Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Letters of Condolence received by widow, Eugene Muriel (Queenie) Menz nee Miller

The following letter was received from Archdeacon Collick by Mrs. Menz, in connection with the death of her husband, Captain H. B. Menz, in Egypt.

"I am really most distressed at this terrible news. . . . Bert was one of the best fellows I ever knew in. W. A.

I always had the greatest, respect and affection for him. Both as boy and man he was always brave, true and dear, and always did his duty faithfully and well, whether as son or brother, husband or soldier. 

He leaves behind him a beautiful memory, and one, you can always treasure with affection and pride. 

I saw him just before he left for the front, and I know what his brother officers and men thought of him. He was, they said, "One of the best."

You must bear up and be brave, even as you know he would wish you to be. A soldier's wife must be as brave and as true as her husband is, and as he wishes her to be.

 You have my deepest sympathy and also I know the sympathy of all who knew and respected your late husband."

Another letter was from Lieutenant-Colonel Herbert, commanding the 28th Battalion :—
"I am writing to you to express on behalf of the officers and on my own behalf, our very deepest sympathy on the great loss you have sustained. 

Our late comrade was a most efficient and capable officer, and did exceedingly valuable work during the campaign on the Peninsula. 

He organised and commanded the corps of snipers of the brigade, and was instrumental in inflicting severe loss on the enemy; in fact the effect of the work of his men was so marked, that along our front the Turks hardly dared to fire a shot during the hours of daylight. 

He also had charge of a Hotchkiss gun, which by its fire, did a great amount of damage to the enemy's works. 

The general officer commanding the 7th Brigade, in speaking to me of Captain Menz, congratulated this battalion on having him as an officer.

As a brother officer and a comrade, your late husband had won our respect and esteem, and we join with you in mourning his loss."

Source: NLA Trove - Kalgoorlie Miner (WA ) Wed 5 July 1916, page 3

—'Information was received in Boulder last night of the death of Captain H. B. Menz, from enteric fever in the 21st Australian General Hospital.

 It came as a great shock to his many gold fields friends, who were recently pleased to learn that he was making a splendid recovery from the malady that had gripped him while at Gallipoli. 

Captain Menz was only 28 years of age and left as captain to "D'' Company in the 28th Battalion, under Major C. R. Davies, also of Boulder. 

He served for a period at the Dardanelles, when he was removed to Alexandria suffering from fever. 

He had been in Boulder for the past seventeen years, having attended the Boulder Central School as a boy.

 Latterly he had been employed as head plumber on the Kalgurli [sic] mines, and his father occupies a similar position on the South Kalgurli [sic] at the present time. 

His wife and one child, three years of age, reside at Vivian-street, Boulder, and the late captain was also a brother of Mrs. Harry Jones, of Burt-street. 

A second child, aged about six months, died at Boulder the day before Captain Menz reached Suez on his way to the front.

 The late soldier had always been an enthusiast in military matters and his sad death while assisting the Empire in its present crisis will be regretted by all who knew him. 

The deepest sympathy goes out to the bereaved wife.'

Source: NLA Trove - Kalgoorlie Miner (WA) Thur 2 Dec 1915