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DUNCAN Ernest John # 431. 23rd Machine Gun Company

Ernie Duncan was born at New Farm and attended school at Caboolture. When he enlisted in Brisbane on 1st February 1916 he gave his address as “Dunmore” via Kilcoy. Ernie stated his occupation as farmer. It is probable that both Ernie and his younger brother Archie ( see above) were both engaged in the family cattle business.

Ernie was posted to the Lytton Camp at the mouth of the Brisbane River to be trained in the use of the Vickers heavy machine gun. After four months at Lytton, he was posted to Seymour in Victoria for further training. Whilst at Seymour, Ernie became friendly with a Miss Hyland of Carlton. Letters from Miss Hyland to Base Records indicate that both she and Ernie wrote to each other while he was posted abroad. On 29th October 1916, the Machine Gun reinforcements boarded the “Port Lincoln” at Melbourne Pier. The embarkation roll shows Ernie with the rank of Acting Corporal and his age as 28.

Ernie arrived in Devonport, UK, on 28th December and two days later had marched in to the 3rd Division Training Camp at Perham Downs. He was promoted to Corporal and in March was posted to the 9th Training Battalion, probably as a gun instructor. Ernie performed this role for six months before being posted overseas, leaving England on 7th September. Upon arrival in Flanders, Ernie was attached to the 23rd Machine Gun Company.

The latter half of 1917 saw the main British thrust against the Germans concentrated around the town of Ypres in Belgian Flanders. The campaign had begun with an attack on the Messines Ridge in June and September and October would see the Australian divisions engaged in a successful series of battles at Menin Road and Polygon Wood. The next objective for the Australians was the Broodseinde Ridge and the town of Zonnebeke.

By the time Ernie joined his unit, preparations were already well under way for the attack at Broodseinde. The Vickers Machine Gun on which Ernie was extensively trained was of little use during an advance as the weapon required a team of six men and horses or mules to be redeployed. It was however a valuable addition to an artillery barrage, being able to pin down defenders with its long range when fired from the jumping off trenches.

A Red Cross Wounded and Missing Report records that on the evening of 12th October in the vicinity of the Zonnebeke Railway Station, Ernie Duncan was with a team bringing up two gun limbers when one of them became bogged in the mud. The party halted to wait for extra manpower to extricate the bogged limber and Ernie struck up a conversation with Lieutenant Wedd. While Ernie and Wedd were yarning, a shell landed directly on the party. Lt Wedd and his batman were both killed instantly. Ernie was severely wounded and was taken to the 3rd Canadian Casualty Clearing Station where he died of his wounds the same day. Ernie Duncan had been at the front less than a month.

Ernie was buried at Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery. Miss Hyland, having seen his name in the casualty lists, wrote to Ernie’s parents at Kilcoy.