Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Criminal Investigations Branch, Police Station Russell Street, Melbourne, Victoria

Intriquingly, William John Sutherland, joined the Victoria Police Force as William Sutherland Johnson prior to enlisting in the AIF under his birth name. Adding to the mystery, upon his police appointment, he was immediately assigned clerical duties at the Criminal Investigations Branch, Russell Street, Melbourne.

Being the first of nine children, born to Mary Parker and William Sutherland, William John ‘Will’ Sutherland received his education at Williamstown State School, Victoria.

Sergeant Malcolm Grant 12758 [retired], in his "They served in Blue, khaki and blue – Victoria Police in the military forces during World War One", writes –

“William Sutherland Johnson was born on 2nd July 1877 at Williamstown, Victoria. A clerk by occupation, he was appointed to the Victoria Police Force on 7th August 1903.

“Described on his Record of Conduct and Service sheets as: a single man of smart appearance, blue eyes, dark brown, hair, fair complexion, Church of England by faith.

“Sent direct to the Criminal Investigation Branch on the day of his appointment, according to records. Whilst it seems very unusual to do this, he was a clerk and, according to comments made, he was a very capable, obliging and trustworthy clerk. Something may be in his favour and the appointment could well have meant training on the job. Whatever the reason, Constable Johnson was having more problems by December 1913, for on the 9th December he was charged with: “being under the influence of liquor and unfit for duty at 5.30 a.m.”

“At this hour it seems possible he might have had a pretty heavy night out and was unable to report for work. Whatever the reason or the cause, the result was that William Sutherland Johnson was fined £1/10/00 and cautioned. It seems this first charge was just a precursor to others, as on 3rd February 1915 he was fined £2/10/00 for “misconduct as a constable against the discipline of the force in being absent from duty since three pm,” and “on the 29th January 1915 to 3rd February 1915 without leave or lawful excuse.” He pleaded guilty to both charges.”

Gleaning his information from Victoria Police Personnel files, Malcolm Grant records William Johnson enlisting, on 8 February 1915, in the Australian Imperial Force [AIF] under the name William John Sutherland. However, National Archives Australia records 17 August 1916 as the enlistment date of William John Sutherland, regimental number 31845.

Whatever the true circumstances, 35 years of age, machinist, William John Sutherland 31845, is recorded by Malcolm Grant as “Military service: 31845 SUTHERLAND William John, Driver, 4th Division Ammunition Column, Australian Field Artillery as per Chief Commissioner’s Sainsbury’s report of 6th September 1916, to Officer Commanding 3rd Military District, Melbourne, still refers to William Sutherland Johnson.”

Citing nine months previous service with Senior Cadets, 18 months remains unaccounted for, perhaps forever lost in the mists of history. Recorded as a machinist, rather than a police constable, citing a 98 Palmer Street, Sydney, New South Wales enlistment address, rather than a Victorian address, further adds to the William Sutherland mystery.

From the Showgrounds Camp, Sydney, New South Wales, Driver William John Sutherland, assigned to Medium Trench Mortar Battery, Reinforcement 5, embarked from Sydney, on 2 December 1916, aboard HMAT A67 Orsova.
Absenting himself without leave, from 11 p.m., on 4 December 1916, until 8 a.m., on 6 December 1916 merely adds to our mystery considering the Orsova was at sea on those dates.

Arriving, on 17 February 1917, in England, Gunner William Sutherland proceeded overseas for France on 9 May 1917, having been taken on strength by 4th Division Ammunition Column.

Dominating the Western Front battlefields, all artillery divisions included an Ammunition Column. Moving ammunition from ‘Third Line’ storage to the ‘Front or First Line’, involving both motor as well as horse drawn vehicles, also included heavy, together with light, rail and tramways. Such columns considered high priority enemy targets, particularly ‘Front Line’ ammunition dumps and transport.
Understanding the logistics of ammunition supply to the ‘Front Line’ artillery guns at the required rates was an all encompassing supply chain issue. From manufacture to storage, distribution and provision to disposal of unexploded ordinance, as well as recovery of re-useable components.

Twice as dangerous, horse drawn ammunition laden transport, demonstrated the vulnerability of the animals to all small arm, as well as artillery fire; the exploding cargo being catastrophic.

During early 1917, in an effort to shorten their lines of communication, the Germans withdrew to prepared positions of the Hindenburg Line; the Second Battle of Bullecourt followed, prior to the Battle of Passchendaele [31 July – 10 November 1917], also known as the Third Battle of Ypres.

Following the failure of a major Allied offensive the previous May, British commander in chief, Sir Douglas Haig, determined that his troops should launch another. His mistaken belief of the German army, being on the verge of collapse, capable of being broken completely by a major Allied victory.

