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The Bendigoian newspaper published the following article on October 25, 1917. P. 2

PRIVATE V. ELIASON

Mrs. T. Eliason, of Sandy Creek, has received the 101st letter from her son, Private Victor Eliason, of Sandy Creek. He left with the 7th Battalion, under Major Blezzard, spent a considerable time in Egypt, thence to Gallipoli, where he was wounded. He went to England, and became well enough to return to take part in the evacuation. Since then he has been in various parts of the war. As shown by his 101st letter, he is still going well, and has faith that the Huns are getting beaten.From it we make the following extracts:-                          "Flanders, 22nd August, 1917. I think it is because I can see and know we are winning that makes me feel so fit. Every day we can see the battle line on the western front changing. The Hun is slowly, but surely, getting flogged to death, and his hour is coming as sure as the sun will set tonight. Our sides are giving him no respite. We are now paying him back in full. All his unnatural weapons are turned against him. His poison gas that he used over two years ago on us with such deadly effect to-day we laugh at it, for our gas helmets are proof against his poison gas, and his gas helmet is not proof against the poison gas we are using against him. Then he brought out and used liquid fire against us. And now we are using a weapon boiling with burning oil fired at him in shell form. It is striking terror into the hearts of the Huns. We are now paying them back with interest. Well, my dear mother and grandma, it is over three years since I joined the A.I.F, and I am sure to you both it seems a lifetime; to you both it has been years of suspense and worry on my behalf. I know in my own heart you do not do as I ask of you; when I tell you not to worry. I know you imagine us to be always suffering untold hardships, which is never the case. Of course, sometimes we have bad times, but we are here and willing to endure anything to bring to the world that peace that will bring happiness to millions, and to accomplish that we must endure a little hardship at times, but at all times we are lighthearted and as happy as schoolboys."[1]

Sadly, the Bendigoian would report the following on June 6, 1918. P. 21 - PRIVATE VICTOR ELIASON.                                             'Information has been received by cable from Mrs Victor Eliason (England), wife of Private Victor Eliason, to his mother, Mrs. T. Eliason, of Sandy Creek, that he had been killed in action. Private Eliason left here with the 7th Battalion, and he had seen some hard fighting. He was wounded and also went through a serious illness. He had after 3¾ years' service been killed after recovering from a severe illness. A little time ago he got married to an English lass, who attended him during his illness. He was a member of Pride of the Hills, I.O.R., White Hills, and this is the third member in a short time.'[2]

AWM Photo - Studio portrait of 913 Private (Pte) Victor James Roy Eliason, 7th Battalion, of Bendigo, Vic.

A labourer prior to enlisting on 18 August 1914, he embarked from Melbourne aboard HMAT Hororata (A20) on 19 October 1914. He landed at Gallipoli on 25 April and was wounded in the shoulder causing his evacuation for treatment in early May. He returned to Gallipoli on 15 August until again being wounded in action on 28 August 1915. After recovery in England, he arrived in France in June 1916 for service on the Western Front. Pte Eliason was transferred to the 2nd Machine Gun Company in May 1917 and to the 1st Machine Gun Battalion on 1 April 1918. Pte Eliason was killed in action in Belgium on 15 May 1918, aged 27 years. He was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal on 19 June 1918.[3]

SERVICE DETAILS:
Service Number: 913

Place of birth: Bendigo, Victoria

Religion: Church of England

Occupation:Labourer

Address: White Hills, Bendigo

Marital status: Single

Age at enlistment: 24

Next of kin: Mother, Mrs Eliason, Katamatite, via Dookie,

Enlistment date: 18 August 1914

Final Rank: Private

Unit: 7th Battalion, H Company & 1st Machine Gun Battalion

Embarked: A20 Hororata on 19 October 1914                 

Meritorious Service Medal Source:

Fate: Killed in Action 15 May 1918 in Belgium

Age at death: 27

Place of burial: Le Grand Hasard Military Cemetery, Morbecque, France

In the operations east of YPRES 22nd September, 1917 to 12th October, 1917. Official war correspondent Charles Bean wrote of this deadly three week period:-

