Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Horace Edward Stringer was the third son of John and Ann Stringer (nee Ireland) who farmed at Barunga North, near Mundoora. Horace was captain of the Mundoora Football Team and a member of the Mundoora Rifle Club.

Horace was born at Mundoora  on 7th January 1892. A farmer, he was 24 years old when he enlisted in Adelaide on the  26th September 1916. Initially he was posted to A Coy 2nd Depot Battalion AIF and then to Reinforcements Mitcham.

Horace embarked aboard HMAT A35 “Berrima” from Outer Harbour with 23rd Reinforcements/10 Battalion on the 16th December 1916 and disembarked at Devonport in England on the 16th February 1917

After only 2 months in England he was admitted to Military Hospital Parkhouse on the 15th April with mumps. On the 4th May Horace rejoined the 3rd Training Battalion at Durrington before embarking from Southhampton for France on the 14th June 1917 where he was taken on strength with 10 Battalion AIF on the 6th June 1917. At this time 10 Battalion was camped at Ribemont undergoing a lengthy period of rest and daily training.

4 months after landing in France, Private Horace Stringer was Killed In Action at Ypres, Belgium. Although his official war records state that Horace was killed on the 6th October  1917, a letter from his mate, Private Stanley Burt, indicates that he was actually killed on the 3rd October while carrying rations to the front line.

“Well it was on the night of Oct 3 that ten of us started for the front line from the reserve line with rations. Horace and I were among them. We got up near the front line when the guide we had with us said he did not know where we were, so after a good bit of walking about up to our knees in mud, we decided to take cover while someone went and found out where we were. We had not stopped long when the S.O.S went up and we made for some dugouts close to where we first stopped. Some of us got down alright, but as it was dark and we had to get over a lot of rubbish, Horace and two others made for another dug-out, and had only just got in when a shell dropped right in the dug-out, killing Horace and one of the others almost instantly”. Horace murmured “My God” and never moved from the position he was sitting in. It was 10.30 p.m. as far as I know, when Horace got killed, but no doubt you would be informed that it was the 4th, as it was early on the following morning when we got back to the unit.

Although his name appears on the Menin Gates Horace Stringer has no known grave.

Horace Edward Stringer was 24 years, 10 months old before he departed for World War One and enlisted for the war on the 26th October 2016. He embarked for overseas on the 16th December 1916. Horace went to war as a single man and remained single throughout his time fighting in the war and unfortunately did not make it home, so he was unable to meet anyone after his service time in the war. Stringer was also the third son of very loving and caring parents, named John and Ann Stringer. His mother, who was also his next of kin’s name was Ann Stringer. He was not a member of a parish, however, he did identify as being a part of the Methodist religion. Horace Edward was 5 feet, 10 inches, weight 156 lbs (70 kg), had very fair skin and had brown eyes and hair.

Horace Edward lived in a small town just out of Adelaide in North Barunga and attended the local school called Barunga North Public School. It is a small and remote school with few students attending. Barunga North Public School is a government school and is in the second remote category.

Horace Stringer’s occupation was a farmer. Life in the farming industry would have been significantly more peaceful and calmer, especially as he lived outside the urban areas of Adelaide. The majority of farmers raised many different assortments of crops and cared and loved for many animals. Horace’s main goal as a farmer was to produce good crops and healthy animals for him to be able to make a living and feed the population of his small town.

Many reasons lead Horace and other men wanting to go to war. The major factor being that they wanted to fight for their country, and they thought it would be an adventure. Many soldiers felt as though Britain was their ‘mother country’ and that they owed their loyalty to Britain. It was also an expectation that the Australian soldiers went to war as they were a member of the British Empire (the Commonwealth). Another reason was that there were many posters and advertisements displayed around the country which guilted and shamed men into going and fighting for their country as they had images and quotes such as “The surf is nice, but what about the men in the trenches?” Quotes similar to these made men think about what they should be doing with their time and how they could help Australia. He along with many other men also wanted to save and protect their family and friend from the war and ensure they were safe.

In Egypt, in 1916, every different soldier had their own experience whilst training for the war and everyone coped differently to the harsh and cruel circumstances. The training was extremely hard and cruel. The aim of the course was to build up and gain physical fitness and confidence and instil discipline and obedience and to teach the fundamental military skills needed to be able to function and live in the war as a part of the army.

Horace Stringer signed up to fight in the war by signing the AIF documents. Included in the document were various questions regarding his everyday life, personal details and family and any previous wars or battles he may have fought in. He was a Private in the first world war. This role began on the 27th October 1916. He enlisted in the 10th Battalion.

His title and responsibility was a private. A private in the war is the lowest ranking solider and is typically made up of new recruited men that have only had the basic combat training. These soldiers fought in the war only to their capability and maximum training abilities. Horace Stringer carried a rifle during his time fighting in the first world war.

He was awarded two service medals after his service in World War 1, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

Throughout Horace’s journey of fighting in the first world war, he was located in many several different places on the Western. He fought in England and France, and he was killed in action in Belgium.

Horace Edward Stringer also suffered from a severe case of the mumps during his time of fighting in the first world war. Mumps is a contagious viral infection of the salivary glands. Horace may have caught mumps for another soldier’s saliva as it can be passed on by respiratory secretions.

Horace Stringer died during the battle of Ypres on the 16th October 1917 when he was 25. The battle of Ypres began on the 13th July. This battle began when the allies launched a renewed assault on the German lines in the region of Flanders of Belgium. The attack resulted with over three months of harsh and deadly fighting. The battle of Ypres concluded on the 10th November 1917. The purpose or objective of this battle (which resulted in the death of the solider studied, Horace Edward Stringer) was for the control of the ridges, north and east of the Belgian city of Ypres in West Flanders. This was a part of the strategy decided by the allies at the conferences in November 1916 and May 1917. This battle resulted in five Australian divisions suffering from 38,000 casualties, this being 12,000 soldiers had either passed away or were missing.