Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Ernest Whitehead was born on 3 November, 1899, at Corryong, Victoria. At the time of his birth his father, William Henry Whitehead (1866 to 1949) was 23 and his mother, Mary, nee Carkeek (1867 to 1952), was 21. Ernest had 3 brothers and 2 sisters; Percival (1888 to 1980), Agnes Frances (1891 to 1990), Daisy Jane (1894 to 1925), Roy William (1905 to ?) and Gould John (1907 to ?).

On the 22 January, 1915, he enlisted in the AIF (Australian Imperial Forces) at Melbourne, Victoria, at age 25. He was given the service number 491 and was put on strength with A Squadron of the 13th Light Horse.

Upon enlistment, Ernest was 5 foot and 5 half inches (165 cm) and weighed 154 lbs (70 kg). His complexion was given as medium, eyes blue and hair dark brown. Ernest’s records show that he had the distinctive marks of moles under his right eye and left cheek and a scar on his left instep. Ernest’s religious denomination was given as Presbyterian.

Ernest went into camp at Broadmeadows, on the outskirts of Melbourne, Victoria. The story goes that the troop had a re-mount that no-one could ride. Bob Greenhill and Bert Lennox, who joined up at the same time, told the Major they knew someone who could ride it. Ernest, or Whitie as he was called, said that he would give it a go if the Major would give him a crop and spurs. The Major agreed because he was the only one to volunteer and he expected to see him on the ground before he hit the saddle. Later he gave the Major back his spurs, said they were a bit bloodied, the riding crop was no good to him anymore but the horse wouldn’t buck anymore either.

Ernest embarked on HMAT A34 Persic on the 28 May, 1915, sailing from Melbourne, Victoria. The trip would take him across the Great Australian Bight to Fremantle, on to Colombo, in Ceylon, before finally disembarking at Suez, at the southern end of the Suez Canal, in Egypt.

While in Egypt, various training exercises were undertaken, both mounted and dismounted. Due to the high number of casualties resulting in the Gallipoli campaign, it was decided to send the Light Horse to the Dardanelles. The horses would remain in Egypt. On the 3 September, Ernest, along with the rest of the 13th Light Horse entrained at midnight at Heliopolis, arriving in Alexandria at 6 am.

The Regiment embarked with 23 Officers and 413 other ranks aboard the RMS Megantic. Five days later they arrived at Mudros. On 11 September, Ernest and the rest of the 13th Light Horse arrived at ANZAC Cove. The unit bivouacked between Rest Gully and Shrapnel Gully. Two days later the Regiment suffered its first casualty when Trooper Rodwell was wounded in the shoulder by shrapnel.

On the 14 September, Ernest, along with the rest of A Squadron, was detailed to reinforce the trenches at Lone Pine. It was here that Ernest underwent his baptism of fire as a number of his mates were wounded by bullets and shrapnel. Over the next few weeks A, B and C Squadrons were rotated through the trenches and rest areas around Lone Pine. While in the ‘rest areas’ the squadrons were called upon by Divisional Headquarters for fatigue parties. These parties were responsible for many tasks including trench clearing and construction, food and water supply to the tranches and the transfer of ammunition, materials and equipment from the beach dumps to the front line.

In December the ANZAC Forces withdrew from the Gallipoli Peninsula and returned to Alexandria and the warmer weather in Egypt. After rest and regrouping, the 13th Light Horse embarked on a troop ship at Alexandria on 17 March, 1916, and arrived at Marseilles in the south of France six days later, where they became a part of the BEF (British Expeditionary Force) in France.

Terrain and the nature of the war on the Western Front resulted in a change of roles for mounted troops. The 13th Light Horse carried out numerous tasks, such as traffic control, rear area security, prisoner escort and, when the tactical situation permitted, reconnaissance. It was most active during the more mobile phases on the Western Front, in particular following up the German retreat to the Hindenburg Line in early 1917, the stemming of the German Spring Offensive of 1918 and the allied offensive of August and September of 1918.

During the period of late August to early November, Ernest was admitted to the 6th General Hospital at Rouen to be treated for boils (blisters). He spent some time at the 11th Convalescent Depot before spending a month on leave over Christmas and New Year in England.

On the 7 July, 1919, Ernest boarded the HT Chemnitz and was finally on his way back to Australia. He disembarked at Melbourne around the 5 September that year and was finally discharged on 4 November, 1919. For his service during the war, he was awarded the 1914/15 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

In August of 1919, Ernest returned home to Khancoban only to discover that all his horse breaking equipment and gear that he left for safekeeping was no longer there. Even the money that he sent home had been spent. He was told by his family that they hadn’t expected him to return from the war.

It wasn’t long before he met his future wife, Myrtle Vera Pearl Wells, who was a teacher at the Khancoban School. Six months later he proposed and they were married at St. Paul's Presbyterian Church, Wangaratta on Friday 23 June, 1920. The Friday 2 July, 1920, edition of the Wodonga and Towong Sentinel gave this description;

"On Wednesday of last week the marriage was quietly celebrated at St. Paul's Presbyterian Church, Wangaratta of Mr. Ernest Whitehead, of Upper Murray, to Miss Myrtle Wells, of Corowa. The ceremony was performed by the Rev. W. V . Ingram. The bride, given away by Mr. E. O'Brien, wore a bridle dress of white linen over crepe-de-chene, and a wreath and veil, and carried a bouquet of white flowers with fern. The bridesmaid was Miss Myra Wells, who wore cream crepe-de-chine with hat to match, and carried a bouquet. The best man was Mr. P. Whitehead. The officiating clergyman proposed the health of the newly married couple at the breakfast. Mr. and Mrs. Whitehead left by the night's express for Sydney on their honeymoon. Their future home will be the Upper Murray district."

Marg Anderson, in her book In Search of Whitehead Ancestry 1838 to 1986, describes Ernest and Myra’s life after their marriage;

Ernest “applied for the gratuity payment paid to married servicemen by the Government of the day. He took up mountain lease country, bought store cattle and spent much of the first months of marriage riding herd on cattle in the mountains, coming home at weekends. His wife stayed with his parents, paying them board and continued teaching school for a while until he applied for and was allotted a Soldier Settlement Block of 100 acres at Upper Towong. He worked hard to fence it and build a shed, divided into three sections with slab walls and earthen floor and lined with wheat bags sewn together. That was the first home which sufficed until he was able to buy timber and material to build a cottage.”

Throughout the district, Ernest was known as an excellent horseman, with his horsebreaker skills in much demand. His involvement with the Upper Murray community included a Life Membership of the Corryong Show Committee and his talents as a sportsman were well displayed when he played football for Federals and cricket in the local competition.

After some time on the Soldier Settlers block, he sold his property to move into Corryong township so that his family was able to get a better education. After two years he bought “Braeside” where he lived until his death on the 31 October, 1977, at Corryong, Victoria. Myrtle would continue to live for a further six years before passing away on the 4 January 1983. Both were buried in Corryong.

During their marriage Ernest and Myrtle had 4 daughters and 3 sons; Vera Jean (1921 to ?), Linda Mary (1922 to 2014), Roma Layton (1923 to ?), Murray William (1925 to 1982), Glen Wells (1931 to 2017), Hume and Lois Lena (1933 to ?).

Extract from "Light Horsemen of the Upper Murray", Year 5 and 6 Project, Corryong College.