. Likewise, Graham also looked for a new venture.

War commemorations continued to feature in the local newspapers, however, and Arbor Day celebrations at the Bamganie State School on 24 June 1921, took a special significance with the presentation of an enemy gun captured by the 58th Battalion. Three local men – Graham Colclough, Hugh McColl and Perc Musgrove – were all members of the 58th and the gun was seen as a permanent reminder of the sacrifices made by scholars from the school and the men who had fought so hard to take it.

Whilst Graham maintained a strong connection to Meredith, he was soon offered a more lucrative military posting in India. Upon returning to Australian in February 1922, Graham immediately made it known that he was returning to the sub-continent to accept a civil position as an export stock buyer.

In 1925, Graham married for a second time. His wife, Annie Isabella “Nan” McNaughton, was the younger sister of his sister-in-law, Jessie. They had just one child together, a daughter, Janet Isobel.

When he was in Australia, he and Nan lived at 72 Kooyongkoot Road in Upper Hawthorn – a beautiful, modern, airy architect-designed home commensurate with the life he had helped to build.

Graham Colclough died at Richmond, Victoria, on 28 April 1954. There was no fanfare, no acknowledgement of the passing of a former member of the Melbourne Football Club – nor of a man whose bravery helped change the course of a battle; bravery that not only inspired the men he was leading and ultimately saved their lives.

Distinguished Conduct Medal

'For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He constructed a Lewis gun position with great skill under heavy shell fire. When the enemy attacked, he handled his men with great coolness, and, though wounded, remained at his post preparing against a flank attack when the enemy had gained a footing in the trenches on his right. He set a magnificent example of courage and determination.'
Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 95
Date: 27 June 1918
 

Croix de Guerre (Belgium)

Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 185
Date: 27 November 1918