Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

How We Served

312 Trooper Corbett Henry Cresswell of Camberwell, Victoria had been engaged in farming when he enlisted for War Service in early October 1914 at the age of 20. Allocated to the 8th Light Horse Regiment, 1st AIF, Corbett departed Australia for further training in Egypt, and was with his Regiment when they were embarked for Gallipoli on the 16th of May 1915. Corbett was buried alive by a shell explosion at the start of August and due to shell shock,and as well now suffering from dysentry. He was sent to Malta for hospitalisation. Whilst in Malta Corbett was diagnosed as also suffering enteric fever, and was sent to Egypt for further treatment. Trooper Cresswell's condition did not improve and he was returned to Australia as an invalid at the start of Feburary 1916. Admitted into the 5th Australian General Hospital (Melbourne), there was no significant improvement in Corbett's medical conditions and he was discharged from the 1st AIF in July 1916. Corbett's health was to only further deteriorate,and on the 8th of Feburary,1919 Cresswell, then aged 24, died at his family home due to the injuries and illness he had been caused by his service on Gallipoli. Trooper Cresswell was formally buried within Burwood Pioneers Cemetery, Victoria

Corbett Cresswell was the only son of the 8 children born to Bruce & Annie Cresswell (nee Norris). He was born in Eganstown, near Daylesford where his father had been a miner. When he was about 10 however, his father inherited a legacy from a wealthy uncle, Corbett Hayward Hunt Cresswell in England and the Cresswell family went to Buln Buln Gippsland where his father took up farming. Despite the expectation that he would inherit the farm and work it, Corbett decided at some stage to become a wool classer. However at the outbreak of war he enlisted in the 1st AIF: 8th Light Horse Regiment (B Squadron) (Trooper)

Corbett’s suffering during the war can only be surmised by the few military and medical records we have of him.

While in Gallipoli, he sustained severe shell shock from high explosive shell while sheltering in his dugout on 22 August 22 1915. he was unconscious for 30 hours and unable to move for almost three weeks. He had enteric fever which left him debilitated for the rest of his life. He returned to Australia per Nestor on 13 March 1916. Discharged medically unfit on 25 July 1916. (On the Buln Buln Honour Board Ron Blair )

The West Gippsland Gazette, Tuesday 18 April 1916 reported the following:
Pte Cresswell got a nasty fall on Tuesday. The pony he was riding, being at a gallop, stopped suddenly when the saddle slipped right round, and he went on! on to the ground! It shook him up, although he made light of it. He was one of the first to enlist from Buln Buln: was wounded, and is now thinking of returning to active service again.

Simpson says that he appears to have intended to re-enlist but there is no clear evidence. He died from the Spanish influenza pandemic in 1919.



CHRONOLOGY

1914
Corbett Henry Cresswell enlisted at Warragul on 14th September 1914 in 8th Light Horse Regiment, 3rd Light horse Brigade. B Squadron.no 312 Private. Corbett is aged 20 years 5 months , & his occupation is listed as farmer from Buln Buln, Victoria. Height 5’ 7 3/8” 161 lbs. Chest 34-37 ½” Fair complexion, grey eyes, brown hair. Church of England (Previously had served in RHQ 13th Light Horse Regiment, Militia, no 228 for two years. Senior Cadet from 1st July 1912 to 14 September 1914) No 312
Trains at Broadmeadows

1915
Unit embarked from Melbourne on board HMAT A16 Star of Victoria on 25th February although Cossum says he would have embarked by December 1914, and embarked from Alexandria for Gallipoli on HMAT Menominee 16 May 19151915. He took his own horse overseas
Evacuated from Gallipoli 13th August 1915. Sick with dysentery and shock to Mudros 13 August 1915. Transferred to Malta 22 August 1915

1916
Evacuated to Alexandria on hospital ship Valdiva 22 January 1916. Enteric dysentery. Admitted 1 AGH the 2 Aux Hospital 21 January 1916, Heliopolis.
Returned to Australia aboard Nestor on 9th February, 1916.
Admitted to No 5 Australian General Hospital, 17th April 1916 for 3 months change
It appears that after hospitalisation in Australia, 3 May 1916, he was allotted to 18th Reinforcement Section of 8th Light Horse & returned to duty at Seymour Camp 4th.
26 May 1916.
However, he was discharged medically unfit 25th July 1916. Returned to Unit 13th Light Horse 25 July 1916.
Granted a Disability Pension £3 per fortnight as from 27 July 1916 and reduced to £2 per fortnight 1st March 1917.

Re-enlisted 22nd October 1916 with 7th reinforcements of 37th Infantry Battalion (no3041) but did not embark according to Cossum. The account below is from Simpson but this is probably supposition based on what the 39th did after it embarked.

1918
Appointed Staff Sergeant on 8th February 1918 with Admin HQ.
(Cameron Simpson claims that Corbett went with the 37th and embarked 11 May 1917.

(Admin HQ.RTA aboard Prinz Hulertus arriving 24 August 1919. Discharged 23 September 1919. ) This is clearly incorrect as Corbett had died 8 February 1919. )
It is more likely that Corbett stayed in Melbourne with Admin HQ (or returned to Buln Buln but family memories suggest that he did not return home. )

1919
Corbett died February 8th 1919 in South Melbourne during the Spanish Influenza pandemic according to family legend. He was 24 years old. Another source claims he died in the Red Cross Rest Home in St Kilda Road South. Another record presumably supplied by his parents says he died Feb 8 1919 at Base Hospital after being invalided home.

1920
His father Bruce Cresswell notified the army that he has moved from Buln Buln to 26 Athelstan Rd Camberwell (the family home) c.1st March 1920. He was issued with 1914/15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal at the request of his father. Corbett is buried at the Burwood Cemetery, Melbourne beside his parents.

Compiled by Loreen Chambers 2015

Sources
Blair, Ron. http://ww1vic.gravesecrets.net/c.html.
Cossum Jeffrey K. Notes commissioned by John S Chambers to do research on various family members who served in World War 1. Cossum is a military historian PO Box 568 Sunbury Victoria 3429. ph 03 744 4245.
Chambers, Sydney (1915-2007): interviews with daughter-in-law Loreen Chambers 1992, 2001 (Sydney Chambers 1915-2007 was a nephew of Corbett)
Chambers (nee Cresswell & sister of Corbett Cresswell), Winifred 1892-1987: interview 1983 with her son, Sydney 1915-2007
Simpson, Cameron (1998) Maygars Boys. A Biographical History of the 8th Light Horse Regiment of AIF 1914-1919 . Just Soldiers, Military Research and Publications.Farm, 321 Bungower Rd Mooruduc, Australia