Arthur Ivan HARE MC

HARE, Arthur Ivan

Service Number: SX8897
Enlisted: 17 July 1940, Adelaide, SA
Last Rank: Captain
Last Unit: 2nd/43rd Infantry Battalion
Born: Ballarat, Victoria, Australia , 3 March 1908
Home Town: St Peters (SA), Norwood Payneham St Peters, South Australia
Schooling: Ballarat Grammar School , Victoria, Australia
Occupation: School Master at St Peter's College, Adelaide South Australia
Died: Killed in Action, Egypt, 1 November 1942, aged 34 years
Cemetery: El Alamein War Cemetery
Memorials: Adelaide WW2 Wall of Remembrance, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Ballarat Grammar School Anglican Chapel Memorial Window
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World War 2 Service

17 Jul 1940: Involvement Captain, SX8897, 2nd/43rd Infantry Battalion
17 Jul 1940: Enlisted Adelaide, SA
17 Jul 1940: Enlisted SX8897, 2nd/43rd Infantry Battalion
Date unknown: Involvement
Date unknown: Honoured Military Cross

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Hello my name is Prue I was previously Hare. My father is John Hare. His father is Arthur Vernon Hare he married Eileen Nankervis. I live at Lancefield in Victoria and I have a beautiful photo of Captain Ivan in full uniform. My nana Sal as she was known. Eileen gave me the photo and told me that it was my uncle Eric. I have researched a lot and I know he fought so bravely for his country and is now buried in Egypt. I would love to give the photo that my Nana gave to me many years ago to my great great Uncles family. My email is [email protected] looking forward to hearing from you. My father John had a lot to do with professor Bill Hare the radiologist from the royal Melbourne hospital I was searching records and it came up that Constance was Ivans mother and he was married to Geraldine is that correct?
Lovingly Prue
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In My Father's Words

