Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

From Ballarat & District in the Great War

Lt Guy Lyndon DITCHBURN MC

It is quite remarkable how many men joined the AIF, beginning at the very bottom of the regimental pile only to rapidly rise through the ranks, thus securing a significant place in our military history. Another interesting aspect is that some of these quite remarkable soldiers had no military training prior to the war. Often it was their individual brilliance that would allow them to lead men under the most unimaginable circumstances. One local soldier who forged such a career path was Guy Ditchburne.

A comfortable, secure family, whilst not a guarantee, is definitely an early advantage. When Guy Lyndon Ditchburne was born at Surrey Hills on 10 October 1890, his world was settled and safe. He was the second of four children and the only son of Martin Ditchburne and Louisa Twentyman. (In the interests of historical accuracy, the surname is recorded under three different spellings – Ditchburn, Ditchburne and Ditchbourne – but I have chosen to use the spelling Guy himself recognised). At the time of Guy’s birth, his father (who was born in Ballarat) was a banking official, having begun his career at the Ballarat branch of the National Bank. His paternal grandfather, William Ditchburn, who had died ten years earlier, had been a noted Ballarat pioneer, partner in the firm Perdue and Ditchburn, saddlers, and a shareholder in the old Cosmopolitan Company. He originally came from the village of Shilbottle in Northumberland.

John Twentyman, Guy’s maternal grandfather, had risen to prominence as a Ballarat businessman after arriving on the goldfields in the early 1850’s. He was one of the original traders in Bridge Street. The business of Twentyman and Stamper, drapers, was founded two years before Ballarat East was surveyed. John Twentyman was the first assessor of the Town of Ballarat, one of the first members of the labour committee that oversaw much of the institutional running of the Ballarat Free Library, and was also deeply committed to the affairs of what was then the Ballarat Benevolent Asylum.

For Guy Ditchburne, these family ties formed the backdrop for what should have been a relatively gentle start to life. However, three deaths in just fifteen months were to shatter any semblance of stability.

When his maternal grandmother, Louisa Carey from Dublin, died on 13 October 1897, it was seemingly not unexpected. Her latter years had caused the family considerable grief, and in 1889, just a year before Guy’s birth, the following case appeared in the Ballarat Court.

‘…A well-dressed middle-aged woman was charged to-day, at the City Court, with insulting behaviour. The police evidence showed that prisoner had a fit at the railway station, and during the paroxysm struck several ladies and used obscene language. Prisoner, who gave her name as Louisa Twentyman, said she was separated from her husband, who was a draper at Ballarat. He allowed her a certain amount per week. She said she was dying of a broken heart. She was bound over in her own recognisances of £25 to keep the peace for six months…’

Her behaviour continued to cause concern and at one point she was referred to as being “a shingle short.”
But, Louisa’s demise was followed by the sudden death of Guy’s 33-year-old father from typhoid fever on 4 August 1898. Martin had recently been transferred by the bank to St Kilda, and they were living at “Willesden” in St Kilda Street, North Brighton. As a result, Louisa and the children were initially isolated in their grief.

Louisa returned to the Twentyman family home, “Elimatta” 147 Victoria Street in Ballarat East, to try to pick up the pieces.

Sadly, she was to experience further loss when her father, John Twentyman, became ill with “inflammation of the bowels” and died on 30 January 1899.

Louisa and the children continued to live at Elimatta for several years, and maintained the family connection to St Paul’s Church, Bakery Hill.

During the intervening years, the family lived in Trevor Street, Ballarat East, and then at 84 Havelock Street in Soldiers Hill.

It appears that Guy was educated privately during his early years, but he was clearly an apt student. At the age of 15 he was enrolled at the Ballarat East School of Art to study general design (Grade 2) and the Ballarat School of Mines, where he began a course in practical inorganic chemistry. He broadened his studies to include geology, mining geology, algebra, trigonometry, engineering drawing, and applied mechanics. Some classes were also attended at the Working Men’s College (WMC) (predecessor of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology) in Latrobe Street, Melbourne.

During 1908, Guy concentrated on chemistry subjects at WMC.

One of Guy’s favourite pastimes was playing cricket. He was a handy all-rounder with the Ballarat Cricket Club. On 4 February 1908, while he was practising at the Eastern Oval, Guy had his gold watch and chain (valued at £20) taken from his vest pocket in the club dressing-room. William Henry Smith, an 18-year-old repeat offender, was charged with the theft and was sentenced to nine-months imprisonment after being found guilty.

