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Constable Isaac Oswald ‘Ike’ Webster† 5481

Police Station, Bourke Street West, Melbourne, Victoria

Possibly named from a ravine in Waterford, Eire [Ireland], Glenpatrick, Victoria, a rural location west of Avoca, on 22 March 1888, witnessed the birth of Isaac Oswald Webster to John and Louisa.

Receiving his education at the local state school, Isaac Oswald ‘Ike’ Webster was appointed to Victoria Police on 27 May 1909, beginning foot constable duty from Russell Street police station on 26 July, a month later transferring to Bourke Street West.

Remaining five years at Bourke Street West, Ike Webster, on the outbreak of World War I, enlisted in the AIF on 18 August 1914, the day following, as required, he resigned from the Victoria Police Force.

Becoming Lance Corporal Isaac Oswald Webster, “D” Company, 6th Battalion, 2nd Infantry Brigade, 1st Australian Division, the 188 cm [6’2”], 26 years and 5 months of age, was among former policing colleagues, Percy Douglas Moncur 5766, Harold David Hogben† 5880, Angus MacPhie† 5127, Frederick Leslie McDonald 5891, Herbert Oscar Ritter 5808, together with Sydney Smith 5540, as well as William Williamson 5835, all having enlisted between 17 and 20 August 1914.

Isaac Webster soon learned this reunited Bourke Street West, Russell Street and Carlton group of policemen had as their captain, William Charles Copperwaithe, son of William Copperwaithe attached to the Victoria Police station at Burnley; as well as fellow soldier, Private Edgar Slater, being a son of James Slater of the Hawthorn police station.

Bequeathing, on 20 August 1914, to his mother, Mary Jane Webster, of Glenpatrick, Victoria, “all my money in the State Savings Bank Flinders Street Melbourne also all money due Life Assurance policies assured in my name with the Australian Mutual Provident Society also all property and all money due from any source whatever to my brother, Frederick Henry Webster of Pine Street, Middle Brighton, the twenty £1 shares in the Freeman Complete Combustion syndicate script ….” Ike Webster appointed fellow Bourke Street West Victoria Police constable Louis Henry Jacobe, executor; Constable Peter Thompson 5482 witnessing the signatures.   Peter Thompson enlisted, on 31 July 1916, being assigned to 13th Light Horse Regiment, 17th Reinforcement.

Embarking from Melbourne, Victoria, on board Transport A20 Hororata on 19 October 1914, the battalion, after a brief stop in Albany, Western Australia, proceeded to Egypt, arriving on 2 December.

Storming ashore the Gallipoli peninsula pre-dawn on 25 April 1915, amongst 16,000 Australians and New Zealanders, together with British, French and Indian troops, Ike Webster was one of hundreds of Australians to begin climbing what was later known as Plugge's [pronounced Pluggy’s] Plateau, their first major obstacle on the peninsula. It was not easy. The wounded or killed slid back down the slope until stopped by the scrubby bushes. The men dug their bayonets into the earth to help them climb. From the top of the plateau, the Turkish defenders kept up a steady fire from the left-hand edge of the plateau could be seen the flash of a machine-gun. They made towards it.

Reaching the summit, the Australians quickly overcame a trench full of Ottoman soldiers before moving to the country beyond.

As the daylight increased, from the top of Plugge's Plateau, it would have been possible to see just what the landing force had taken on. Stretching away into the distance were the ridges and deep valleys of a wild, rugged, scrub-covered landscape. The ridges stretched southwards from the main Sari Bair range, which leads up to the highest points on this part of the peninsula: Chunuk Bair, Hill Q and Hill 971, Koja Temen Tepe.

The day's fighting never brought the ANZAC near their planned objectives. Small isolated groups of soldiers managed to make their way upslope towards Chunuk Bair and onto Third or Gun Ridge. From those positions the strait of the Dardanelles was visible. But they were beaten back or killed by ever-strengthening counter-attacks.

Forming part of the ‘second wave’ of the ANZAC landing on 25 April 1915, 27 years of age, Lance Corporal Isaac Oswald ‘Ike’ Webster 5481, together with 26 years of age, Company Sergeant Major Sydney Smith 5540, as well as 21 years of age, Reginald Arthur Penrose 5884, of Russell Street Detectives, was, at Plugge’s Plateau, was one of 2,000 killed or injured by the next morning.[1]

Upon hearing of his death, Frederick Leslie McDonald 5891, together with Harold David Hogben† 5880, returned, intending to bury their police colleague Ike Webster however was unable to locate his body; Fred McDonald sustaining a gunshot wound to his right shoulder for his courageous efforts.

Younger brother, Frank Thomas Webster, enlisting on 3 March 1916, being a member of 39th Battalion, C Company, died of disease, on 4 August 1916, at Salisbury Plains, England, aged 22 years and 10 months.

[1] National Achives Australia accessed 02 February 2021