Arthur Ivan Hare MC
Did I know my father? I did not know what a father was. The first I knew about a father was when I was about four or five, my grandmother saying your father was a “fine soldier”. It did not make much sense to me. I knew you had to be a brave soldier when you scraped your knee and the iodine was applied. In subsequent years I came to know what was meant by a “fine soldier”.
I have been privileged to meet some of the company commanders of his Battalion, the 2nd 43rd and other Battalions, and spoken to students that he taught at St Peters College in Adelaide and served with him in the Middle East. I read his diaries, and letters to his parents when I was younger, more out of a sense of duty than anything else. It is only in recent years that I have taken a keener interest. I wish now that I had got to know the diaries and letters when I was younger and followed up and talked to some of the principal people named before it was too late. Now most of them have passed away- but not all.
Ivan’s writing was neat but not particularly easy to read.
My wife Geraldine undertook to type the war diary and the letters to his parents and has thereby learnt a great deal about him, knowledge which we are now able to share. She also had framed a charcoal drawing by John Dowie, Adelaide painter and the battalion artist. Mother gave it to me many years ago. I was not curious enough at the time to work out what the hieroglyphics meant.
Dad was a King Scout and one of 100 selected to represent the Commonwealth at the Empire Exhibition in Wembley England and attend the Empire Scout Jamboree. This was the same year as the Olympic Games in Paris – the subject of that wonderful film “Chariots of Fire”. A sixteen-year-old lad full or adventure and anticipation. The route to the Middle East was one already travelled when he wrote a letter to his parents.
Extract from Ivan’s diary May 28th 1924. On board ship Wednesday 1st January 1941 “The ship pulled out about 5pm on Sunday afternoon, there were thousands of people and cars gathered about the end of the pier which was closed to the public, the ship’s siren blew and all others in port responded and we moved off with the tugs straining at the leash ---sixteen and a half years ago I left the same pier with father waving cheerio ---I left this time with a much heavier heart.”
Diary Monday 30th December 1940 “The day after setting sail and the ship had passed through the heads —at 4 o’clock word passed round that we would join the convey round 6pm, a little later we could discern on the horizon several ships bunched together, the convoy awaiting us. Everyone came on deck as we drew close. It was a most inspiring sight. There were grouped together the gigantic 80000 tonner the Queen Mary carrying 7500 troops, the 4 funnelled Aquitania and the Dominion monarch the Awatea and out in front the Canberra.
War brought my wife’s and own fathers close----Gerry’s step-father, to be, was serving on Canberra.
As a King Scout, and as a company commander and Battalion Adjutant Ivan’s diaries are full of detail.
Sunday 5th “I went to Communion at 7am. Lt Col Rhoden read the lesson.” Attendance at communion was a regular event and always faithfully recorded.
Wed 8th –” Had my first swim. Thursday 9th –Up on deck early for skipping.” He was what you would call these days a fitness fanatic and had excelled in boxing, rowing, and swimming.
Sunday 2nd Feb 41 “Our train stopped alongside a column of prisoners just in from Tobruk; hundreds of them all very well attired in great coats and grey uniforms and many cases and baggage of all descriptions- how they were able to get out with that lot is beyond me. I also saw an officer with a greyhound on a leash. We found that our hosts were to be the Coldstream Guards and the Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Mess with the guards wearing Blue Patrol (ours are home being masticated by moths) and our battle dress presenting a striking contrast. Up early with news of movement to Khassa in Palestine. Outside our tent was a prison train which we had heard filling through the night. It was about to move off and the long string of trucks was packed to capacity bar one. I was curious to see the reason for this so strolled along and there were two bloated Generals pacing up and down with measured tread like a couple of Garibaldies and at each corner an Indian sentry with turban and shorts. The train pulled out shortly afterwards and a couple of our chaps came along with an Officer’s great coat and a platinum watch each received in exchange for a packet of Capstans.
This seems to me to be quite incongruous, the Italians well dressed, well fed well looked after, on their way to prison camp and ultimate safety. Our Diggers about to enter the fray.”
It reminded me of our attendance at the celebration to mark the 60th Anniversary of the Battle of El Alamein. Ceremonies are held every year in rotation between the Commonwealth Memorial, the Italian Memorial, and German Memorial. That year it was held at the Italian Memorial is a huge stone structure as only the Italian masons could build and probably out of proportion to their involvement in the battle. The ceremony was a big deal with The Duke of Kent, President of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and numerous politicians were all seated under a shade cloth. Our 80-year-old surviving Diggers, including a chaplain and a Major General, men who actually fought the campaign were left out on the flanks standing in the blazing sun. I was left wondering who actually won the war. One of the old diggers whispered to me during the service– “It’s the Ities revenge..”
The battalion spent several weeks at the camp in Khassa training and hardening up. As adjutant of the battalion Ivan was busy. Sunday 9th March “Received short notice of 2 days leave for Jerusalem.” Rather than shopping or going to a club Ivan made straight for the Jaffa Gate the entrance to the Holy City. “A young well-dressed man sprang to his feet and offered to show me where to go. He said he was Joseph the singer and was about to go to the Sepulchre himself for vespers, it was after 4.30 and he said that the church closed at 5 o’clock for visitors but there would be time to quickly look over it. Joseph apologised for the apparent haste and I said that I would come back the following morning and that I would like to attend a service, with this his face lit up and he urged me to stay for the Vespers and Benedictine Procession which was about to start and at that moment Brother Francis came along and I was introduced to him. I explained that I was an Anglican but I would be delighted to join in the service if I could. He asked me if I could read Latin, I said, “Yes” and he quickly provided me with a prayer book and I took a lighted taper and joined in the procession which was made up of the convent girls and sisters, a group of priests, and quite a lot of regular worshipers together with a very devout Sergeant who has been stationed in Jerusalem for some time and myself. The procession made its way around the church of the Holy Sepulchre with the choir chanting and halting for devotions.” The next two days are spent exploring Jerusalem and down to the river Jordan and the Dead Sea. The diary is a lesson in biblical history, rich in detail and demonstrating a thorough knowledge of the Holy Land.
