Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Ron’s father, Hurtle Clifton Little was a 19-year-old jockey when he enlisted to serve in WWI in May ‘16. Because of his age, his parents Elizabeth and James formally gave their written permission for him to serve. Hurtle was given the number 2197 and allocated to the 48th Battalion. He served in France and continued to be affected by a series of ill health, including bronchitis and cellulitis which resulted in bouts of hospitalisation whilst in France. Later, tonsilitis and influenza also saw him spend time in London hospitals. During this rehabilitation, he met Gladys Ethel Weldon from South Crozton who had served with the R.A.F. as 14889 in the role of a fitter general. The 22-year-olds married in the South Croxton Church at the end of August 1919 and awaited a family ship to bring them back to Australia.
Their first child, Ronald James was born back in Mount Gambier on the 12th March ’20 and Hurtle was discharged soon after, on the 27th March ’20. Ron was the oldest child with siblings including seven brothers, Frederick Hurtle, Gerald, Dennis, Ray, David, Murray, and Neville, and a sister, Delma Joy.
Both Ron and his father were fortunate to survive a rear-end crash with a bus in January ’37. The Border Chronicle reported that ‘After colliding with the rear of the bus, the car dashed across the road and struck an electric light pole and was badly wrecked.’ Hurtle sustained concussion, lacerations, and shock and 16-year-old Ron cuts and shock. Initially those injured in the crash were taken to the local doctor’s surgery before being taken to the Mount Gambier Hospital.
The children attended the Keith School then post-school, Ron worked as a barman at Portland. However, with the outbreak of WWII his 43-year-old father Hurtle again enlisted on the 17th June ’40 as S212863 in the 4th Garrison Battalion. (Within a month he was discharged as being medically unfit for duty. Undeterred, Hurtle again presented to serve in September ’41 as S37341 with the Salvage Section where he served until being discharged in May ’42 as ‘medically unfit for service but fit for employment in civil life.’)
Ron also immediately enlisted to serve on the 29th July ’40, just days after his father, claiming to be 21. (His war record was later corrected to show his birth in 1920.) Ron was allocated the number SX10507 in the 2/48th Battalion reinforcements. This was a proud placement as Hurtle had been in the original 48th Battalion. That month, Ron proposed to Mabel Dorothy Hann of Tantanoola with the two announcing their engagement in the Border Chronicle paper on the 26th July.
By March ’41, one of the biggest crowds ever seen in the Makin Memorial Hall gave Ron and eight others from Keith a huge farewell and paid tribute to those who had enlisted, including Pte Ron Little (of the 2nd/48th Battalion), L/Cpl Garth Trowbridge, and Troopers Wallie Mutrie, Ron Cameron, Lloyd Cooper, Bert Battye, Eric Richards, Howard Simpson, and Jack Pengelly, of the 8th Division Mechanised Regiment. A representative of the Tatiara District Council shared that “this occasion must surely constitute a record, for so small a place as Keith to be able to muster nine such fine looking soldiers.” He added how “proud the district was of them, and how the sacrifices they are making are appreciated.” Before shaking hands with each man, and wishing him Godspeed, Cr Densley called for three cheers for the men who had already gone overseas, nine Keith men being numbered among them. The response to this nearly raised the roof. The young men were reminded to write home, before each was presented with a wallet and a steel mirror from the Comforts Fund and parcels of knitted comforts from the C.W.A. Emergency Work Circle. The citizens of Keith then presented Eversharp pencils to the men to encourage them to write home.
For the first time the soldiers included the sons of old diggers who had served in WWI. This included Pte Ron Little and Troopers Bert Battye and Wallie Mutrie. Each of the young men responded to the speeches, thanking the community for their support and the gifts. During supper, Pte Ron Little was asked to light the twenty-one candles on a cake given by Mrs S. W. Pengelly, to celebrate his coming of age two days previously. Each soldier was given a tiny flag which decorated the cake, as a memento of the evening. Dancing followed before the evening concluding with the singing of Auld Lang Syne at midnight. It was obvious that the occasion would live long in the memories of the people of Keith, as well as their young men. It finally concluded at a late hour with the singing of the National Anthem.
