Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Hurtle was born on the 26th August 1900 to Elizabeth and James Little. He and his brothers attended the Sutton Town School As a 13-year-old trainee cadet, and also working as a butcher, he was officially before the Mount Gambier Magistrates’ Court charged with ‘failing, without lawful excuse to attend a compulsory parade’. He and a friend, John Maney were also claimed to have failed to attend several previous parades and been warned. Both were convicted and fined 5/ with costs, with the default being several days' detention in the barracks at Fort Largs. This was reported as being ‘lenient treatment’ but serving as a warning to others, with the two being handed over to the custody of the Area Officer for seven days and commanded to report 'himself at the drill hall to the Area-officer next morning at 9 o'clock’.
John Maney later served in WWII as a leading aircraftsman, 122025.
Prior to the outbreak of the ‘War to End All Wars’ Hurtle was a member of the 74th Battalion Citizens Forces. He formally enlisted on the 2nd May 1916. At the time, he was a 19-year-old but because of his age, his parents Elizabeth and James were required to formally give their written permission for him to serve. Hurtle was given the number 2197 and allocated to the 48th Battalion and was soon heading to Plymouth, arriving at the end of September ’16. Just days after Christmas he arrived in France. At Etaples, Hurtle was noted as being absent from a morning parade in January ‘17, which proved to be an expensive jaunt as he was fined a hefty five days of pay.
In May Hurtle experienced several incidents of ill health, including bronchitis, influenza and cellulitis which resulted in bouts of hospitalisation in both Bristol and France. Later, tonsilitis and influenza also saw him spend time in London hospitals. He was fortunate not to attract a fine for being caught in a small café that sold alcohol (Estamininet) during ‘prohibited hours’. After each recovery, Hurtle returned to France before the next illness occurred and he returned to England. During this rehabilitation, he met Gladys Ethel Weldon from South Crozton who had served with the R.A.F. as 14889 in the role of a fitter general. The 22-year-olds married in the South Croxton Church at the end of August 1919 and awaited a family ship to bring them back to Australia. They finally arrived in Adelaide in the heat of a February summer in ’20.
Back home, his school at Sutton Town had already designed and unveiled a Roll of Honour in August ’17, with Hurtle’s name being one of the 64 old scholars with other Little young men including Stanley Laurence Little 1155, Cyril Herwalld Little, Alfred Little, Lindsay Little, Leonard Little and Hurtle.
Glady’s and Hurtle’s first child, Ronald James was born back in Mount Gambier on the 12th March ’20 and Hurtle was officially discharged soon after, on the 27th March ’20. Ron was their oldest child with siblings including seven brothers, Frederick Hurtle, Gerald, Dennis, Ray, David, Murray, and Neville, and a sister, Delma Joy.
Hurtle’s father, James lived a further two years, so met his new English daughter-in-law and saw his son return safely from War. Aged 68, James died on the 2nd June ’22. Hurtle’s Mother, Elizabeth died in the Mount Gambier General hospital on the 16th January ’39 aged 73 with both buried in the Lake Terrace Cemetery at Mount Gambier.
Gladys and Hurtle were to endure a frustrating, humiliating charge under the Repatriation Law with having sold certain household chattels while being the hirer of them from the Repatriation Department. Fortunately, the charges were dismissed as the S.M. found no creditable proof that the young couple had not paid their instalments on the furniture. An insensitive way to support those who had served their country.
Hurtle and his son, Ron were fortunate to survive a rear-end crash with a bus in January ’37 at Mt Gambier. The Border Chronicle reported that ‘After colliding with the rear of the bus, the car dashed across the road and struck an electric light pole and was badly wrecked.’ Hurtle sustained concussion, lacerations, and shock and 16-year-old Ron cuts and shock. Initially those injured in the crash were taken to the local doctor’s surgery before being taken to the Mount Gambier
However, with the outbreak of WWII 43-year-old Hurtle, who was working as a dairyman, again enlisted on the 17th June ’40 as S212863 in the 4th Garrison Battalion. (Within a month he was discharged as being medically unfit for duty, with his record listing several scars, one on the outside of his left leg and a second above his left hip. Undeterred, Hurtle again presented to serve in September ’41 as S37341 with the Salvage Section with just a few days absence because of an upper respiratory tract infection. Hurtle took one day’s unofficial leave on the 19th March ’42 for which he was fined 6/-, a day’s pay. This coincided with a huge farewell accorded to Ron and other new enlistees at the Makin Memorial Hall. Hurtle continued to serve, being awarded a promotion to Lance Corporal in April ’42, a role he held until being discharged in May ’42 as ‘medically unfit for service but fit for employment in civil life.’)