And so to Tobruch.
“In the situation map you will see the outer perimeter defences some 27 miles long extended round the town. The circle denotes the hundred odd strongposts-concrete redoubts they are-which are studding the wire and a ditch each is capable of holding 30 or 40 men in firing positions. They were built in 1930 and were thought to be impregnable and with the force the Ities had they should have been. Our difficulty is that our inferior numbers necessitates the line being thinly held. At 3 on the map my company was responsible for 2 miles of the front hence the strongposts were manned by as few as 6 men and a Corporal and each is about 600 yards from the next. Extreme vigilance and active patrolling in the enemy territory is therefore essential.”
The strongposts were built below ground level and pretty safe if you kept your head down although a direct hit by a bomb or artillery could cause damage. Activity had to be carried out at night time and under cover of darkness. Supplies were brought up at night, food, letters. Patrolling was done at night. An attack of dysentery during the day was a problem, it necessitated negotiating a shallow “crawl trench” to get to the latrine. Whilst under fire from enemy machine guns.”
“SX8897 Capt A I Hare AIF Abroad 10th July 41 Thursday Western Desert Still! Hope you can read this scrawl- Digs a bit cramped.
My Dear Mother and Father
I sat down during the siesta to scribble off a letter or two, Fritz was doing a bit of casual shelling around the place at the time and I had no sooner started when one landed within 5 yards with a most deafening crash hurtling Snowy (batman) and self backwards and giving us both a good shower bath of rubble and dust. I fully expected to find Snowy in small pieces and he likewise me, however when the atmosphere cleared, we found each other perfectly intact and laughed it off…
We were ordered up to our present position the hottest place in the show-I’ll let you know more about it in my diary one day. If you care for a one-minute cameo here it is-It is 2am and I am writing this in my hole about the size of a packing case and waiting for lunch or breakfast or whatever it might be called. We work by night and try to sleep by day. At present it is perfectly quiet-I picked the wrong minute to describe because starting this we have had a few shells, round about 5 minutes ago a Nazi plane flew over in the moonlight. I knew silence wouldn’t last, there’s a rattle of machine gun fire now on my left, and quite a few mortars flying overhead, and now a couple of explosions two or three miles away-the sentry has just informed me that there are incendiary bombs lighting up the sky, high level- you can’t hear the planes conclude therefore they are Iti the ack ack has opened on them. I’ve just looked out, it’s better than all the Henley fireworks with red and green tracer in all directions and all along the front now the machine guns are spitting. The Hun seems very nervous at night and keeps his finger on the trigger- we never fire unless there is a target and finally I have a flea somewhere up my leg-most of the blokes here are tormented by them, I’ve been singularly free of them-something in the skin I expect. I hope this is not all too hair raising for you, actually we are scarcely affected by it, and every day I become more confident that I’ll come through unscathed. Now for lunch – bread jam (perhaps) and bully but no tea. We have our one and only hot meal just after dark and my worst front-line discomfort is to have to survive on a single cup of tea per day, I’ll be outdrinking your combined forties, when I get back- those pink cups and the silver tea pot haunt me.”
The troops spent a lot of time digging –from an earlier letter- “The temperature was officially reported as 120 in the shade but it felt no hotter than an Adelaide 105- pretty steep for the lads working –we are digging at present-I usually swing the pick too and assist in the blasting –strike rock about 18 inches below-but at present we have Indians working with us and of course with them its infradig for an officer to dig.”
“We are getting plenty of rations and a reasonable quantity of water, about which we become very resourceful we just gargle it and then clean our teeth and wash in it, next rinse our pair of socks and finally use the resultant solution to settle the dust.
Ivan’s morale was high and I always get the impression reading his letters that he was trying to boost the morale of those at home and also directing family affairs from the front.
He started all his letters Mother Father & Bill his younger brother and still at school and finished with love to his other brother and sister in law.
“There’s no need to worry about me taking unnecessary risks and I take good care but I’m proud to be in the front line- it’s a real job. My nerves are right and that’s half the battle. There won’t be any spectacular deeds merely for the sake of it, there’ll probably be no medals, but I’ll always endeavour to do the right thing at the right time and to do what I’m called upon to do.”
Ivan’s attitude to the enemy is somewhat in contrast to that of the Battalion history, but the latter, of course, was written in retrospect and after the war was over and we had won.
“The nightly patrols still continue D Coy sent out a platoon to capture 2 machine gun posts---
But the best laid schemes oft going again-they made contact and after a sharp encounter two of the Fritz stood up and shouted “kamarad” and our two forward scouts approached them they no sooner came into sight when Fritz dropped to his belly manned his machine gun and shot Cpl Attrill and McAuliffe through the stomach and instantly the sky was ablaze with flares and a terrific half an hours fighting followed, fortunately the remainder were able to extricate themselves. There is only one word to adequately describe the Germans but the moral censor would not permit its use in a diary. The Nazi apparently satisfies his conscience by openly declaring that he has no rules and that he will fire even when dissembling surrender he declares he will fire on hospital ships (and he did on the Marunda painted green and white and flood lit as she was moving out of the harbour a few days ago)and hospitals(a Major and 14 patients were killed when the 4 AGH was bombed last Sunday)”
In another letter to his parents; “Fortunately, the British do not send their troops to slaughter- they always count the probable cost unless the situation is absolutely vital. Hitler on the other hand is completely disregardless of human life if it will result in embellishing his vain glory.”
The Germans on one occasion sent over 2 bombers which instead of dropping bombs dropped propaganda pamphlets a number of which were carried by the wind back in to enemy territory.
Come forward “show your white flags you will be safe surrender”.

