Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Herbert Strong was born to Mary Anna and George Strong at Graceville and attended Sherwood State School. It is possible that the Strong family were long time residents of the district, there being a Strong Avenue running off Oxley Road parallel to Graceville Avenue. Herbert’s mother also reported that Herbert’s eldest brother served in the Boer War.

When Herbert presented himself for enlistment on 20th November 1915, he was 22 years old and employed as a clerk with Queensland Railways. He named his mother; Mary Anna, as his next of kin and stated his home address to be Oxley Road, Graceville.

Herbert was originally drafted into the 35th Battalion but before embarkation he was transferred to the 41st battalion and promoted to corporal. The 41st battalion which had been raised at Enoggera embarked for overseas on the “Demonthenes” from Sydney on 18th May 1916 and arrived in Plymouth on the 20th July.

The 41st Battalion was part of the 11th Brigade; 3rd Division AIF. The 3rd Division, unlike the other 4 Australian divisions was not sent directly to the western front. Instead the 3rd Division spent considerable time in England training under the new divisional commander, Maj. Gen. John Monash and was not deployed to France until the beginning of 1917.

The 41st battalion spent the early months of 1917 rotating in and out of the line around the French / Belgian border area near Armentieres. During this time Herbert was transferred to the 2nd Australian Tunnelling Company, which was engaged in preparing some of the massive 19 underground mines that would be fired later in the year. It seems that Herbert was not cut out for underground work as he returned to the 41st after only a week. Herbert was promoted to sergeant in April.

After the campaigns in France in 1916, Gen Sir Douglas Haig was anxious for a new offensive in the summer of 1917. He chose to direct his forces against the Germans around the Ypres salient in Belgium. The offensive would begin with the simultaneous firing of 19 mines under the German lines in front of the village of Messines; followed by an intensive artillery barrage and an infantry advance of some 800 metres.

Prior to the opening of the Battle of Messines on 7th June; the 41st Battalion were tasked with manning the front line while the brigades that were to take part in the assault assembled in the rear. After the success of Messines, the 41st were taken out of the line for a short rest before the 11th Brigade was pushed back into the line near Warneton. The task was to straighten the line by digging a new forward trench line, in clear view of the enemy. This period is referred to in the 11th Brigade history as the “18 Days.” The entire brigade was subjected to constant artillery, machine guns and deadly sniping. The action was so intense that the 41st Battalion Diary has no entries at all for this period, even battalion administrators were hard pressed.

During the 18 days, on the 25th June, Herbert Strong, was evacuated to the 53rd Casualty Clearing Station with a compound fracture to the thigh caused by machine gun fire. He died of his wounds later that same day. There are no Red Cross reports into the circumstances of Herbert’s death and he was buried in the nearby Bailleul Communal Cemetery.

His parents received his personal effects and photographs of his grave. When the memorial Scroll and King’s message was delivered to the family, Herbert’s rank was stated incorrectly as Lance Sergeant. Errors over his rank persist with him being listed on the Graceville Memorial as corporal.

Courtesy of Ian Lang

Mango Hill

"THE COMMONWEALTH. MILITARY NOTES.

Mr. T. J. Strong has received word, that his brother, Corporal H. J. Strong, of the 41st Battalion, has been killed in action in France. He enlisted in Brisbane some 18 months ago. Another gallant life thus been added to the long list who have made the supreme sacrifice of giving their life for their King and country." - from the Maryborough Chronicle 11 Jul 1917 (nla.gov.au)