Ron was soon on his way to the Middle East arriving on the 14th May ’41. He then spent time in the Amiriya Camp but was soon being treated for a digestive tract inflammation called entero-colitis the following month. Certainly, the conditions of desert living would have contributed. At the end of August, less than six months after his farewell Ron sustained gunshot wounds to both legs and was transferred to hospital. By April, that year, the 9th Division had fallen back to the Tobruk port, which they continued to hold for the next eight months. In August that year an intense raid was made on the harbour. John Glenn in Tobruk to Tarakan described how the heavy bombardment was because of the number of ships in the harbour. ‘The parachute flares dropped by enemy planes hung like great chandeliers, lighting up the desert for miles around, making sharp shadows of the men as they stood to get a better look. Searchlights and red tracers climbed into the sky, searching for the planes. Then came great flashes, and, following them, the sound of exploding bombs.’ It was under these conditions that Ron was wounded.
Ron’s parents, Gladys and Hurtle received a letter saying he was missing in action presumed dead but he was actually in a hospital in the Middle East for 6 weeks. It took until February the following year that Ron was able to re-join the 2/48th Battalion.
News of Ron being injured was shared through the September ’41 issue of the Chronicle. Others from his 2/48th Battalion who were also injured were listed as Pte. Ivo Youl, SX7820, Mount Bryan; Pte. John K. Stone, SX7740 Willowie. (John was later killed in action and died on 17 July ‘42,); Pte. Ronald J. Little, SX1O507, Keith and Pte. Jack H. Abraham, SX8280, Moonta Mines.
The local Border Chronicle also reported ‘WOUNDED IN ACTION Pte R. J. (Ron) Little, of the 2/24th Battalion Infantry, A.I.F. Abroad, was this week reported wounded in action. Pte Little, who is the son of Mr and Mrs H.C. Little, of Modbury, formerly of Keith, was working at Portland before his enlistment. He enlisted from Keith.’
It took until November before Ron was able to re-join his battalion. By January ‘42, several letters from those serving overseas were being published in the local paper. Many of the young men had visited iconic sites like Jerusalem, the Holy Sepulchre and the Chapel of St. Mary Magdalene that they had only previously heard about, marvelling at these ancient places. However, it was also a particular highlight to meet up with other soldiers from home. SX7784, Henry Kennedy also from the 2/48th battalion, who had enlisted in July ’40 met with others from Mount Gambier in October, They included Angus ‘Angry’ Underwood SX6789, Hedley Buchanan SX7066, Alan Pegler and Gerald, plus Ron while in the same camp, . “I had a great couple of days meeting them all again,” he added.
Meeting up with others always had a special poignancy. Ron also wrote home with news of the local young men with whom he met in the Middle East Desert, including those who were farewelled at the same time; Tprs Jack Pengilly, Bert Battye, Eric Richards, and Pte Ian Grimwood, “who was looking particularly well.” Soon after, Ron was appointed to Lance Corporal.
Ron’s younger brother, Fred who had worked as a shearer, officially enlisted from Puckapunyal in Victoria in August ’42. He had previously served in the Militia as S6364 where he had attained the rank of Corporal in the 3rd Light Horse Regiment. Fred, also, was anxious to serve and like Ron, ‘manipulated’ his birth date from 17th January ’23 to 1922. He was then allocated the number SX23749 and in the 2/48th Battalion. He eventually rose to the rank of Corporal.
The start of February, ’43 saw Ron’s battalion finally heading home for well-earned leave. They landed in Melbourne then Ron trained back to Adelaide arriving home in March ’43. Keith citizens gave a jubilant ‘Welcome Home’ celebration to their young heroes of Tobruk and El Alamein. The local paper reported that the ‘First official announcement of the return of the 9th Division, AIF, from the Middle East was made by the Prime Minister in the Federal Parliament last Tuesday. Reports of welcome socials to returned Tatiara men, which have been withheld awaiting official release, express the district's gratitude and admiration towards these heroes of Tobruk, Syria, and El Alamein. Some of them had been overseas for just on three years.’ At the Welcome Home to the fourteen local men, ‘All the soldiers then expressed appreciation of the welcome and the action of the RSL. The Keith men were each presented with an RSL badge plus free membership to the local sub-branch for 12 months. Following speeches, a magnificent supper was then enjoyed. The Border Chronicle observed that ‘Suppers of late have been taking on a more and more austere appearance but this was the grand exception.’ Dancing followed into the early hours of the next morning.
