Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Furner, Samuel George (1879 – 1917)

Samuel George Furner (1879 – 1917), clerk and soldier, was born on the 13 of August 1896, at Wallaroo, South Australia. He was the son of James Furner, and his wife Katherine Furner. Samuel studied at Kadina High School, South Australia, then enlisted to join war on the 4th of February 1915, at Keswick, South Australia, at the age of 18 years old.

Samuel embarked with the 10th Battalion’s 5th reinforcement on the 20 April 1915 from Adelaide, South Australia. He was on board the HMAT A20 Hororata. The Battalion then proceeded to Egypt, arriving in early December. Furner was part of the 3rd Brigade (the 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th battalions formed the 3rd Brigade) who was the covering force for the ANZAC’s landing on the 25 of April. Samuel then served there until the evacuation in December. After the withdrawal from Gallipoli, the 10th Battalion returned to Egypt in March 1916. The Battalion then sailed for France and the Western Front.

From then until 1918 the 10th Battalion took part in bitter trench warfare. Samuel’s first major action in France was at Pozieres in the Somme Valley in July, during the muddy autumn season and a bitterly cold winter. The battle of Pozieres was gruesome fight; there were 23,000 casualties and over 6,800 Australian soldiers were killed.

After Pozieres, the Battalion fought at Ypres in Flanders before returning to Somme for winter.

During this time, the Second Battle of Bullecourt occurred. The Bullecourt battles were caused by an Australian attack on the German trenches east of the village of Bullecourt. This time the Australian infantry decided to attack without tanks, but was well supported by artillery. The Australian attack was successful in capturing the same German trenches that the Australian 4th division was ejected from on April the 11th (The First Battle of Bullecourt). The battle continued for two more weeks before Germany admitted defeat on May 17th.

Sadly, during the Second Battle of Bullecourt, Samuel George Furner was killed in action on the 6th May 1917. He is commemorated on the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, located in Villers-Bretonneux, Picardie, France.

Additional information:

The injuries and sicknesses Furner suffered during his service years were:

16.10.15 - Taken to hospital due to illness - Gallipoli Peninsula

17.10.15 – Stayed in hospital due to infection – Gallipoli Peninsula

Undated – Taken to hospital due to infection – Birmingham, England

01.12.16 – Taken to hospital due to illness – France

02.12.16 – Stayed in hospital due to infection – France

04.12.16 – Taken to hospital due to infection - Etretat

19.12.16 – Taken to hospital due to infection – Navre

06.05.17 – Killed in action – Bullecourt, France

The main cause of infection during the war was dysentery because it was caused by a number of types of infections such as bacteria, viruses, parasitic worms or protozoa, and this is a type of gastroenteritis. This disease spread rapidly due to the close living quarters and it also could be spread through contaminated food and water. The treatment for dysentery included the use of antibiotics, fluids and in some severe cases blood transfusions.

Samuel George Furner received the 1914 – 1915 Star, the British War Medal, the Victory Medal and the Memorial Plaque and Memorial Scroll.

Definitions:

1914 – 1915 Star:

The 1914 – 1915 Star was authorised in 1918 and was awarded for service in certain theaters of war between the 5 August 1914 and 31 December 1915.

British War Medal:

The British war Medal was given out in 1919 to mark the end of World War 1 and record the service given. The Army veterans were awarded this medal if they entered theaters of war during specific periods or left places of residence and rendered approved service overseas.

Victory Medal:

The Victory Medal was authorised in 1919 to celebrate the victory of the Allied Forces over the Central Powers. The Victory Medal was awarded to certain classes of person who entered a theater of war between 5 August 1914 and 11 November 1918.

Theater definition: The entire land, sea and air area that is or may become involved directly in war operations.

By Nicole Christy

Year 9 student, Kadina Memorial School

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Aif.adfa.edu.au. (2016). Details. [online] Available at: https://aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=105734 [Accessed 20 Jun. 2016].

2. Anon, (2016). [online] Available at: http://www.defence.gov.au/Medals/Imperial/WWI/1914-15-Star.asp http://www.defence.gov.au/Medals/Imperial/WWI/British-War-Medal-1914-20.asp [Accessed 20 Jun. 2016].

3. Army, A. (2016). Other Ranks - Australian Army. [online] Army.gov.au. Available at: http://www.army.gov.au/Our-people/Ranks/Other-Ranks [Accessed 20 Jun. 2016].

4. Awm.gov.au. (2016). Australian War Memorial. [online] Available at: https://www.awm.gov.au/unit/U51450/ [Accessed 20 Jun. 2016]

5. Commonwealth of Australia, D. (2016). Victory Medal : World War One : Department of Defence. [online] Defence.gov.au. Available at: http://www.defence.gov.au/Medals/Imperial/WWI/Victory-Medal.asp [Accessed 20 Jun. 2016].

6. Furner, S. (2016). Roll of Honour: Samuel George Furner | Australian War Memorial. [online] Awm.gov.au. Available at: https://www.awm.gov.au/people/rolls/R1731016/ [Accessed 20 Jun. 2016]. - Image from here

7. Manchester, R. (2016). Casualty Details. [online] Cwgc.org. Available at: http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1460831/FURNER,%20SAMUEL%20GEORGE [Accessed 20 Jun. 2016]. - Also images from

8. Merriam-webster.com. (2016). Definition of THEATER OF WAR. [online] Available at: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/theater%20of%20war [Accessed 20 Jun. 2016].

9. prezi.com. (2016). Diseases of WWI. [online] Available at: https://prezi.com/xjsswbucbgvv/diseases-of-wwi/ [Accessed 20 Jun. 2016].