Ron also immediately enlisted to serve on the 29th July ’40, just days after his father, claiming to be 21. (His war record was later corrected to show his birth in 1920.) Ron was allocated the number SX10507 in the 2/48th Battalion reinforcements. This was a proud placement as Hurtle had been in the original 48th Battalion. That month, Ron proposed to Mabel Dorothy Hann of Tantanoola with the two announcing their engagement in the Border Chronicle paper on the 26th July.
For the first time the soldiers included the sons of old diggers who had served in WWI. This included Pte Ron Little and Troopers Bert Battye and Wallie Mutrie
For the first time the soldiers included the sons of old diggers who had served in WWI. This included Pte Ron Little and Troopers Bert Battye and Wallie Mutrie
Ron’s younger brother, Fred who had worked as a shearer, officially enlisted from Puckapunyal in Victoria in August ’42. He had previously served in the Militia as S6364 where he had attained the rank of Corporal in the 3rd Light Horse Regiment. Fred, also, was anxious to serve and like Ron, ‘manipulated’ his birth date from 17th January ’23 to 1922. He was then allocated the number SX23749 and in the 2/48th Battalion. He eventually rose to the rank of Corporal and returned home safely.
With the war over and both sons safely back home, the Keith R.S.L held a ball in the Makin Memorial Institute in July ’45. Joyous visitors came from surrounding town, including Mundalla, Bordertown, Wirrega, Tintinara, and Coonalpyn. The Border Chronicle reported that the centrepiece on the stage was ‘a large semi-circle of draped flags radiating from a magnificent AIF rising sun, the whole forming a striking tableau. The rising sun, a prized possession of the diggers, measures approximately 6 ft by 3 ft, and is beautifully wrought; and painted.’ Inevitably Hurtle, called the ‘indefatigable R.S.L. worker’, contributed to the fun coordinating ‘the happy dancers with Minties and such like confections, fired from the old reliable remodelled streamlined local 25-pounder.’
Post war, it was deemed essential that every household owning a wireless had to have purchased a licence. This created jobs for inspectors to visit homes and search for any recalcitrant owners, many of whom were quick enough to hide the radios in a variety of ingenious places, if time permitted. Unfortunately, Hurtle was caught without a listeners’ licence, which was in breach of the Australian Broadcasting Act. A hefty fine of £2/14/- with 10/- costs and witness fees amounting to £2/17/ was imposed. (The need for licences was later repealed.)
Sadly, tragedy struck the Little family with the death of their only daughter and sister, 19-year-old Delma Joy on December 16th ’51 in the Bordertown Hospital. She had married Bertriam Parsons who served with the 2/2nd Machine Gun Battalion as VX132716 and had been discharged in May ’46. The two had twins, Clifton and Regie. The family placed a poignant tribute to her in the Border Watch Chronicle; ‘Alone and unseen Delma stands by our side Whispers don’t grieve; death cannot divide.’ Love Mum and Dad. She was buried in the Keith Cemetery.
In July ‘52, Hurtle was fortunate to escape being seriously involved in a three-vehicle accident, but was a witness to the collision. At about 5 p.m he was driving a truck of logs, north towards Tarpeena when he put out the hand indicator of his truck to signal a turn. Seeing the road clear ahead, he turned more than halfway across the road, when he saw a vehicle, approximately 70 to 75 yards away, coming towards him. As he left the bitumen he heard a crash and saw three vehicles involved in an accident. Hurtle had a small piece of bark chipped from the end of the logs on his vehicle. The errant driver was heavily fined, including for unlicenced driving.
Hurtle continued to lock horns with the Repatriation Department, following several unsuccessful attempts to gain the pension. He misrepresented his income as £30 when applying for the pension, when in reality he earned £518 at the Kapler Timber Mills. It was a costly error as he was fined £25 with £4 14/ costs. Despite being wounded during WWI, Hurtle had received no monetary support from the Repatriation and added that “When he made the application he was in pain and his only daughter had died at the time.“ The Prosecutor said he would assist the defendant (Hurtle) if he were suffering from a war wound and wished to get a pension but defendant said, "I don‘t want it.”
75-year-old Gladys pre-deceased Hurtle and died on the 1st October, 1970. She was laid to rest in the Keith Cemetery. Aged 84, Hurtle died on the 8th September 1981 and now rests nearby. The eulogy at his funeral was given by Mount Gambier born Herb Ashby SX10570, a sergeant with the 2/48th Battalion. Post WWII, Herb had started up a cadet group at Mt Gambier naming them after his battalion, the 2/48th. The plaques of both Gladys and Hurtle carry their service insignia from WWI. Their son, Fred who served in the 2/48th is also nearby as is their daughter, Delma Parsons and her husband, Bertram who served with the 2/2 Btn as VX132716.
Hurtle would be justifiably proud in the knowledge that his great grandson, Rohan James was a third generation to serve from 2003 -2017 and continues to serve in the Army Reserves.
Researched and written by Kaye Lee, daughter of Bryan Holmes SX8133, 2/48th Battalion