“Quaint isn’t it, they must think we are as yellow as they are, the joke of it is that we haven’t anything white. The truth is that we have them well and truly licked. Their three major attacks have been well and truly repulsed and the Prussian pride has been hurt. In a former pamphlet raid we were advised that small parties of English troops coming forward with the white handkerchief would be taken prisoner- Australians surrendering would be shot. Childish mentality they must have. Yesterday a low flying plane with British red white and blue tail markings, plus red crosses on the tail and fuselage rather puzzled me-I ordered the post to hold fire and 5 minutes later The Sigs phoned through to say that it was an enemy plane photographing. Nice people –I’m anxious to hear that it was brought down on another part of the front and the crew painted with black and yellow swastikas.” Ivan then gets back to the mundane if not peculiar chore of desert housekeeping;

“It is a forlorn place. Of flora there is none, of birds a few, of insects myriads I should say flaming millions, of animals and reptiles many-if rats and mice snakes(asps) & outsized tarantulas can be so classed. When writing the above paragraph, I proceeded to prove my point about the charm of this place by lashing out with my fly swat at a passing mouse and dispatching it. I could dispatch at least half a dozen now were it not for the dim light. I swing round candle in hand and all mice disappear, abjectly I replace the candle and continue to write and all the mice reappear and continue to scratch.

The 2nd 43rd was involved in one of the biggest battles in Tobruk to gain control of hill 209.
B company lost 106 men on the night of the 3rd of August 28 dead and 78 wounded. Ivan took over command of the company ten days later to reform the company from reinforcements, with only 32 men of the original 129 remaining.
Then the other remarkable feature of the attack, the scenes after the fighting had ceased.

