WILCOCK, Ernest Leslie
| Service Number: | Commissioned Officer |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 16 October 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Lieutenant |
| Last Unit: | 5th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Bendigo, 24 May 1891 |
| Home Town: | Long Gully, Greater Bendigo, Victoria |
| Schooling: | University High School, Melbourne |
| Occupation: | School teacher |
| Died: | 18 August 1935, aged 44 years, cause of death not yet discovered, place of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: | Bendigo Great War Roll of Honor |
World War 1 Service
| 16 Oct 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, Commissioned Officer, 5th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 29 Dec 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Lieutenant, Commissioned Officer, 5th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '8' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Demosthenes embarkation_ship_number: A64 public_note: '' | |
| 23 Jul 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Lieutenant, Commissioned Officer, 5th Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières | |
| 25 Jul 1916: | Honoured Military Cross, Battle for Pozières , "At Pozieres on 25th July 1916 his coolness under fire and sound leadership had a wonderful influence on all his men. He organised parties and consolidated a considerable portion of the captured trench O.G.2, and although his hand was badly shattered by a bomb he continued doing duty until ordered by Major LUXTON out of the Trench about 11 a.m." Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 103 Date: 29 June 1917 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Jack Coyne
Ernest Leslie WILCOCK
Military Cross & Mentioned in Despatches
"At Pozieres on 25th July 1916 his coolness under fire and sound leadership had a wonderful influence on all his men. He organised parties and consolidated a considerable portion of the captured trench O.G.2, and although his hand was badly shattered by a bomb he continued doing duty until ordered by Major LUXTON out of the Trench about 11 a.m.
Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 103 Date: 29 June 1917
The Bendigonian Weekly Supplement that was published during the Great War reported the following in March 1918: - Lieut. Ernest L. Wilcock, M.C., who was invalided home from France, arrived in Bendigo last week, and will spend a few weeks with his mother, Mrs. Wilcock, post-mistress, at Long Gully. Lieut. Wilcock was two and a half years abroad, spending most of his time in France, where he was twice wounded. He sustained serious injuries in the fighting on 4th October, which day his brother, Captain A. Wilcock, was killed. Lieut Wilcock was mentioned in despatches by Sir Douglas Haig on 13th October, 1916, and in 1917 was decorated by the King at Buckingham Palace.[1]
Ernest Wilcock was a State school teacher and had been first Lieutenant in the local cadets prior to enlisting. Ernest commenced the enlistment process in April, 1915 however this was not completed until the October. The family had been in Bendigo for over fifty years with Ernest’s father dying from Miner’s disease in August 1916 and his mother taking on the Long Gully Post office. His brother Arthur, mentioned in the above report enlisted twelve months later and was the well-respected Physics master at the Bendigo High School.
Ernest embarked on December 29, 1915 for the front with Reinforcements for the 5th Battalion. On sailing from Melbourne, Ernest most likely would have been expecting to be joining the Australian troops on the cliffs of the Dardanelles Peninsula however, they had been secretly evacuated just ten days earlier. Ernest would join the 5th Battalion from Reinforcements as second Lieutenant on May 25, 1916 and two months later undertake his heroic deeds on July 25 where he received severe gun shot wounds to the hand.
Ernest wounds were initially treated in hospital in Boulonge, on the west coast of Northern France and whilst he would learn of his promotion to Lieutenant. His condition does not improve and is medically transferred to England for further treatment.
He would be back at the front with his battalion by the November 1916. Initially his actions on the 25th of July would be ‘Mentioned in Despatches’ by British Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig in mid November and later in December this would be confirmed as a Military Cross award.
Lte Ernest Wilcock would be wounded again at battle Passchendaele Ridge on October 4 1917, the same day his brother would be killed fighting in the 24th Battalion. This time he would receive a Gun Shot Wound to the right thigh. The wound again would require evacuation to England for treatment, however, this time Ernest fighting days would be over and he invalided home in January 1918.
SERVICE DETAILS:
Born: Bendigo 24 May 1891
School: University High School, Melbourne
Religion: Church of England
Occupation: Teacher
Address: PO, Long Gully, Bendigo
Marital status: Single
Age at enlistment: 24
Next of kin: Mother, Mrs S A Wilcock, PO, Long Gully, Bendigo, Victoria
Previous military service: 1st Lieut Senior Cadets
Enlistment date: 16 October 1915
Rank on enlistment: 2nd Lieutenant
Final Rank: Lieutenant
Unit name: 5th Battalion, 13th Reinforcement
Embarked: HMAT A64 Demosthenes on 29 December 1915
Fate: Return to Australia, 31 March 1918
Died: 18 August 1935, Age 44
Brother: Lt Arthur WILCOCK, 24th Bn, killed in action, 4 October 1917.
At Pozieres on 25th July 1916.
“Only those that saw the troops come out from such experiences could realise their exhaustion. They looked like men who had been in Hell ….drawn and haggard and so dazed that they appeared to be walking in a dream and their eyes looked glassy and starey”. So wrote Sergaent E. J Rule of the 4th divisionas he watched the 1st Divison pass into the rest area.[2]
[1] (Bendigo, Vic. : 1914 - 1918) Thu 28 Mar 1918 Page 12 RETURNED SOLDIERS. LIEUT. E. WILCOCK, M.C.
[2] Anzac to Amiens. C.E.W Bean. Page 249 Penguin Books, 2014.
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