In February 1911, it was announced that Guy had received an excellent appointment at the Bullfinch Mine in Western Australia. The town of Bullfinch was only gazetted as a town the previous year after gold was discovered in the area in 1909. He sailed for Fremantle onboard the coastal steamer Kyarra.

Guy immediately joined the local cricket competition at Bullfinch. When he moved to Kalgoorlie, he continued his cricketing aspirations with the Kalgoorlie United Club. In a Country Week match against Pengelly on 24 March 1915, Guy was in fine form with the ball capturing two hat-tricks in the game and taking 14 for 33 overall.

During this period, he was employed as assistant assayer to Charles Blackett at the Golden Horseshoe Estates Company at Boulder.

The outbreak of war in August 1914 saw an immediate reaction from able-bodied Australian men. They walked away from jobs all over the country, seeking to “do their bit” and be a part of the grand adventure. Of course, it is well known that they believed the war would be over by Christmas. When this didn’t eventuate, and the fighting entered its second year, it quickly became apparent that more recruits were required. Despite having no prior connection to the military, Guy Ditchburne made the decision to join the AIF. He presented himself at the recruitment depot in Kalgoorlie on 3 November 1915. The medical officer, one Samuel Mathews, then conducted the necessary physical examination. It was found that Guy was of average height, measuring 5-feet 8-inches, but he was rather slight, weighing just 132-pounds. His expanded chest measurement of 36½-inches indicated at high degree of fitness. He was a good-looking individual, with blue eyes and brown hair. His sight, however, was down marginally in both eyes.

Guy’s formal enlistment came at Blackboy Hill Camp on 22 November. He named his mother, who was then living at 18 Seymour Crescent in the Ballarat suburb of Soldiers Hill, as his next-of-kin. His military career began immediately after being assigned to as a private to the 36th Depot Battalion.

It appears that Guy’s capacity to lead men, along with his high standard of education and physical fitness, quickly identified him to the commanding officers at Blackboy Hill. On 7 December, he was sent to a school for non-commissioned offices. His rapid advancement had already begun.

The New Year started with Guy serving as a sergeant in B Company of the 7th Depot Battalion. He was posted to the 16th reinforcements to the 11th Infantry Battalion with the regimental number 2904 on 14 February 1916, however, after a ‘competitive examination’ he qualified as second lieutenant just two days later. It was with this rank that he held command at the 49th Depot Battalion at Blackboy Hill.

Men going to war had a heightened sense of the present, the here and now, prompting them to make special and lasting commitments. So it was that Guy Ditchburne married Lizzie Una Constance Keast at Claremont on 22 July 1916. Betty, as she was known, was the youngest daughter of Cornishman, William Henry Keast, a former businessman from Ballarat where she herself was also born in 1884. The simple wedding was conducted by the Reverend Principal Frederick Ernest Oxer.

Before leaving for the Front, Guy changed his next-of-kin to his wife, who was then living at “Bryn Tirion” in Devon Road, Claremont. Betty was to return to Victoria soon after to await the birth of the couple’s only child, Ellie (Nell) who was born at Murrumbeena on 17 May 1917.

Meanwhile, Guy had sailed from Fremantle on 21 October 1916 in command of the 16th reinforcements to the 27th Infantry Battalion. The troopship Port Melbourne took nearly ten weeks to make the voyage to England, eventually reaching Devonport on 28 December.

Guy spent his initial time in England with the 7th Training Battalion stationed at the small Wiltshire village of Rollestone. From 26 February to the 22 March 1917, he attended the 8th Rifle Course that was held at the School of Musketry, Tidworth. He qualified 1st Class (Distinguished) with a ‘fair working knowledge of the Lewis gun.’

It wasn’t long before he received orders to prepare for embarkation to France. He sailed on 5 April, reaching the 2nd Australian Divisional Base Depot at Étaples the following day. His posting, however, was far from settled. He joined the 28th Battalion at Shelter Wood Camp on 10 April, but was almost immediately transferred to the 26th Battalion at the Hut Camp (Scot’s Redoubt) near Contalmaison.

