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Australia

Walter James Hobbs the son of Mr. Arthur James Hobbs and Mrs. Annie Eliza Somerset Hobbs (nee Nash) was born on October 11th, 1895 in Gladstone, South Australia and grew up in Brighton Road, Glenelg, South Australia in a household that followed the Church of England. Unfortunately, much of Hobbs' early life is not documented other than his occupation as a clerk prior to enlistment and the birth of his brother Alex Stanley Hobbs on November 25, 1915 Glenelg, South Australia, Australia, just a few weeks before his enlistment.

On December 16th, 1915, Adelaide, South Australia Hobbs enlisted and embarked on May 20th, 1916 on the HMAT Medic, Melbourne and was posted private as a driver in the 23rd Artillery Howitzer Field Brigade which was located in France at the Western Front.

Then on January 6th, 1917 Hobbs was Taken on Strength (moved post) to the 8th Australian Field Artillery Brigade which was bound towards Egypt. However, he was hospitalised on November 15th, 1917 with influenza. Next the unit travelled to England on December 12th, 1917.

Hobbs returned to Australia aboard the ship 'Marathon' on June 5th 1919. 
After surviving the war, Walter James Hobbs settled down in Parkside, South Australia and married Eleanor (nee Amies) on June 8th, 1920. Subsequently, they had a daughter named Eleanor Agnes on September 10th, 1922.

Hobbs' lived a long prosperous life after the war and passed away on July 21st 1979 at the age of 83. He was buried in Centennial Park, South Australia and his name can be seen in memorials at Glenelg.
 

Walter was the son of Arthur James HOBBS & Annie Eliza Somerset NASH and was born on the 11th of October 1895 in Gladstone, SA.

His parents were married on the 4th of October 1893 at Arthur’s residence in Gladstone, SA.

His father was the son of William HOBBS & Mary Jane MCGRATH and was born on the 17th of May 1872 in Willunga, SA.

His mother was the daughter of William Cornelius NASH & Sarah BAILEY and was born on the 13th of January 1874 in Clayton, SA.

Walter was the eldest child born into the family of 6 children; 4 boys, 2 girls.

His father was employed as a ganger employed by the South Australian Railways and the Hobbs family moved quite often following his father’s employment.

From Gladstone the family moved to Mount Monster, near Keith and on their way to Mount Monster, Walter gained a little sister; Annie Olive Alice, on the 19th of November 1897 at his maternal grandparents home near Goolwa.

Sadly little Annie died in Keith on the 3rd of December 1898, aged just 12 months. They buried her in the Keith Cemetery.

Walter then gained a brother; Arthur Eyartle, on the 8th of January 1900. But aged just 2 months, he died on the 13th of March 1900.

By 1903 his father was renting the park lands on the east side of the railway lines at Keith and Walter attended the Keith Primary School.

In April 1906 his father was transferred to Bugle Ranges and Walter attended the Bugle Ranges School.

His little sister Alice was born here in Bugle Ranges on the 10th of March 1908, but she only lived for 1 day.

By July 1909 they had moved to Goolwa and his father purchased section 197 in Goolwa, containing 47 acres and Walter attended the Goolwa Primary School.

After 1 year they sold this property and moved to 121 Brighton Road, Glenelg and Walter then attended the Glenelg Primary School.

In 1911 Walter joined the Senior Cadets of the 75th Battalion in Glenelg.

After completing his schooling he gained employment as a clerk.

By now his father was in the maintenance branch and had been appointed ganger in charge of the permanent way employees.

In October 1913 his father was transferred to the 182 mile camp on the Tailem Bend to Paringa branch line, but Walter and his mother would now remain in Adelaide.

In late 1913 Walter aged out of the Senior Cadets and transferred to the 78th Battalion (Adelaide Rifles).

The following year, his father accepted the position of ganger in charge of the permanent way staff at the Cannawigri Siding on the Adelaide – Serviceton section of line. This was located about 8 kms North West of Bordertown.

In November 1915 his father accepted a position closer to home at St Leonard’s on the Glenelg Line.

Walter was now 20 years old and had been an only child his whole life as his little siblings had all died very young.

But this was finally about to change as on the 25th of November 1915, he gained a little brother; Alexander Stanley.

At the age of 20, Walter enlisted into the 1st AIF on the 16th of December 1915 in Adelaide and was allotted the service number 21983 and posted to C Company, 2nd Depot Battalion at Exhibition Camp (Jubilee Oval). He was then transferred to the 10th Battalion, 16 Reinforcements and then to the Field Artillery Reinforcement at Maribyrnong Camp in Victoria.

On the 1st of May Walter was transferred to the newly raised 23rd Howitzer Brigade, 107th Battery as a driver.

He embarked from Melbourne on board HMAT A7 Medic at 1:30pm on the 20th of May 1916, disembarking in Plymouth for further training.

After serving in France Walter embarked for Australia on the 19th of April 1919 on board the ship HMAT Marathon, disembarking in Adelaide on the 5th of June.

Walter was discharged from the AIF, medically unfit, on the 21st of July 1919 and after his discharged he gained employment with the South Australian Railways.

Walter married Eleanor AMIES on the 5th of June 1920 in Chalmers (Scots Church) Church, North Terrace, Adelaide, SA.

Eleanor was the daughter of Joseph AMIES & Elizabeth CHAMBERLAIN and was born on the 24th of January 1897 in Norwood, SA.

