Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

From Francois Somme,

LCpl 2138 Claude Ernest Riley,
35th Australian Infantry Battalion, B Company,
9th Brigade, 3rd Australian Division, 1st AIF
 
Through the fields of the Somme, the light of a new day rises radiant on millions of poppies that grow between the rows of thousands of white graves behind which stand in silence, proud and solemn the ghosts of a whole generation of young men who, far from home, on these sacred soils of northern France, alongside their mates, their brothers in arms, united around the same causes, served with pride and did their duty with bravery in the trenches in which they shared the pains and the sufferings but side by side, moved forward through the fire, on soil scarified and bruised by the barbed wire in which they were caught without being able to escape and were mowed down in waves under the shells and the deadly fire of the machine guns that swept the battlefields under hail of bullets.They were young and together they fought for what was right, they gave their today and their lives in the mud on which their blood was shed which was the price of freedom and peace.Together they marched and fell among the poppies which carry with them the memory of these young men who, with care and respect, will always be kept strong and alive and over whom I will always watch with gratitude so that they are never forgotten, so that their names live forever.

Today, it is with the deepest gratitude and with the utmost respect that I would like to honor the memory of one of these young men who fell too early and who, for our tomorrow gave his today.I would like to pay a very respectful tribute to Lance Corporal number 2138 Claude Ernest Riley who fought in the 35th Australian Infantry Battalion, B Company, 9th Brigade, 3rd Australian Division, and who was killed in action 107 years ago, on June 27, 1918 at the age of 24 on the Somme front.

Claude Ernest Riley, who was most affectionately known as "Ernie", was born on April 21, 1894 in Wisemans Ferry, New South Wales, and was the son of Joseph and Elizabeth Riley, of Wyong, New South Wales. Claude was educated at the Public School then after graduation, served for 18 months in the Militia in Wyong and worked as a labourer.

Claude enlisted on August 4, 1915 in Liverpool, New South Wales, as a Private in the 35th Australian Infantry Battalion, B Company, 3rd Reinforcement, battalion whose nickname was "Newcastle's Own Regiment" and whose motto was "Fidelis Et Paratus" (Faithful And Ready). After a period of one year of training, he embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A68 Anchises on August 24, 1916 and sailed for England.

On October 11, 1916, Claude arrived in England and was disembarked at Devonport, was taken on strength on November 11 and proceeded overseas from Southampton for France on November 21.

On November 22, 1916, after a quick journey on the English Channel, Claude was disembarked in France. Two months later, on January 7, 1917, he was detached from his unit for railway construction work in the field and joined the 35th Australian Infantry Battalion on February 10.

On June 4, 1917, Claude was admitted to the 9th and then to the 10th Australian Field Ambulance suffering from boils, joined his unit on June 16 and the following month, from July 1 to 7, fought courageously in Messines, Belgium, where with his comrades occupied support trenches and were mainly employed in the digging and improvement of communication trenches then on the evening of July 7, were relieved by the 33rd Australian Infantry Battalion and moved into billets at Neuve-Eglise where they remained until July 11.

At 2:00 a.m. on July 11, Claude and the 35th Battalion moved back to the Messines front line where they relieved the 43rd Australian Infantry Battalion and occupied a line of support between the Douve River and St Ignast Farm where they repelled several German raids and were finally relieved on July 29 by the 41st Australian Infantry Battalion and moved to the River Douve Camp where they had a brief period of rest.

On August 3, 1917, the 35th Battalion left the River Douve Camp and marched via Neuve-Eglise, Steenwerck for Vieux-Berquin and arrived at Le Verrier then moved to Bailleul Railway Station on August 15 from where they embarked for Wismes (Pas-De-Calais) where they followed a period of training until September 17.

On September 18, 1917, Claude and the 35th Battalion left Wismes for Tardinghen where the men, for a day, could relax and swim then moved back to Wismes, marched for Renescure on September 27, Eecke on September 28, Winezeele on September 29 and Zonnebeke, in the Ypres salient on September 30 where they relieved the 13th Battalion of the King's Own Royal Regiment and fought in this sector until October 4.

On October 5, 1917, Claude, alongside his comrades marched for the Winnezeele Camp then for the Cavalry Farm Camp, near Ypres on October 11 and October 12, were thrown into the terrible battle of Passchendaele.

By 5 October 1917, the British attempt to push back the German line east of Ypres in a series of "bite and hold" operations had met with some success. However, this had come at a great cost. While the weather held, the British had been able to bring up supplies and the all-important artillery. Artillery was the essential ingredient of the "bite and hold" tactics for if the "creeping barrages" could not protect the advancing British infantry they would be at the mercy of the enemy machine gunners. After 4 October 1917 the rain poured down and the battlefield, and all the approaches to it, became a sea of mud. To successfully bring up heavy war equipment under these conditions proved impossible. However, Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig, the British commander-in-chief ordered the battle to continue.