On 19 April, the 26th Battalion moved into the Sunken Road that formed part of the defensive line bound by Longatte, Noreuil and Lagnicourt. Relief of the 25th Battalion took place from 25-27 April, with the 26th taking up position in the front line on the railway embankment opposite the Hindenburg Line. This was to form part of the coming attack that would open the Second Battle of Bullecourt on the morning of 3 May. Later that same day, the battalion was withdrawn to the Sunken Road for ‘a digging job’ at Longatte-Noreuil, but not before 31 men had been killed.

The battalion was back at Contalmaison, when Guy was forced to report to hospital with bronchitis. He was admitted to the 4th Australian Field Ambulance on 12 May, before being immediately transferred to the 9th Casualty Clearing Station at Aveluy.

After three days at Aveluy, Guy was taken by ambulance train through to Wimereux, where he was admitted briefly to the 14th General Hospital. The same day, 15 May, he was transferred to the Hospital Ship St Denis at Boulogne. The St Denis made a quick trip across the channel and Guy was soon admitted to the 3rd London General Hospital at Wandsworth. Although the bronchial catarrh that had developed was said to be only mild, Guy would be at the 3rd London for over two months, during which time his promotion to full lieutenant was confirmed on 25 May.

After being transferred to the 5th Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Welwyn, Hertfordshire, on 25 July, Guy found himself ensconced at Digswell House, a stately home owned by the Acland family that had been given up as a convalescent facility for officers.

Guy spent more than a month at Digswell House before he was discharged to duty at the No1 Command Depot, Perham Downs, on 31 August. His fitness continued to cause concern, and he faced several Medical Boards over the ensuing months – so much for a ‘mild’ case of catarrh!

Whilst he was still unfit for general service, on 7 November Guy was finally well enough to undertake home duties and was posted as the Messing Officer at the 2nd Battalion of the Overseas Training Brigade.
After being declared fit, Guy sailed back to France on 21 May 1918 – a year after he had been hospitalised. The trip from Southampton to Le Havre was longer than usual, with Guy reaching the Australian Intermediate Base Depot on 23 May. The need for officers was imperative at this stage, and Guy left immediately for his unit, rejoining the 28th Battalion, which was then near Ville-sur-Ancre on the Somme.

This was a momentous time in the war for Guy to return to the frontline. The AIF had taken a significant role in stopping the German advance outside Villers-Bretonneux as the enemy’s Spring Offensive had gone into full swing during April. The 28th Battalion had fought through those epic, tense days and was about to join the Allied push that would ultimately mark the beginning of Germany’s defeat.

By the opening of the Hundred Days Offensive on the 8 August, commanders of the 28th Battalion were sensing the weariness of their men. Tanks were deployed in support of the infantry and proved effective in replacing carrying parties, moving as much as 300 men per trip. After the artillery put down a terrific barrage on the enemy lines at 4:23am, the troops, preceded by the tanks, moved forward in the attack near L’Abbe Wood.

Heavy fog reduced visibility to a few yards, but the men performed in outstanding fashion with ‘many lively combats’ and ‘feats of great daring.’ Guy Ditchburne was leading his platoon during the morning, when they were held up by an enemy strong point. Quickly assessing the situation, Guy closed in from the east flank, rushing the post and calling on the garrison to surrender. In the process 40 prisoners were taken, and four machine-guns and two light trench mortars captured.

During operations east of Framerville on 12 August, when his commanding officer was wounded, Guy took charge of the company. His leadership was conspicuous and it was noted that he led his men ‘brilliantly,’ and throughout the fighting ‘set a splendid example of courage and determination.’

On 1 September the battalion entered the line northeast of Halle on the outskirts of Péronne. For the attack on Mont St Quentin on 2 September, the 7th Infantry Brigade was launched on a three battalion front – the 25th at the centre with the 26th on the right and the 27th on the left. The 28th was split with two companies each supporting the right flank of the 26th and the left flank of the 27th and the remainder with Battalion Headquarters. Immediately after the supporting barrage opened up, the enemy replied with their own bombardment of gas and high explosive shells.

After jumping off the attacking waves ran into heavy machinegun fire, causing a high number of casualties. Amongst the wounded was Guy Ditchburne, who suffered a gunshot wound to his left thigh. He was treated at the 6th Australian Field Ambulance. The next day he was transferred to the 53rd Casualty Clearing Station (run by the 1/1st North Midlands Territorial Force) at Vecquemont near Daours. Although the wound was assessed as slight, Guy was immediately loaded onto an ambulance train for Rouen, where he was admitted to the 8th General Hospital later in the day.