In February 1921 they purchased a home at 572 Bay Road (ANZAC Highway), Glenelg and they welcomed their first child; Eleanor Agnes on the 10th of September 1922.

In August 1923 they purchased a home at 178 Bay Road (ANZAC Highway) Glenelg and then in November 1924 they purchased a home at 40 Fuller Street, Parkside and they remained here for the rest of their lives.

They sold their property at 178 Bay Road in October 1926.

Their next child; Ronald James was born on the 11th of November 1934.

In 1939 they lived at 40 Fuller Street, Parkside and Walter was a railway employee.

On the 29th of September 1942 their daughter Eleanor married Lance Bombardier John Kevin KINTER. John was serving with the 2/3rd Field Artillery Regiment (SX140).

Walter died on the 21st of July 1979 in Parkside and was cremated at Centennial Park 2 days later.

Eleanor died on the 25th of July 1981 and was cremated at Centennial Park 2 days later.

Military 

At the age of 20, Walter enlisted into the 1st AIF on the 16th of December 1915 in Adelaide and was allotted the service number 21983 and posted to C Company, 2nd Depot Battalion at Exhibition Camp (Jubilee Oval).

He listed his mother, of Brighton Road, Glenelg, as his next of kin.

On the 1st of January he was transferred to the 10th Battalion, 16 Reinforcements. He was then transferred to the Field Artillery Reinforcement at Maribyrnong Camp in Victoria.

Also here in this camp was the newly raised 8th Australian Field Artillery Brigade.

On the 1st of May Walter was transferred to the newly raised 23rd Howitzer Brigade, 107th Battery as a driver.

They marched out from camp to the railway station at 6am on the 20th of May 1916, accompanied by the 8th Australian Field Artillery Brigade, and entrained to Melbourne.

They embarked from Melbourne on board HMAT A7 Medic at 1:30pm on the 20th of May 1916, arriving in Albany, WA, five days later.

They then sailed for Durban, South Africa the same afternoon. They arrived at Durban on the 12th of June and spent the day ashore before sailing for Cape Horn the following day.

It took 3 days to reach Cape Horn and when they did, no leave was granted, and after six days they sailed, heading north up the west coast and experienced some very rough weather.

On the 7th of July they arrived at the Island of St Vincent in the Caribbean Sea, which was described as being a dirty Polynesian place, no leave was granted and they sailed 2 days later.

On the 17th they were met by five Torpedo Destroyers who escorted them to Plymouth, where they arrived on the night of the 18th.

They disembarked just before midnight and entrained to Hilsea Training Camp in Portsmouth and the 8th Australian Field Artillery Brigade went into camp 16 at Larkhill Camp on the Salisbury Plain.

Walter and the 23rd Howitzer Brigade remained at Hilsea Training Camp until the 4th of September when they moved to Larkhill.

They proceed to France, from Southampton on the 31st of December 1916, disembarking in Le Havre on New Years Day 1917.

They then proceeded to Strazeele, near Bailleul and on the 6th of January a reorganisation occurred and they were disbanded and the men were split up and Walter was allocated to the 8th Australian Field Artillery Brigade, 30th Battery and they were allocated to the 3rd Division.

By the 9th of January they had moved onto Armentieres in support of the infantry battalions, where they spent the remainder of January and all of February.

They then went into the Tilques training camp, near Setques in March and on the 10th of April they marched 25 kms to Wallon-Cappel.

The following day they marched another 25kms to Steenwerck and onto the wagon lines and then went into support the infantry at Ploegsteert Wood.  

By July they were at Messines where they remained for the next few months in support of the infantry before moving to Zonnebeke.

On the 15th of November, whist at Zonnebeke Walter was admitted into the 7th Australian Field Ambulance with influenza. Four days later he was transferred to the 53rd Casualty Clearing Station in Bailleul and on the 22nd he was transferred and admitted into the 83rd General Hospital in Boulogne.

On the 2nd of December he was evacuated to England and admitted into Whipps Cross Hospital in Leytonstone.

He finally recovered, after spent Christmas here, and was discharges and granted 2 weeks leave on the 28th of December.

He then reported to No.1 Command Depot in Sutton Veny on the 11th of January. From here Walter was posted to the Oversees Training Battalion and then proceeded to France on the 1st of April and joined his Battery on the 9th at Tilques training camp, near Setques.

From here, they again, marched to Steenwerck and then onto Ploegsteert where they remained for the next few months.

By November they were at La Vallee-Mulatre, Ribeauville and were then billeted at Brancourt le Grand.

It was here that they received the news of the signing of the Armistice and it was met by great rejoicing by all.

Just 8 days later, on the 19th, Walter was admitted into the 3rd Australian Field Ambulance suffering from accidental burns to his face and hands.  

The following day he was admitted into the 37th Casualty Clearing Station in Busigny and on the 24th he was transferred and admitted into the 20th General Hospital in Camiers.

He was them evacuated to England on the 21st of December and admitted into No.2 Military Hospital in Canterbury, where he spent Christmas Day 1918.

On the 20th of January he was transferred to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital in Dartford and 7 days later he was discharged from hospital and granted 2 weeks leave.

On his return from leave he reported to No.1 Command Depot in Sutton Veny awaiting embarkation back to Australia.

Walter embarked for Australia on the 19th of April 1919 on board the ship HMAT Marathon, disembarking in Adelaide on the 5th of June.

Walter was discharged from the AIF, medically unfit, on the 21st of July 1919