‘For the two Anzac corps the battles of Menin Road, Polygon Wood and Broodseinde were the cleanest and most decisive victories they had yet fought, even more so than Messines. The later fighting in the wet weather doubled the casualties, which amounted to 38,000 in the five Australian Divisions in eight weeks, and left, the Australia, an insoluble problem of reinforcements.’[4]

[1] Bendigoian Newspaper, October 25, 1917. P. 2
[2] Bendigoian Newspaper, June 6, 1918. P. 21
[3] Australian War memorial Collection, P08636.001
[4] Anzac to Amiens, C.E.W.Bean. Penguin Books.2014. P.376

Victor James Ray Eliason, known as “Victor Eliason”, was born in Bendigo.   He was the son of Oliver Materson (dec.) & Temena Rosina Eliason, of Katamitite, Vic.   Victor was a Labourer/Farmer who lived in White Hills.   He was 24 years old when he volunteered for the Expeditionary Force, and had previously served for 3 years in the 2nd 8th AIR.   He was amongst the early volunteers, enlisting on 18.8.14.   The following day he left Bendigo for the Broadmeadows Camp.   He was allotted Service no. 913 and appointed to ‘H’ Company, 7th Battalion.

The 7th Battalion left Broadmeadows Camp on 18 October, 1914, and embarked for service overseas on board HMAT ‘Hororata’.   Arriving in Egypt the battalion moved into camp at Mena, at the foot of the pyramids.   (6/12/14)     

In January, 1915, the Australian force was re-organized.   In the 7th Battalion ‘G’ and ‘H’ Companies joined to form the new ‘D’ Company.      This meant that all the men from Northern Victoria were together in one Company.   

The 7th Battalion was part of the force which landed at Anzac Cove on 25th April, 1915.   Victor Eliason was Wounded on 28/4/15, sustaining a GSW to his right shoulder.   

Eliason: “. . . . .. I came to this war because I reckoned it was up to me to go.   I fully expected war, but what we got was murder . . . .    Before we got within 600 yards of the shore, and until we got to the shore, we had hell thrown at us in the shape of shrapnel and machine gun fire.   The bottom and sides were shot out of some of the boats.   I do not think one got to the beach without losing some men, and I do not think anyone can describe what out gallant lads went through on that unforgettable Sunday. . . . . . It was glorious to see the way our boys went at the Turks.   They would not face our bayonet charge.   I was in three charges in the one day, but did not get to sticking any of them.   I got two Turks that I am certain of with the rifle.     On the Sunday I fired 500 rounds, and at times my rifle was fairly red hot.   It was sickening to see so many of my comrades dropping; it makes one a savage.     I got hit with a bit of shrapnel on the leg on the Sunday afternoon, but when I found I could walk along I never bothered to look at it for two days, the fighting was that hot, and when I did have a look I found a big yellow burn.   On the Wednesday night I got shot through the shoulder, and was knocked down, though not out.”   Eliason: Letter [Bendigo Advertiser  July 21, 1915]   

He rejoined the battalion on 15/8/15 in the trenches at Lone Pine.   On 28/8/15 he was Wounded (2nd occasion) sustaining GSW to his left arm and leg.   During his recovery he was diagnosed with Typhoid & Paratyphoid A Fever.   He rejoined the battalion in France on 30/7/16.   

He continued to serve on the Western Front and was Awarded the Meritorious Service Medal for participating in a successful raid on enemy trenches.  Date of Action 30/9/16.   

He transferred to the 2nd Machine Gun Company 31/5/17.     On 20/10/17 he Married Martha Harrop at the Emmanuel Church, County of Lancaster.    On 1/4/18 his Unit designation changed to 1st Machine Gun Battalion.  

Victor Eliason was KIA on 15/5/18.   Buried initially in the garden of a Farm, his body was later exhumed and reburied in Le Grand Hazard Military Cemetery, 1 mile SSW of Hazebrouck, France.   

“The First Lot.   7th Battalion.   The first men of the Bendigo district to volunteer for service in the First World War.”: Larna Malone