Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Son of Samuel Hocking and Florence Annie (nee Bishop) Hocking of Wallaroo, SA; brother of Doris Pearl Hocking, Florence Myrtle Hocking, Richard Stanley Edgar Hocking, William Hocking, Alfred James Hocking and  Frederick George Hocking

Killed in the same action as LT John McInerney, and in which Corporal Phil Davey was awarded the Victoria Cross for destroying the German machine gun that inflicted the casualties on the 10th Battalion, including Private Hocking and LT John McInerney

Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal

Samuel Roy Hocking was born on the 3rd of December 1897 in Wallaroo, a small costal town in South Australia. He was the third of seven children born to Samuel and Florence Annie Hocking and was commonly known as Roy to his friends and family. He received a standard education at the Wallaroo Public State School. Following school, he undertook work as a farm labourer for Mr L N Hart on his land near Wallaroo. The intense physical labour associated with this work gave Roy fitness, strength and endurance which would help him later in his military service. Although Roy had many siblings, he had a strong bond with his older sister Myrtle and her husband Bill. Family records indicate he was engaged to Lillian Childs, a lady from a neighbouring town, Moonta.

As a teenager, Roy enlisted in His Majesty’s Citizen Forces where he spent 4 years and eventually became a Senior Cadet. Being in the Forces helped him develop the skills required for military service as he received basic training on military drills, commands, and operating equipment. When Roy was 16, World War 1 had started to break out, but Roy was too young to enlist for service abroad in the Australian Imperial Force.

Roy enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on the 10th of February 1917, when he was just 19 years old. Once enlisted, he was sent to Mitcham Camp in Adelaide where he attended military training before departing Australia. The training included skirmishing, military tactics and bayonet hand to hand combat which were all essential parts of what was considered as new warfare at that time. After four months of training in Australia, Roy was ready to depart for war.

On the 23rd of June 1917, Roy boarded the Australian troopship HMAT Borda (A30) at Outer Harbour, Adelaide and departed Australia with members of the 24th Reinforcements of the 10th Battalion. This was the unit he was appointed to and who he would eventually go into battle with. He arrived in Plymouth, England two months later, on the 25th of August 1917.

On arrival, Roy was put into the 3rd Training Battalion at Larkhill. This Battalion was specifically made to train reinforcement troops. Accommodation for privates like Roy was limited to basic tents. After three long months of training with the 3rd training battalion, Roy was moved to the 2nd Training Battalion in Sutton Veny, England on the 7th of November 1917. By this stage, winter was starting to set in and the conditions were tough. Roy had to undertake long and repetitive Battalion drills in freezing temperatures and windy conditions. Roy expressed in his letters home the extreme cold and the need to play football to get warm. The tough conditions continued, but with the promise of a chance to fight for his nation, Roy remained strong and eager at the chance to be sent to France. He trained for two more months and then was issued his very own Lithgow Arms Lee Enfield Mark III Rifle. At that point, he was ready to be sent to battle.


On the 11th of January 1918, Roy moved back to the 24th Reinforcements of the 10th Battalion and arrived at the base camp in Havre, France. Here he was taken on strength to the Battle of Merris. He fought on the frontlines, pushing back the Germans and holding their ground. Merris was a campaign where the ANZACs aimed to launch an offensive into German ground and capture and hold the land for as long as possible.

The ANZACs entered a period called the peaceful penetration where they tried to gain maximum ground for minimal loss which would have contributed to the way Roy fought in the frontlines. Because Roy joined so late in the war, the Army had found better ways to organise their soldiers. Every time he went into the frontlines, Roy would be given a full bottle of water and a day’s worth of rations, in case something went wrong.

Although life in the frontlines was challenging and incredibly taxing, there were still some positive aspects for Roy and his unit to look forward to, like hot tea at 4:30pm and two hot meals at 11:00pm and 5:30am.

The campaign at Merris was very successful overall for the ANZACs, with hard working soldiers like Roy helping to capture large amounts of German ground, weaponry and even prisoners. Roy continued fighting hard and on the 28th of June, he participated in what would be his last action. It was 6:30am and the ANZACs were advancing rapidly to German ground. The cars packed full of soldiers arrived at the German frontlines. Phosphorous smoke grenades were going off left and right. The ANZACs were now almost invisible. Sprays of machine gun bullets fired by the Germans flew through the smoke aimlessly and sadly Roy got caught in the firing line. Although the service record states that Roy was killed in action, it is likely that he was killed by a machine gun bullet. In this same action however, Corporal Phillip Davies was awarded a Victoria cross for his bravery gunning down German machine gunners.

Roy was buried in the La Kreule Military Cemetery which is just north of the town of Hazebrouck in France. He was posthumously awarded the British War Medal for his service and also the Victory Medal for the British allies winning the war. His father received these Medals on his behalf in May 1923. To honour Roy, his father was also issued a memorial plaque known as the “Dead Man’s Penny”.  

The inscription on the headstone of Roy’s military grave in France reads “Greater love hath no man than this who laid down his life for all”. This reflects the ongoing love and gratitude shared by family and allies for Roy’s service and sacrifice. I feel privileged to have learnt this story of a brave and honourable ancestor of mine.