Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Clarrie signed up to join the Australian Imperial Forces on 7th Dec 1914. He was living in Wallaroo South Australia in Scotland Street. His age was listed as 19 ½ years of age and occupation was recorded as a labourer. The next of kin was his brother Stanley Edgar Bishop also listed as living in Scotland Street, Wallaroo.
His height was 5 feet 5 ½ inches (Funny how I always thought he was taller than that) and his weight was 140 pounds. His complexion was fair and his eyes were grey, with brown hair and his religion was Methodist. He was deemed fit for service on the 7th Dec 1914 and signed the oath of enlistment on the same day. He was placed into the 50th Battalion with his regiment #1483. Disembarkation date was recorded as 24th Feb 1915. He was unmarried at the time.

He disembarked at Melbourne on the H.M.A.T A54 “Runic” on 19 Dec 1915 and experienced sickness, many times because of life in the trenches and general hygiene of the area and of the time. Most of the admissions to hospital were for such things as Diarrhoea (severe) at General Hospital Alexandria, general sickness to the hospital at Gallipoli Peninsula and he had 9 admissions into hospital to get him well again. He embarked again for overseas 18th Oct 1915 per “Borda” and admitted into hospital again 6 Nov 1915.

Clarrie was listed as wounded 5th Sept 1916 and had numerous further admissions into hospital all with diarrhoea at the Gallipoli Peninsula hospital base. He never seemed to fully recover when he was struck with it again, this must have taken an awful toll on his body and his psyche to be sick and fighting on the fields in what was a terrible war.

On 18th Oct 1915 he left to fight in Alexandria. He was a bit of a naughty boy while on leave, overstaying his leave at Tel-el-Kobir 4/1/16- 9pm 10/1/16 and was subsequently docked 4 days pay. Who could blame him…but then again he was in the army and there were disciplines and rules. On 4th Mar 1916 he was transferred to the 50th battalion again to Gerapeum. His war service records are fairly complete but difficult to decipher with aged writing and scribbled handwriting. He served time at Alexandria 5th Jun 1916 and at Marseilles 12th Jun 1916 but found himself back in hospital again a few weeks later with the same old sicknesses he suffered from earlier.

On 17th Aug 1916 he is listed with having a mild gun shot wound to his right hand and left Calais to return to England. In Dec 1916 he joined forces again but was wounded in action 6th April 1917, in the field which resulted in a serious chest wound. Reports are fairly extensive of his treatments and illnesses. One such record is a letter to his brother Stanley back home in Wallaroo South Australia. During this time of recovery from the wound in his hand he was admitted to 1st Eastern General Hospital in London;

Australian Imperial Forces
Base Records Office
Victoria Barracks
Melbourne 15h May 1917

Dear Sir,
I now beg to advise you that information has been received to the effect that No. 1483 Private C Bishop was admitted to the 1st Southern General Hospital, Birmingham, England.

His postal address will therefore be:-
No. 1483 Private C. Bishop
50th Battalion,
Australian Imperial Forces
A B R O A D
Any further reports will be promptly transmitted.
Yours faithfully,
J.M Lean Major
Officer i/c Base Records.

Mr S. Bishop
Scotland Street
Wallaroo S.A.

On the casualty for of active service he was attached to the 14th Trig Battalion from the 50th battalion when he exited hospital but was later admitted again to hospital 26th Aug 1917 to Tovant Hospital. On 29th Aug 1917 Clarrie was deemed unfit for service for more than 6 months where he was to recover from the grave wounds to his chest. His brother Stanley was kept advised of his condition through mail from Base records staff. On 2nd Nov 1917 he was declared permanently unfit for general service and recommended for Home Service. However, before this was diagnosed there was much trauma to be had for the family back home. He continually overstayed his leave and was docked 4 days pay and then another 5 days pay in forfeiture for this AWOL. No-one knows what he got up to, but with his war service records of sicknesses and gun shot wounds, the last being very grave, who could not agree that maybe shell shock was a major contributor. This disease was not recognized and therefore disciplinary action was the only way they dealt with it. On 13th May 1918 he left Folkstone UK to join his battalion in France and later was returned to Australia 5th Apr 1919.

There is a report which reads:
Casualty Form- Active Service.
50th Battalion. A.I.F.
Pte Bishop….Clarence.
17.1.18 C.O. 50th Battalion. B 2029. Pte. F.G.C.M. hled on 8/1/18
Charge: Absent without leave from 9am 31.7.18 till 6:30pm 26.9.18. Finding- Guilty.
Sentence:- 90 days F.F. No 2- 8.1.18
Confirmed:- by GOC 13th Bde. 8.10.18
Period under charge:- 3.1.18 till 10.1.18
Promulated 10.1.18
Period 8.10.18 to 10.10.18, concurrent.

During this time folks back home were frantic with worry, hence the following transcribed letter from Clarrie’s brother, Stanley.

To Officer in charge of Wallaroo
Base Records Office Melbourne.

Dear Sir,
I am writing to see if you could find out right address for me of 1483 Private C Bishop, he was wounded 12 months last April, shot through chest, in hospital for some time. After coming out of hospital, he had 6 months home service given him in England where we heard from him last he had C1 (?). We write regular every week to him but he does not receive the letters, the letters he writes is headed (Codford) so would be very pleased if you could let me have right address, he has had no letters from us for 12 months last May. That is a shame, he has been there 3 ½ years, has been wounded twice, ill once when wounded last and was in the 50th Battalion. Don’t know if he still holds that Battalion or not. Well Dear Sir, will close, trusting to hear from you soon as possible and trusting you will be able to let us have right address of 1483 Private C. Bishop.
Yours sincerely
S.E. Bishop
Scotland Street, Wallaroo.

Looking at the letter from Stanley he had no real idea of the extent of his brother’s recurrent admissions into hospital with diarrhoea and other issues. Probably just as well he was “in the dark” re. his brother’s health, being home and unable to do anything for him, it was a blessing in disguise not to be aware of the true state.
Stanley received a letter from base records:

19 th June 1918
Dear Sir,
In reply to your letter of the 12th instant, I have to state, while directed aa under should be forwarded o arrival abroad to wherever Private C. Bishop may be located:
No 1483 Private C. Bishop
50th Battalion,
Australian Imperial Forces
A B R O A D

The possibilties are that he neglected to advise the Officer Commanding, Australian Base Post Office, London, of his location from time to time with the result that there has been difficulty tracing him.
Yours faithfully,

Officer i/c base Records.
Major (signature indecipherable).
Mr S.E. Bishop
Scotland Street
Wallaroo.

Clarrie was finally returned home after much to-ing and fro-ing leaving Weymouth England and arrived Devonport on 5th Apr 1919. On 23rd Apr 1921 Clarrie received from the dept of Defence, one British war Medal for his services in the A.I.F. On 30th Sept 1922 he also received on Victory Medal serving the 10th Battalion A.I.F. On 10th Sep 1930 he received a 1914-1915 Star medal fro services with the unit 10th Battalion AIF. On 29the Mar 1967 he applied for the Gallipoli Medal serving in the 10th Battalion AIF and received it. - Written by Vicki Knight