“At 7 o’clock the CO ordered out our ambulance trucks flying the Red Cross and in the bright sunlight they moved stopping midway to the enemy. The enemy followed our example- soon I could see his trucks coming down the track from Medaur. It was a strange sight to witness –enemy stretcher bearers and our own working less than 300 yards apart collecting the wounded. From here we were close enough to see the uniforms German and Italian they were, and on each side standing face to face was a sentry holding high the Geneva Cross identical in shape and size- all they had in common, and a signal to all guns from miles around to hold their fire. The work went on for a couple of hours and I sat where a few hours before I would have been shot. Suddenly I was amazed to see one of our trucks start up again and drive slowly right up to the enemy who were gathered about on the very post we had attempted to take. Soon the enemy was helping our chaps load up their trucks to return the wounded to our line. It was a remarkable truce. It lasted all day –and all day parties worked together-when all the wounded had been gathered in they set about burying the dead and at 5 o’clock their tasks were completed and I saw the two parties separate- it is an army offence to fraternize and they moved off without gestures. The Red Crosses were withdrawn and the trucks disappeared in different directions. I should not spoil the Hun’s humanitarian act by mentioning that he brought up reinforcements in his ambulance- I saw them arrive I suppose that was counterbalanced by the advantage taken by the artillery observation officer in this post and myself to search with our glasses ground that could not formerly be seen through periscopes. I expect he was doing the same. Within an hour of departure of the trucks firing resumed.”
Ivan kept up the physical fitness when the company went back from the frontline by swimming in the “Mare Nostrum” about 4 miles away- a tough walk through rocky wadis and organized a cross country run with a couple of the officers.
The 9thDivision moved back to North Africa in July 42. The diary finishes at this point but the letters indicate some frustrations, not so much with the conditions, sand, insects and the like –they were the other enemy, but with higher command.
My company is holding probably the most important sector on the front& it is a big responsibility.
You would like to know that for my action on a certain day almost two months ago I was recommended for the Military Cross. You will probably receive official notification of it one of these days – however it didn’t go through and the Colonel expressed to me his keen disappointment. The reason is that although we captured our objective we were forced to withdraw an hour later under terrific fire with no support but at that time Army thought that it could have been held. That has thrice been disproved and it is still in enemy hands. We weren’t meant to stay there anyway so I brought my men back without a casualty and with a clear conscience. It was a bitter disappointment, the Colonel understood perfectly but the people higher up are probably harder to satisfy. However, I heard in one quarter yesterday that it was considered that I had done the right thing. That was a relief, if ever one’s conscience needs relieving but so long as I command men, I won’t have them butchered unnecessarily and confound the ribbons and decorations which seem sometimes to accompany the blood & glory tactics. If it’s vital well then yes & I’ll be in it.
From his second to last letter 2nd October 1942. ”Well we are on the sandhills on the beach and for the first in 3 months out of range of the enemy guns. Seven weeks of those twelve we were in the front line & until I had to go out for four days a month ago, I didn’t know what it was to have an hours uninterrupted sleep a day. In that time, I’ve seen more horror, more mangled bodies & living human wrecks that I ever expected to see in any war or in a dozen lifetimes. I was reminded yesterday that I am the only officer left in the battalion who has been with the unit through both campaigns which says a lot for the old constitution- there are seven in hospital with dysentery or sandfly, not that I haven’t had it or them, I have several times, but I’ve never been out with it.
Did I tell you that for a second time I have lost all my photographs and a lot of personal stuff that was in my pack, this time it went up with my truck which was following us in the attack- Stuckas being the cause. Send all you can, they are better than gold.