Ron and Private Fred Potter from the 2/43rd were also warmly welcomed at the War Savings Entertainment in Keith, with reports commenting that both men were looking very fit. For Ron and a fellow 2/48th soldier, March was a particularly special time as both married. L/Cpl Ron Little to Miss Mabel Hann, at Christ Church, Mt Gambier on Wednesday March 10th, and Sgt Harry Stopp to Miss Gladys Pengelly, at Keith on Saturday, March 20th. (SX7294 Harry Stopp had been wounded and on the seriously ill list.)
Other celebrations followed for the local Heroes of Tobruk and El Alamein. Many speeches were made, remembering those who would not return, who were then honoured with a minute’s silence. Pride was expressed in “these fine specimens of Australian manhood”. All the soldiers expressed their appreciation for the welcome, and how good it was to return home. It hadn't been all war, and sometimes they had wondered what they had joined the army for. However, it made them appreciate Australia and realise it was worth fighting for. Pte Little had a special word of thanks for the Red Cross.
All too soon, the 2/48th were training in the humidity of Queensland in preparation for their next deployment to New Guinea where they would face a very different enemy in tropical conditions. By this stage, Ron’s younger brother, Fred, had also enlisted as SX23749 and also allocated to the 2/48th Battalion. The two arrived in Milne Bay on the 3rd August ’43, but within four months Ron had developed an extremely high temperature (called Pyrexia of Unknown Origin) and a malignant form of Malaria, with cyclic fever on alternate days. This persisted for several months, eventually developing into bronchitis.
Ron’s brother, Fred had written home to their mother, with this shared in the Border Chronicle that ‘In a letter to his mother, Mrs H. C. Little, of Keith, Pte Fred Little (AIF), who was in the invasion of Lae says: "Everything went off perfectly. I think it was due to the overwhelming air force that brought victory so quickly. I went through it all .o.k. I was amazed when we walked into what once was Lae. You have no idea what a mess it was in. Some bomb-craters would be about 15 feet deep, and it was impossible to find a tin of any sort on the area without a hole in it. No wonder the Japs couldn't put up with all this bombing and strafing. It looked good when we walked in to see the Australian flag hoisted up." Mrs Little has another son, Pte Ron Little, in the AIF. He saw service in the Middle East, and the two brothers were together in the Lae assault.’
It was a relief for Ron to leave New Guinea and return to Australia via Brisbane. Unfortunately, the malaria persisted with Ron spending a fortnight in the Mount Gambier Hospital at the end of March and beginning of April ’44. Sporadic bouts of malaria and fever still persisted in the ensuing months.
Ron returned to Queensland before heading from Townsville to Morotai in April ’45 for the final phase of the war at Tarakan. Tropical bouts of ill-health, including a form of hookworm, (called ancylostomiasis) and a high level of white blood cells (eosinophilia) continued to be challenging, but at last Ron was on his way home. He arrived in Brisbane at the end of October ’45, finally being discharged back in Adelaide on the 23rd November ’45.
Ron finally was discharged on November 23rd ’45 and his brother on the 1st April, ’46. Mabel and Ron enjoyed their three children, Lynette Dorothy, Rhonda Grace and Jim (Ronald James).
With the war over and both sons safely back home, tragedy struck the Little family with the death of their only daughter and sister, 19-year-old Delma Joy on December 16th ’51 in the Bordertown Hospital. She had married Bertram Parsons who served with the 2/2nd Machine Gun Battalion as VX132716 and had been discharged in May ’46. The two had twins, Clifton and regie. The family placed a poignant tribute to her in the Border Watch Chronicle; ‘Alone and unseen Delma stands by our side Whispers don’t grieve; death cannot divide.’ She was buried in the Keith Cemetery. In the following years Ron and Mabel placed a tribute to her memory in the Advertiser. ‘PARSONS (nee Little). — In loving memory of dear Delma. who passed away December 16. 1951 The golden gates were open, the sad unhappy day. With farewell unspoken, you peacefully passed away— Always remembered by her brother Ron, sister-in-law Mabel, nieces Lynette and Rhonda.’
Following Mabel’s death, Ron married a second time to Lorna. Aged 70, Ron died on the 8th August 1990 and was buried in the Cypress Garden at the Carinya Gardens of Mount Gambier in Plot 12 Row L. Two years later, Fred died on the 7th July ’92.
Both Ron’s and Fred’s service are also honoured in the South Australian Garden of Remembrance.
Researched and written by Kaye Lee, daughter of Bryan Holmes SX8133, 2/48th Battalion.