As the site for the offensive, Haig chose the much-contested Ypres Salient, in the Flanders region of Belgium, the scene of two previous German-led offensives. Ostensibly aimed at destroying German submarine bases, on the north coast of Belgium, Haig’s Third Battle of Ypres began with significant Allied gains, however, soon bogged down, due to heavy rains and thickening mud.

By the end of September, the British were able to establish control over a ridge of land east of the town of Ypres. From there, Haig pushed his commanders to continue the attacks towards the Passchendaele ridge, some 10 kilometers away.
As the battle stretched into its third month, the Allied attackers reached near-exhaustion, while the Germans were able to reinforce their positions with reserve troops released from the Eastern Front, where Russia’s army was in chaos.

Failing to reach the coast, the British Army concentrated on capturing the ruins of Passchendaele, thus the goal of the first phase of the offensive, becoming the final objective of the entire assignment.

During this final stage, on 29 September 1917, in wartime, Gunner William John Sutherland 31845, during peace, Victoria Police Constable William Sutherland Johnson 5100, died of wounds sustained. He lies in eternal peace at The Huts Cemetery, [Plot 5, Row C, Grave No. 7], Dickebusch, Belgium.

On 30 October, Canadian troops under British command were finally able to fight their way into the village; they were driven back almost immediately, the bloodshed enormous. “The sights up there are beyond all description,” one officer wrote weeks later of the fighting at Passchendaele, “it is a blessing to a certain extent that one becomes callous to it all and that one’s mind is not able to take it all in.”

Still Haig pushed his men, and on 6 November, the British and Canadian troops finally captured Passchendaele, allowing the general to call off the attacks, claiming victory. In fact, Allied forces were exhausted and downtrodden after the long, grinding offensive.

The heaviest rains in 30 years combined with relentless shellfire turned the battlefield into a deadly muddy quagmire. Hundreds of thousands of troops from opposing sides, attacked and counter-attacked, across an open desolate boggy landscape, void of any buildings or natural protection, all while under constant bombardment.

Across the globe, the name Passchendaele acquired mythical properties, becoming Passion-dale, the valley of suffering.

In the 100 days of the battle, the Allies gained eight kilometres at a cost of 275,000 casualties [including 38,000 Australians, 15,600 Canadians and 5,300 New Zealanders]. The German army suffered 220,000 casualties. Five months later the German army took back the ground in three days.

To this day, The Battle of Passchendaele remains an international symbol of the worst horrors and senseless slaughter of the First World War.

Two younger brothers of William John Sutherland, Ernest Scott Sutherland [1883-1951], together with Percival Sutherland [1896-1918], also served Australia in the First World War. The former, 36 years of age, Ascot Vale race horse trainer, regimental number 7566, enlisted with the Sportsmen’s Unit of 7 Battalion 25 Reinforcements on 31 May 1917.

Embarking from Melbourne, on 4 August 1917, aboard HMAT A32 Thermistocles, Private Ernest Scott Sutherland was, upon his England, arrival determined unfit for active service, due to vericose veins. Returning to Melbourne, Ernest Sutherland was discharged from the AIF on 7 May 1919. Passing away on 17 July 1951, Ernest Scott Sutherland rests in eternal peace at the Cheltenham cemetery, Melbourne.

Enlisting, on 18 October 1915, 19 years and 10 months of age, motor mechanic Percival Sutherland was assigned regimental number 11996 attached to 14th Reinforcement of 1st Division Ammunition Column.

Embarking, on 28 January 1916, from Melbourne aboard HMAT A32 Thermistocles, Gunner Percival Sutherland remained in Egypt for two months prior to disembarking at Marseilles, France on 4 April 1916. Serving during the majority of the Western Front battles, 22 years of age, Gunner Percival Sutherland, whilst attached to 3rd Field Artillery Brigade, was killed in action, on 29 March 1918. He rests in eternal peace at the Dranoutre Military Cemetery [Plot I, Row K, Grave No. 24], Belgium.

William [Scatters], William Johnson and Percival Sutherland

In loving memory of my dear husband and our dear father, William Sutherland, who passed away at his residence, Montague Street, South Melbourne, 1 August 1913; also in loving memory of my dear eldest son and our brother, Gunner William Sutherland, killed in action in France, 29 September 1917; also in loving memory of my dear youngest son and our brother, Gunner Percy Sutherland, killed in action in France, 29 March 1918, late of Essendon.

Dearly loved and sadly missed.
Father, sons, and brothers reunited.
They sleep beside their comrades
In a hallowed grave unknown;
But their names are written in letter of love
In the hearts they have left at home.

[Inserted by their loving mother, sisters, brothers, Winifred, Doris, Albert, Felix, Robert, and Jean, Ernie, on active service.]