His last letter was written on Thursday 22October the eve of the battle of El Alamein. “War is a full-time job and I think I’ve had my fair share of it. I didn’t miss a day of the Tobruk campaign & there aren’t many who have been right through the present one. I’m usually honoured with command of the most important sector, so we think! However, there’s great satisfaction in knowing you have a worthwhile job to do & I suppose nothing could be more worthwhile than helping to wipe out the Nazi menace and restore peace on earth. Christmas mail closes I believe on 1st November & there’s a chance that I won’t be able to write again so I’ll include my greetings in this mail. Now I must close with fondest love wishing you all a Happy Christmas and peace in the New Year. Till we meet again,
Your loving son. Ivan
Ivan was awarded the Military Cross the citation was signed by Brigadier A.H.L. Godfrey commander of 24th Australian Infantry Brigade and Lieutenant General L.J. Morshead Commander 9th Australian Division and A.I.F Middle East. On 22nd October. Whether he would have been notified during the subsequent battle is unclear. The citation reads: -
“In the Tel El Eisa sector during the period Jul-Oct 42 Capt Hare has displayed great energy, initiative and courage in commanding his company, and has rendered service to his battalion. On 17 July in the attack on Ruin Ridge and Point 33, Captain Hare was in command of the right forward company. During the advance, several enemy posts were encountered and 80 PW taken. On reaching the objective, the company came under fire from enemy Arty, Mortars and Mgs. Capt Hare’s leadership, splendid example and, control, enabled the company to hold and consolidate on the position.
On 17th Aug 42, after the return of a Company Patrol, it was found that one man was missing. Capt Hare and his CSM went out 2100 yards, where they were under observation and fire from the enemy, and succeeded in bringing in the man, who was badly wounded in the ankle. Apt Hare’s courage and devotion to duty at all times has been an inspiration and example to his Coy.

Do I know my father? –Yes, I think I do. Talking to family about him, boys he taught at school, his fellow company commanders, things that other people have written about him and his own diaries and letters. I know him as a Fine soldier, an inspiration to his men, a good sportsman, a loving and grateful son, a friend and mentor to his brothers, a man who lived by Christian principles.
As a husband and lover? They had only been married for 5 years when he went away. As a father to me and my sister growing up?
When I was young, about early teens, mother showed me the bunch of letters Ivan had sent and asked me what she thought should be done with them, I was disinterested and, in any event, I suspect that she did not want to keep them. However, she saved one. I sometimes have difficulty in reading it but I would like to because I believe it answers the questions I have posed.
Some people talk about “closure”. If there has been any closure for me, I would say it has been the result of meeting Pte Lindsay Beauchamp who was severely wounded in the shoulder in the attack on R7, his mate next to him was wounded, captured by the enemy and died the next day. He spent some time in the Australian General Hospital in Tobruk. When he recovered, he was expected to carry the Boys antitank rifle –a very heavy piece of equipment, he declined to do so because of his shoulder injury. Ivan told him “carry it on your other shoulder then” Lindsay was a surf lifesaver, played football for Sturt in South Australia. He challenged Ivan to a 400yard swim in the Mediterranean at Bechmazine when they were stationed in Syria, although 13 years younger he lost. I gather he had a grudging respect for his CO.
I met Lindsay for the first time in 2000 on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Battalion. He said that he had always wanted to meet me because he was the last person to see Ivan alive. He was on light duties as stretcher bearer during the battle. He saw Ivan standing up observing the enemy movement through binoculars when he was hit by shrapnel, an airburst from an 88 mm gun.
It was against army regulations to bring in the dead during the heat of battle. Despite horrendous wounds to the back of the head he was still breathing and Lindsay and another private from Tasmania stretchered him in to the aid post, he wanted to see the Captain have a decent burial.
Some years ago, I was involved in the treatment of a patient who had been a captain in the 2nd 43rd and Battalion Quartermaster, when I introduced myself he said I buried your father.
His body was subsequently moved to the Commonwealth Cemetery.
At the 60th anniversary we had a little service around the grave, conducted by a Salvation Army Padre who was with the division in the Middle East.
The inscription on the memorial window in the Ballarat Grammar School Chapel reads: - “He Put On The Whole Armour Of God”
Excerpts from a presentation delivered by Bob Hare, Ivan’s son. Edited and posted by Kaye Lee, daughter of Bryan Holmes SX8133

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