10. Recordsearch.naa.gov.au. (2016)| RecordSearch | National Archives of Australia. [online] Available at:http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ListingReports/ItemsListing.aspx [Accessed 20 Jun. 2016].

11.The Royal Gazette. (2016). Passing ‘out of the sight of men’ | The Royal Gazette:Bermuda Lifestyle. [online] Available at: http://www.royalgazette.com/article/20140719/island/140719662 [Accessed 20 Jun. 2016].

12.Trove. (2016). Advanced Search. [online] Available at: http://trove.nla.gov.au/?q&adv=y [Accessed 20 Jun. 2016].

13.Ww1westernfront.gov.au. (2016). What happened here? | The Bullecourt Digger, France | Australians on the Western Front 1914-1918. [online] Available at: http://www.ww1westernfront.gov.au/bullecourt/what-happened-here.php [Accessed 20 Jun. 2016].

Born:  13 Aug 1896 in Wallaroo, South Australia
(Birth Records South Australia: 1842 - 1906 Book: 589 Page: 398 District: Dal.)

Father James Lambert FURNER and Mother Catherine Furner (nee GURR b. 4/7/1872 Adelaide).

Samuel last lived with his parents at Elizabeth Street, Wallaroo, South Australia.

Siblings:
Sister:      Marjorie Catherine Furner  (b. 3/6/1895 - d. ____)
                (South Australian Births 1842 - 1906 Book: 565 Page: 340 District: Dal.)
Sister:      Dorothy Clara Furner  (b. 15/5/1898 Wallaroo - d. _______)               
                (South Australian Births 1842 - 1906 Book: 621 Page: 401 District: Dal.)
Brother:    David Taylor Furner   (b. 9/8/1907 Wallaroo - d. _____)              
                South Australian Births 1907 - 1928, Book : 786 Page : 377 District : Dal.
Brother:    David James Furner   (b. 10/4/1910 Wallaroo - d. _____)
                South Australian Births 1907 - 1928, Book : 840 Page : 410 District : Dal.

Next of kin in service:
Cousin:         Brigadier-General George Furner Langley DSO.
                    (noted on embarkation as George "TURNER" Langley, from Melbourne)

Previous service:
Lieutenant in Senior Cadets in 81st Battery, B Company in Citizen Military Forces

Described on enlisting as 18 years 5 months old; single; 5' 5" tall; 136 lbs;
dark complexion; grey eyes; dark hair; Presbyterian.

4/2/1915       Enlisted in Keswick, South Australia
                    completed medical - fit for service

25/2/1915     Commanding Officer appointed Samuel to
                    5th reinforcements, 10th Battalion,  Morphettville Camp

20/4/1915     Embarked from Outer Harbour, Port Adelaide on board HMAT A20 Hororata
                    as a Private with the 5th reinforcements, 10th Battalion

8/7/1915       taken on strength into 10th Battalion, Gallipoli

The 10th Battalion was heavily involved in establishing and defending the front line of the Anzac position,
and served there until the evacuation in December.

10/10/1915    sick to hospital, diarhoea, Gallipoli Peninsula
                     transferred to hospital ship HS Maheno

15/10/1915    disembarked into Malta (with dysentry)
                     admitted to St Andrews Hospital

18/11/1915    transferred onto hospital ship  HS Glenart Castle, to Mudros

24/11/1915    embarked on board hospital ship HS Aquitana for England
5/12/1915      admitted to 1st Southern General Hospital, Burmingham, England

After the withdrawal from Gallipoli, the 10th Battalion returned to Egypt and, in March 1916,
sailed for France and the Western Front.

18/4/1916      joined base, ex England - Etaples, France

17/5/1916      rejoined 10th Battalion from hospital, in France

From then until 1918, the battalion took part in bitter trench warfare. The battalion’s first major action in
France was at Pozières in the Somme valley in 23/7/1916 - 7/8/1916.

29 July 1916 - in Charles Bean, diary (www.awm.gov.au)
"Pozières has been a terrible sight all day … The men were simply turned in there as into some ghastly giant mincing machine. They have to stay there while shell after huge shell descends with a shriek close beside them … each shrieking tearing crash bringing a promise to each man – instantaneous – I will tear you into ghastly wounds – I will rend your flesh and pulp an arm or a leg – fling you half a gaping quivering man (like those that you see smashed around you one by one) to lie there rotting and blackening like all the things you saw by the awful roadside, or in that sickening dusty crater."

After Pozières the battalion fought at Ypres in Flanders before returning to the Somme for winter. 

17/8/1916      taken on strength into 10th Battalion, in the Field, Etaples, France

30/11/1916    sick to hospital, diarhoea
                     transferred to Casualty Clearing Station
3/12/1916      discharged to Base Details Class A2

3/1/1917        No. 4 Convalescent Camp, Havre
4/1/1917         rejoined unit, Etaples

General Gough's attack launched at Bullecourt on 11/4/1917 was a disaster. Despite this a further attack across the same ground was ordered for 3/5/1917. The Australians broke into and took part of the Hindenburg Line but no important strategic advantage was ever gained; in the two battles the AIF lost 10,000 men.

6/5/1917        killed in action at Bullecourt  (20 years old)
buried in:       NO known grave

He is commemorated on the Australian National Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, France.

Commemorated on Kadina Memorial High School Roll of Honour, South Australia.

Samuel's name is located at panel 59 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial,
Canberra, ACT.

Medals:
1914-15 Star (2850); British War Medal (10909); Victory Medal (10863)
Memorial Plaque and Memorial Scroll (324412).

Sourced and submitted by Julianne T Ryan.  30/1/2015.  Lest we forget.