DINGWALL, Harry
| Service Number: | 774 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 10 August 1914 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 1st Machine Gun Battalion |
| Born: | Bendigo, Victoria, Australia, March 1894 |
| Home Town: | Eaglehawk, Greater Bendigo, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Miner |
| Memorials: | Eaglehawk Uniting Church Honour Board and Memorial Windows |
World War 1 Service
| 10 Aug 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 774, 7th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 19 Oct 1914: | Involvement Private, 774, 7th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '9' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Hororata embarkation_ship_number: A20 public_note: '' | |
| 19 Oct 1914: | Embarked Private, 774, 7th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Hororata, Melbourne | |
| 25 Apr 1915: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 774, 7th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli, GSW to knee | |
| 12 Mar 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 2nd Machine Gun Company | |
| 24 Jul 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 774, 2nd Machine Gun Company, Battle for Pozières | |
| 4 Nov 1917: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 774, 2nd Machine Gun Company, 2nd Passchendaele , Multiple SW to thighs & back. | |
| 11 Aug 1918: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 774, 1st Machine Gun Battalion , The Battle of Amiens, SW to right shoulder. | |
| 11 Nov 1918: | Involvement Private, 774, 1st Machine Gun Battalion | |
| 31 Mar 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, Private, 774, 1st Machine Gun Battalion |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Larna Malone
Harry Dingwall, known as ‘Ding’, was born in Bendigo. He was the son of H. R. Dingwall, of Victoria Street, Eaglehawk. Harry was a Miner, employed at the Great Northern mine. He had previously served in Senior Cadets & was currently serving in the 67th Infantry. He was 20 years & 6 months old when he volunteered for the Expeditionary Force. He Enlisted in Bendigo on 10/9/14 and Attested at Broadmeadows Camp on 26/9/14. He was allotted Service no. 774 and appointed to ‘G’ Company, 7th Battalion.
The 7th Battalion left Broadmeadows Camp on 18 October, 1914, and embarked for service overseas on board HMAT ‘Hororata’. Arriving in Egypt the battalion moved into camp at Mena, at the foot of the pyramids. (6/12/14)
In January, 1915, the Australian force was re-organized. In the 7th Battalion ‘G’ and ‘H’ Companies joined to form the new ‘D’ Company. This meant that all the men from Northern Victoria were together in one Company.
The 7th Battalion was part of the force which landed at Anzac Cove on 25th April, 1915. Harry Dingwall was Wounded (25/4/15), sustaining a GSW to his knee.
He rejoined the battalion on 10/7/15 at Steele’s Post. The downward slope behind Steele’s Post was directly overlooked by the Turks, who were in position on the higher ground. Turkish riflemen made this area particularly unsafe. Most days were spent repairing the trenches and continually sniping at the Enemy’s loopholes. They repaired the trenches during the night. They were also fired upon by the Enemy Howitzer.
On July 21 Harry left for Mudros, on Prisoner escort duty. He returned to the battalion on August 7, at the end of his duty as prisoner escort. The next day he was appointed Lance Corporal.
On August 8th the 7th Battalion moved into position at Lone Pine, preparing to participate in a Diversionary attack on the Turkish trenches on the 400 Plateau. ‘D’ Company, under Lieut. W. J. Symons, was on the left, manning the line from Wood’s Post to Goldenstedt’s Post. Heavy fighting ensued with multiple casualties.
The battalion remained in the Lone Pine sector after the attack, helping to “clean up” after the fighting. “At present we are having 2 pretty hard days in the trenches, then 2 days out for a rest, so that is not too bad . . . . ‘Ding’ and ‘Snowy’ Wilson are here with me, two very good lads. They are lance-corporals, one step under me . . . . “ Note: Ding = Harry Dinwall. “Snowy” = James Maitland Wilson. [Letter. Cpl John Truesdale. August 1915. Pub. Bendigo Advertiser October 16 1915]
On September 13, the battalion embarked for Lemnos & marched to Sarpi Camp. The health of the men was of great concern and it was hoped to improve this by an extended period of rest. On the same day Harry Dingwall was Admitted to 3rd Field Ambulance, suffering from influenza. He rejoined the battalion on 4/11/15. The 7th Battalion returned to Anzac on November 21st.
In December preparations began for the evacuation of Anzac. The 7th Battalion was withdrawn on the night of December 19th. They embarked for Lemnos and then disembarked in Egypt on 6th January 1916.
In Egypt the AIF was re-organized and new subsidiary units were created. One machine gun company was formed for each brigade, comprising members of the former battalion Machine Gun sections, together with additional volunteers. Harry Dingwall transferred into the 2nd Bde Machine Gun Company on 12/3/16.
He went on to serve on the Western Front. In 1917 he was Wounded (2nd occasion), sustaining multiple GSW. He was Wounded (3rd occasion) in 1918, sustaining GSW to his right shoulder. When Special Leave was granted to the 1914 veterans, he elected not to return to Australia, instead being granted 75 days leave with pay in England (9/11/18). He RTA on 19/2/1919.
“The First Lot. 7th Battalion. The first men of the Bendigo district to volunteer for service in the First World War.”: Larna Malone