On 9 October 1917, British divisions, with the Australians in support, attacked in terrible conditions towards Passchendaele village. In the mud and rain the effort proved futile but the high command thought that enough ground had been gained to order a fresh assault on 12 October. Spearheading this attack were the Australian Third Division and the New Zealand Division, with the Australian Fourth Division in support. As predicted, the shells of the support bombardment mostly exploded harmlessly in the mud and little cover was available from that source. Men had to press forward in the quagmire against the German pillboxes armed only with grenades, rifles and light machine guns.

A few Australians reached the edge of Passchendaele. However, they were not strong enough to hold the ground and were eventually forced to fall back and give up their gains. Australian losses for 12 October were 3,000 casualties for the Third Division and 1,000 for the Fourth Division for no gain. The Canadian Corps moved into the battle area on 18 October to replace the exhausted Australians. The Canadians, in five attacks between 26 October and 10 November, captured Passchendaele, and with their success the Third Battle of Ypres ended.

On October 27, 1917,for his courage during the battle of Passchendaele,Claude was appointed Lance Corporal and on November 9, the battalion moved back to Wismes then marched to Le Touquet on November 21, Pont-De-Nieppe,near Armentieres on November 29, relieved the 33rd Australian Infantry Battalion and defended this sector until December 13.

On December 15, 1917, the 35th Battalion marched to Waterlands Camp, near Armentieres and was placed for the defense of the town. A few days later, on December 19, they moved to "Square Farm" and "l'Epinette" where they relieved the 10th Battalion of the South Wales Borderers and remained in this sector of the front until the end of the month.

On January 1, 1918, Claude and the 35th Battalion were relieved by the 2/7th Battalion of the King's Own Liverpool Regiment and moved back to Waterlands Camp then marched to Vieux-Berquin from where they embarked by bus for Outtersteen and had a new training period which ended on January 23 and then the next day, marched through Outtersteen, Clapbank, Meteren, Bailleul, and arrived in Kortepyp (Belgium) on January 31.

On February 1, 1918, the 35th Battalion moved to Kortepyp Camp in particularly cold weather and were mainly employed here in working parties but also in physical and sports exercises including rugby and football matches and then on February 25, were sent in an area called the "Catacombs" near Ploegsteert Wood and launched several raids in the Warneton area including one involving 300 men on March 3 which was successful despite the loss of 50 men during the attack, another was carried out with the same success on March 5 despite stronger resistance from the German lines and were relieved on March 7 by the 23rd Australian Infantry Battalion.

On March 8, 1918, the 35th Battalion moved back to Kortepyp Camp, marched to Henneveux (Pas-De-Calais) the next day where they remained until March 20, but the next day the German army launched its spring offensive, the last German offensive of the war which was intended to break through the Anglo-French lines between Arras and St-Quentin and to take the vital and strategic railway junction of Amiens so on March 28th the 35th Battalion was sent to Bonnay, in the Somme to stop the Germans.

On March 28, 1918, Claude and the men of the 35th Battalion arrived in the Somme, in the small village of Bonnay then the battalion assembled and organized itself in Corbie then marched for Cachy on March 30 and the next day, received the order to enter the front line between Villers-Bretonneux and Warfusee and were involved in an Australian counterattack at Hangard Wood and helped to defeat a major drive on Villers-Bretonneux on 4 April. The desperate nature of the fighting at this time is revealed by the fact that the 35th Battalion suffered nearly 70 per cent casualties during these operations.

On April 30, 1918, the battalion moved to the Morlancourt sector where they fought fiercely and successfully until May 10, then were relieved the next day by the 18th Australian Infantry Battalion, marched for La Houssoye then for Rivery, near Amiens where they remained until May 21 and the following day, moved back to the trenches of Villers-Bretonneux where unfortunately, a month later, on June 27, 1918, Claude met his fate and was killed in action, he was 24 years old.

Today, Lance Corporal Claude Ernest Riley rests in peace alongside his friends, comrades and brothers in arms at Aubigny British Cemetery, Somme, and his grave bears the following inscription: "Dearly loved, sadly missed."

After Claude's death, several articles concerning him were published in the "Gosford Times" as follows:
"The news reached the creek last week of the death of Private E. Riley. "Killed in action", the message ran, which brings the horrors of the war closer to our peaceful parish. Another sacrifice made-another distinction for Wyong Creek. The best wished of the district are extended to his family. The Australian flag was hoisted half mast at the local school (where he learnt his lessons) as a mark of respect to his memory."(Gosford Times,1st August 1918).