For Guy Ditchburne the war was now over. He was invalided to England on 5 September onboard the Hospital Ship Essequibo and returned to the 3rd London General. After a month in hospital, he was transferred to the 4th Australian Auxiliary Hospital, which was also at Welwyn in Hertfordshire.

Guy was still convalescing at Welwyn when the Armistice was signed and peace was declared. Then, on 3 December, it was announced that he had been awarded the Military Cross.

Two days later, Guy was discharged from hospital and joined the Overseas Training Brigade. He was scheduled for an early return to Australia, acting as Ship’s Subaltern onboard the transport Ceramic, which left Plymouth on 25 January 1919.

Initially the voyage proved pleasant, with abundant food, but influenza broke out during the early stages. Before they reached Malta, some 130 men had been infected. The serious cases were left at Valetta. After stocking up on medicine, the Ceramic continued on its way. More patients were dropped at Port Said. The first deaths occurred at Suez, with three men succumbing to the infection. Thirty-three serious cases were taken ashore.

The number of cases gradually declined and by the time the Ceramic reached Colombo it was considered safe for the men to go ashore. It was just a short break, but the change from being onboard ship was ‘greatly appreciated.’ However, given that the ship was not free of the disease at any stage during the voyage, all leave should have been prevented.

The Ceramic reached Fremantle on 2 March, but the influenza outbreak saw the West Australian contingent immediately isolated at the quarantine station at Albany. After eventually being cleared, the men travelled by special train, reaching Fremantle at 7:15am on 16 March.

Guy’s appointment with the AIF was terminated on 7 May 1919.

During a special event staged on the final day of the Royal Perth Show at Claremont on 11 October 1919, Guy was presented with his Military Cross by General Alfred Bessell-Browne.

Settling back into civilian life, Guy worked as a manager on the White Hope Leases at Kalgoorlie.
Initially, Guy looked to extend his experience in the mining industry by taking international positions. He worked as an assistant to Mr Joseph Grigg at the Consolidated Company at Pehang, before, in February 1921, he took over the role as surveyor with the Yukon Gold Dredging Company at Kuala Lumpur in what was then the Federated Malay States.

In between his travels, Guy and Betty set up home at Kalgoorlie. Guy also found time to join the Kalgoorlie Rifle Club, where he proved to be a very competitive shot.

By 1923, Guy was working as a metallurgist at the Celebration Gold Mine on Hampton Plains near Coolgardie. Unfortunately, tragic incidents never seemed far from his door. In March 1923, he was called to give evidence at an inquest into the death of young William George Drage, who had killed himself by ingesting cyanide. Then, he was a pall-bearer at the funeral of Mr Civiall Hawkins, manager of the Celebration Mine, who had been burned to death at his home adjacent to the mine on 16 June 1924.

Guy continued as superintendent at the Celebration Mine until 1925.

Throughout this period, Guy remained on the list of Reserve of Officers for the 5th Military District in Western Australia.

Moving back to Victoria, Guy and Betty first lived at 8 Viva Street in Malvern. However, they were to move multiple times over the coming years, mainly living in the Oakleigh area. Guy had completed his transfer to the 3rd (Victorian) Military District on 10 May 1935. (He would transfer to the 1st (Queensland) Military District and remained on the reserve of officers until 1951).

The opening of the Golden Plateau Mine, on the Cracow Goldfields in Queensland, in 1931, offered a new opportunity for Guy Ditchburne, who was employed there as an engineer and metallurgist.
His extensive experience took him to Fiji in September 1935, where he was to report on reduction concerns at the Loloma, Koroere and Emperor Mines. The suggestion was that one large treatment plant could be erected to deal with the ore being extracted by the three companies.

In December 1935, the directors of the Emperor Mine at Tavua in Fiji announced that they had secured the services of Guy Ditchburne. He had recently been acting as superintendent of the Golden Plateau Mine. As assistant general manager and superintendent of the Emperor Mine, Guy was responsible for the design of a new plant over the mine in 1936.

During the years of World War II and well into the 1950’s, Betty and Nell lived a more settled life at 51 Arrona Road in Caulfield West, whilst Guy continued his peripatetic lifestyle as a mining engineer. By 1957, he was a director with the International Mining Corporations Australia NL [non liability].

Guy continued to work in this capacity right up until his death on 13 March 1957.