Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

From Ballarat & District in the Great War

The story of David Alexander Ross

Miners’ Rest was a lovely place to grow up in the years prior to the Great War and the Ross farm “Avondale” was a picture postcard of the era. With its modest homestead, lush crops, and Clydesdale horses ploughing the land it was a marvellous place for children.

The original Ross family had arrived from Scotland in 1863 and purchased the property with the view to utilising their vast farming experience in a new country. William Ross took over the running of the property and added many improvements, including an extensive hayshed and a windbreak of pine trees that would eventually become a landmark in the area.

He and his wife, Rachel Fisher, also added “generational improvement” with the production of a substantial family. Their son, David Alexander, was born on 27 November 1889. He was the couple’s third child and second son, but, sadly, following the untimely death of his older brother in 1892, David then took over the mantle as the eldest son.

The children studied at the Miners’ Rest State School under the care of Mr Craig, who Nellie Ross described as ‘a very good teacher.’ There were opportunities for elocution and music as well as the standard education of reading, writing and arithmetic.

After completing his schooling, Dave took over more responsibility working with his father on the farm. His life was very full with the family also playing an active role in the local Presbyterian church. However, due to the distance from Ballarat, there was one aspect of life of the era that David missed: he received no formal military training.

Dave was only 20 in 1910 when he married Mary Loretto Forbes, whose father farmed a property at Leigh Creek. Their first child, Helena Forbes, was born later the same year. A second daughter, Rachel Mary, followed in 1914, and a third, Isabel Kathleen, in 1916. Throughout this time, David continued to farm the Avondale property and also worked as an engine driver. But by the time their third daughter arrived, war was very much at the forefront of everyone’s minds.

Married men with children were not actively encouraged to enlist, but by 1916 it was obvious that the war was not going to end quickly, and there was a constant need for fresh reinforcements. As a consequence it was only a matter of time before David Ross volunteered. He signed his attestation papers at Ballarat on 5 June 1916, allotting three-fifths of his pay to his wife and daughters.

His medical examination disclosed an interesting picture of a fit, strong young man. He stood nearly 5-foot 10-inches in height and tipped the scales at 12-stone 7-pounds. Noting his physical characteristics of fair complexion, blue eyes and dark brown hair was important for identification, but the reader is left wondering what had caused the scars on his left calf and thigh. His eyes and teeth were also good enough to pass inspection.

After being passed fit, Dave was posted to the 3rd reinforcements destined for the 39th Infantry Battalion and his commanding officer was Ballarat’s George Hay – a teacher in civilian life who would earn the reputation of being the “Mr Chipps” of Ballarat College. Dave was in good hands.
They sailed from Melbourne on 25 September 1916 onboard the troopship Shropshire. The voyage took nearly seven weeks before they eventually landed at the English port of Plymouth on 11 November.

Dave was fortunate in that this particular batch of recruits received a more comprehensive period of training before being sent to the Front. He trained at Hurdcott in Wiltshire and Wool in Dorset before he was promoted to extra-duty pay sergeant with the 10th Training Battalion at Durrington on New Year’s Day 1917. It was to be a very short taste of authority, however. Just four weeks later Dave embarked for France and he was reduced to the ranks once again.

It was to be a steep and drastic learning curve for the new soldier.

The 39th Battalion was in the line at Rue-du-Bois near Armentieres on the night of the 22/23 February. A heavy enemy bombardment opened up at 5:45, followed rapidly by a raiding party of between 15-20 Germans, that stormed the Australian positions. Dave Ross was caught by surprise in an advanced post and taken prisoner.

One of the enemy party was left in charge of Dave, who had been dispossessed of his rifle and bayonet. On the way back to the German lines, Dave seized upon an opportunity to charge the German and knocked him down, falling on top of him in the process. ‘…A fierce struggle ensued, during which ROSS succeeded in disarming the enemy, and subsequently bayoneting him with his own weapon…’

Dave made his way back to his own line, and, although he was slightly wounded in the tussle, he was able to remain on duty. It is impossible to imagine what was going through his mind in those moments.

