Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Extracts from Charles Anderson’s Memoirs written in 1961

AUSTRALIA'S FIRST SHOT IN THE WAR

When we returned to camp ( camp at the Cootamundra NSW Show Ground ), we were told that any day we would be on final leave. So we got it and I went home to say goodbye to my Auntie and cousins. A few of us got a send-off in Deniliquin and then went back to camp to wait for our transport A37. This ship has got a history to it, as it was the first German ship claimed by Australia when she declared war on Germany with Britain on 4th August 1914.

As soon as War was declared this German Cargo boat was making her way towards the Heads when she was fired at across the bow to stop her going past the Heads. So she had to return back to Williamstown, the name of the ship was Baramha. So they fitted it up for a troopship and sent her up to Queensland with a civilian crew but when they arrived there was some dispute over loading rabbits for the troops. So they sent a naval reserve up to man her. So she left Queensland for Sydney and we were the ones who had to sail on her. Yes, we folks that didn't know what was in front of us, but we went on account of our own minds.

So people say, we were murderers under the flag. Yes, but you can look at the ten commandments of God by Moses, Thou shall not kill. Yes that is right, but how many people in God's earth haven't broken the words which were struck by lightning on that stone Of the ten rules by God, we will take some, kill, steal. We will take the first `kill' of any of God's creatures. But when said and done it would be hard if we didn't break some of them, because it's done every day in business and in many ways of life, but it's too big of a subject to get into, so I will carry on.

We are going on our way up the gangwayl° and being allotted to our tables, which were in our mess room and our hammocks to sleep in. So I came up on deck to get a bit of fresh air and I spotted some of the wharf labourers that I knew loading cargo on the ship.
So I kept out of the road until the ship had sailed because I was afraid that they would tell my father and he would stop me from going, because I had enlisted without his permission. Anyhow I saw one of the naval boys and I asked him where he came from because I had an idea that I knew him-He told me, and I was right I did know him. So later on they called for help to assist in the galley at night, baking bread for the troops and crew. The reason for baking at night time was on account of the cooks using the galley for cooking the meals in the daytime. It was a hard job to keep on one's feet when it got rough. But I will say this, as rough as it was at no time did they ever get on hard rations. (Dry ration was biscuits and bully beef). The biscuits were like the dog biscuits, which were used at the dog's home at Dowling St NSW at the present day 1961. But brother, they were a godsend to some of the people. I will let you know later on what the value of those biscuits were to some and also the bully beef as they called it.

As I said before that I was afraid some of the naval boys would let my father know my whereabouts. When we boarded the ship in Sydney they had plenty of time to send a letter to Melbourne before the ship got there. Anyway things appeared to be all right because I got word from my Auntie where my sister was working. So I went to see her at Cooee cafe in Bourke St Melbourne, because she didn't know where I was. As we were there a couple of days, we had leave, and so I visited my sister while they were loading the ship with heavy cargo.
1916
ABOARD THE TROOP SHIP

Now we leave Melbourne, non-stop to the Middle East. But half way we got word that there were submarines in the area, so they changed their course due south. They asked for extra hands to go down the stoke hole to give them a hand as the naval reserve were only lads. They had done a good job up to the present, but the pressure was on, believe it or not. No-one was allowed to smoke on deck, but brother if you could it would be like the top of the funnel of a ship, as we was on night shift in the darkness of the night. By this time everyone was getting a bit uneasy because they had stalled the engines. Thank God the sea was moderate, just as well it wasn't like the Australian Bight, it would be a different tale indeed because no troops were allowed from below and all hatchways were canvassed and plugged, it was that rough.

So now we are making due south and we couldn't make out what was going on. Later on she was sailing or steaming southwest, later on north, and then we found the port was Cape Town. I thought when we niade south that we were going to call at Durbin. Anyway a few people welcomed us and they arranged an outing for us, indeed, to view the Tabletop Mountains and Ove us a bit of a picnic.

So we steamed from Cape Town after getting supplies. Considering the time we left Melbourne to make that route, which wasn't on the map for us. Anyhow I will explain later on, because at the time we didn't know the details until we were in England. So our next port of call was Dakar on the northwest coast of Africa, which is a French port. Now we are getting into dangerous waters. After we leave Dakar we had fitted to the stem of the ship a naval gun, which seemed strange to me, what would one gun do? I will explain why it was strange to me. The word of alarm is given from the crow's-nest of the ship that there is something sighted on the port side or starboard, and then the ship has to turn right around before the gun is of any use. If a submarine is behind, how on earth is it going to get broadside to do any damage when in the first place the cargo ship was faster? So we will leave it to the people that wear the Red, Blue and Gold, that is why they wear it, they are the people on the job. You will find out later on what price was paid for mistakes with the blood of young manhood of the world, and that includes both sides.

While at Dakar oh boy! was it hot? It was unfortunate for those on night shift, working all night and having to rest in the day, which wasn't easy to get on a troop ship. The bow of the ship was allocated to crews, and was out of bounds to troops. At times it was so hot you couldn't get much rest and if the seas weren't too rough, the troops had to do their training and deck sports. Some of the sergeants shouting had voices like foghorns. You had to expect it as they had to do their training somewhere and they had had very little training to go and fight the world's best-trained troops. As you see later on what a price they paid. Anyway I am getting off the track at present So as I said, Dakar was a very hot place. The boys from the navy dived off the bow of the ship to have a swim, but they were soon stopped because it was infested with sharks. So much for that, we sailed to a place unknown to us, and one day found ourselves on the shores of England.
We were entrained and reached Salisbury Plains " In the morning we looked across the hills and to our surprise saw on the side of a chalk hill a crest of the Australian Badge and the badge of a white horse, which could be seen for miles.

We were surprised that there were so troops in England, but later on we found that the troop that was missing was the 3 Division, well known as eggs are cooked. The unit I was with was 'third reinforcements' of 561 Battalion A.I.F. but with the slaughter of human body and soul, what a price was paid for at Gallipoli where the Anzacs got their name That should be a lesson to the Leaders, but I will say God bless the Anzacs. I might have been one of those boys but I was only a boy just over the age of 18 and 9 months when I enlisted. So you can see that I wasn't the age to enlist earlier as you have read in the early stages of the book.

What I can't understand and what surprises me are the casualties in less than seven weeks during World War 1. The cost of the First Anzac Corps 28,500 men killed and wounded in 1916. Known as the Battle of the Somme, this was Pozieres where millions of men faced one another across acres of mud and desolation, like this French field (or slaughter ground) where there was the pick of the world's manpower. Some soldiers were forced by law, but not the Australians because they went there on their own account as volunteers. Yes, you had persons like the Prime Minister Mr. Joseph Cook sending a cable to the British Government affirming Australia's decision to fight beside the Motherland, which was sent in good faith. But then you have the leader of the Labour Party Mr. Andrew Fisher, who sent his famous message promising support to the last man and last shilling.12 Thank god his promise of the last man standing wasn't needed because they had volunteered to do the job and did it well.

When one stops to think for a moment, that a country of five million people sent the best of manpower, also women folk from the shores of Australia to such a place as Gallipoli. Together with New Zealanders, to carry the name of Anzacs. A fine lot of fellows to be with.