"B Company, 35th Battalion, France 1st July, 1918. Dear Mrs Larvey,
I regret having to write to you to say that Lance Corporal C.E.Riley was killed in action on the night of June 27th.He was firing his gun when he was engaged by an enemy gun and was hit through the head by a bullet.He lived for a few minutes,but was not in pain.He was buried in Doors Australian Military Cemetery, France (the former name of the Aubigny British Cemetery), and a cross has been erected showing where he lies. Riley was an "old hand" in the company,a good soldier, and a very efficient Lewis Gunner. He will be gretly missed by us all. He had also been recommended for a promotion to the rank of Corporal. I will ask you to accept my very deep sincere sympathy. Yours sincerely. D.L Mckenzie,Lieutenant."(Gosford Times,29th August 1918).

Private W.J. Earl,of Wyong,writing home regarding the death of Lance Corporal Ernie Riley,who was killed in action on 27th June last says:
"Ernie was an old school mate of mine,and we have always been like brothers to each other. We have fought side by side ever since the 35th Battalion came to France.He was a good soldier and man,and was well respected by all who knew him. We buried him in an Australian cemetery in a little village a good distance behind the firing line,our chaplain reading the burial service. We erected a cross with his regimental number and rank on it,and placed some artificial flowers and green violets on his grave. Since then a few of us Wyong boys have clubbed together and bought a very nice artificial cross composed of all coloured beads,and erected same on his last resting place."

Mrs Larvey has received the following letter from the chaplain:
"France, July 4,1918
Dear Mrs Larvey,
I expect that you will have already heard before you get this letter that your son,Lance Corporal E.Riley,fell in action a few days ago near Villers-Bretonneux.He was in the front line when he was shot by machine gun fire,and death must have been instantaneous.The colonel wishes me to assure you of his deep sympathy with you in your great loss,and I trust and pray that God will give you comfort and strength to bear it.Your son's body was buried in a military cemetery near the line and I read the burial service at the grave side.With kind regards and sympathy, I am, your sincerely, J.E Norman Osborn, Chaplain."

Ernie, brave and in the prime of your life, it is with honor and courage that you did your duty for Australia, for your loved ones and for us who have the privilege of living in a world in peace for which you have fought and for which you gave your today alongside your brothers in arms in the trenches of the Great War, among the poppy fields of the Somme on which the blood and tears of a whole generation of heroes and exceptional men who left behind their youth and their innocence and who stood admirably alongside their brothers and mates in this hell on earth which claimed the lives of thousands of young men who, proud and dedicated, charged bayonets forward on the no man's land, under deluges of bullets and hails of shells and who, in tight lines in their kakhi uniforms and their slouch hats, advanced with unfailing bravery in the mud and the fire, in the madness and the fury of the battlefields and which, one after the other, fell into the barbed wire and the craters of clay which became mass graves in which, a few minutes before, friends and enemies killed each other who were caught in the chaos and the terror of a world gone mad but who with extreme courage did what was right and side by side, gave their lives for peace and freedom on the sacred soils of the Somme, in a battle that was the deadliest of the great war and which marked the beginning of the bloodiest century in history.

Young and brave, in the face of this endless nightmare, they remained united in the darkness that surrounded them and found in friendship, in camaraderie and fraternity, the hope and humanity that were swept away in the brutality of the battles. Side by side they shared the burden they carried without ever complaining as they were shattered by fatigue and tormented by hunger, gnawed by the cold and the bite of lice.

Knees deep in the mud, they shared their lives with the rats who at night, prevented them from sleeping and remained standing alongside their friends who were their only comfort and families in this hell and behind their guns, without anywhere to hide, were the nameless witnesses of horrors who remained engraved in their eyes and in their hearts under the mournful symphony of artillery that shattered the sky and shook the earth and saw helpless, their comrades who died praying to god and their mothers on the battlefield, they heard the terrible complaints of the horses who, exhausted by the pains, drowned in the mud, they saw and lived with the death that awaited, sly and dreadful in these putrid mires on which nothing could live except the inhuman monster that was this war that never stopped and that should soon face new waves of young men who, in the endless wait for a new attack, did everything they could to keep a smile and a sense of humor, to keep in them the light of humanity and brought with them the hope of a better world.Determined and driven by unfailing courage, to the sound of whistles, they all came out of the trenches and moved forward behind their officers, alongside their friends, they passed the parapets and the lifeless bodies of their fathers, their brothers and faced the crossfire of machine guns, the barrages of steel and fire but never took a single step back, they went forward, towards the enemy lines, towards their destinies and thousands fell among them, they crossed the threshold of death and found eternal peace alongside their comrades who still stand together and proud among the poppies, behind their white graves and over whom I will always watch with utmost respect, with care and gratitude to keep strong and alive the memory of the Australian soldiers, our Diggers, our sons, my boys of the Somme so that their sacrifices, their courage are never forgotten so that their names live forever.Thank you so much Ernie,for everything. At the going down of the sun and in the morning,we will remember him,we will remember them.