News came through that he had been recommended for the Distinguished Conduct Medal by the commander of the 10th Infantry Brigade, Brigadier-General W. Ramsay McNicholl. (As with many of the recommendations, this was downgraded to the Military Medal, which was duly awarded on 13 April).
On 1 March he was appointed temporary corporal when Corporal Albert Skehan was evacuated wounded. The promotion was made official at the end of the month.

At Ploegsteert on 7 June the 39th Battalion attacked enemy positions and, whilst successfully taking all objectives, many were badly gassed. Dave was not only gassed, but also suffered a gunshot wound to his hand. He was transferred to a Lines of Communication hospital where a Medical Board on 25 July discovered that he was suffering from a ‘disordered action of the heart’; he was eventually evacuated to England on 10 August.

In the lead up to Christmas Dave, whose health had obviously improved somewhat, found himself in a spot of bother with the authorities when he left Sandhill Camp without a leave pass. He was absent from 10:00 in the morning of 15 December until he was apprehended four days later. He was treated very leniently by Major W. M. Trew, who severely reprimanded him and docked him 5 days’ pay.

After six months out of action, Dave finally returned to France on 27 December 1917.

The final year of the war for Dave Ross was marked by bouts of illness that kept him out of the fighting for extended periods. His value to the battalion, however, was further underscored by promotion to the rank of sergeant.

The Armistice brought an end to the war, but it also left thousands of troops waiting for repatriation to Australia. It was to be a long period of waiting in England for Dave before he embarked onboard the transport Borda on 9 December 1919. An extra-special welcome home awaited him at Miners’ Rest on 11 February 1920, where he, Nurse Rebecca Medwell and Pte Norm Pollock were presented with gold medals. A programme of singing was provided by well-known Ballarat singers, George Lemke and his future wife, Dolly Trotman.

The people of Miners’ Rest were extremely proud of the young soldier. Indeed when the local State School unveiled their honour board in August 1917, Major Matthew Baird had singled out the Ross family for special mention:

‘…He was very pleased to see Mr Wm. Ross present, because he knew something of the brave work which had been done by his son, Corporal Dave Ross. (Applause.) Corporal Ross was in an army which was doing magnificent work, yet in that army of men which was every day confronted with the greatest possible danger, that young lad - for he was no more than 20 years of age (sic) - stood out above the crowd. (Applause.) Corporal Ross had won distinctions, which he felt sure showed the metal of his family, and he well deserved to be honored for the great work he had done with his fellow soldier boys at the front...’

Settling back into life on the farm was always going to be difficult for Dave, but it wasn’t long before the future started to look brighter. He and Mary welcomed the arrival of their son, William (Bill) on 25 October 1920. Their family was then completed by the birth of a fourth daughter, Muriel Jean.
Moving into Ballarat Dave became the proprietor of a threshing machine manufacturing business, and the family settled into a new home in Howitt Street.

On 29 December 1922, Dave became embroiled in an incident that could have ended with tragic consequences. In attempting to protect the young wife of one of his father’s employees, Stan Treloar, Dave was stabbed with a penknife seven times about the arms, head and chest. Treloar was arrested and charged with inflicting grievous bodily harm and Dave was taken to the Ballarat Hospital where his wounds were treated.

When the case went to court the judge was pre-disposed to being lenient towards Treloar, who was a returned soldier with an outstanding record of bravery (he had been decorated with the Military Medal and bar). Seemingly the main cause for the affray was Treloar’s intoxication. Interestingly, there was no mention of the fact he had also physically assaulted his wife. Dave Ross, however, came out of the incident with his reputation further enhanced.

By 1931 the Ross family had moved to Melbourne, making their home at 15 Hoffman Street in West Brunswick. Dave worked as a driver and as a blacksmith.

During World War II both Dave and his son, Bill, enlisted for service. Dave served with the 18th Battalion of the Volunteer Defence Corps. When the Korean War broke out, Bill enlisted again and served with distinction at the Battle of Kapyong.
At the end of WWII Dave returned once more to his family and the quieter pace of life in Brunswick.

After a life of great variety, achievements, and experiences, David Alexander Ross died quietly at the Heidelberg Hospital in May 1964. More than 50 years later he is still remembered with pride by his extended family.