Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Born in the Adelaide suburb of Norwood on the 8th May, 1911, Angus was the middle child and only son of Sydney Harrold and Olive Barbara Young. He had two sisters, Jean and Gladys.
Olive’s 36-year-old father (George Slocombe) had been killed in an horrific fall down a mine shaft at Clarendon in 1895, leaving a widow and six children. Eight years later, the children’s mother died with the children became orphans. Olive, the oldest, took on the role of next of kin.
With the War to End All Wars declared, three of Olive’s brothers enlisted, with Angus becoming well aware of their devotion to service and their exceptional war records. Angus was three when his uncle, 30-year-old Robert James Slocombe enlisted in September ’14 as 1329 in the 16th Battalion. Within eight months Robert, a Lance Corporal was killed in action on the Gallipoli Peninsula on the 2nd May 1915 at Gallipoli. In the frenetic fighting Robert was initially listed as ‘missing’ and his grave never found. He is now remembered at the Lone Pine Memorial.
20-year-old Albert Clarence was the next brother to enlist in March ’15 as 1570 in the 27th Battalion. He was wounded in action in his thigh in August ’16 and again in July ’18 with a gunshot wound to his head He was awarded the Military Medal 1919 ‘For Bravery in the Field’. At the time, all his Company officers had been killed or wounded near Peronne, Frace, but Albert pushed on in attack with just five men, establishing a post until reinforcements arrived. Under heavy fire he ran from his isolated post across open ground to Headquarters. He safely returned to Australia in July ’19. (Having survived the war, Albert was driving a sulky when hit by a car and dying of head injuries.)
22-year-old William George was the third brother to enlist four months later, in July ’15 as 2791, serving in the 10th Infantry Battalion. William was wounded in action in France in 1916 and in 1917 was mentioned in Sir Douglas Haig’s dispatch for gallant service and devotion to duty. He was also awarded the Frech Croix de Guerre and was safely discharged in May ’19.
Angus was eight years old by this time and well aware of the service his uncles had given. However, it was peacetime. 13-year-old Angus was successful in achieving a grade I Pass in Geometrical Drawing at the Alberton School of Arts. Post school, he worked as an Advertising Manager and Radio Mechanic, becoming engaged to Phyllis Elizabeth Young of Glanville in April ’34. They married in December that year in the Semaphore Church of Christ in an evening service. By October the following year Phyllis and Angus welcomed their first son, Peter Angus, followed by Elizabeth Barbara in June ’37. Bronwyn and Marged followed in later years.
With the outbreak of WWII, 29-year-old Angus followed the example set by his uncles and enlisted in Adelaide on the 13th July 1940. He was allocated the number SX8875 and placed in the newly formed 2/48th Battalion where he was quickly promoted to Acting Corporal in October. Training for Non-Commissioned Officers followed, before Angus returned to his battalion and had pre-embarkation leave. He sailed on the Stratheden on the 7th November, arriving in the Middle East on the 17th December. Within weeks he was attending a course on Hygiene and Sanitation, attaining a Credit for his achievements.
An anti-malaria Course followed in March ’41 before he was attached to the 2/6th Field Ambulance for five months. Angus was to become one of the highly respected Rats of Tobruk. The taunt was used on leaflets dropped on the troops by German pilots attempting to make the soldiers surrender, rather than continue to live in their hand hewn, dusty, rat and fly infected bunkers like ‘rats’. Contrarily, the troops sized on the name as a badge of humour.
Angus experienced the painful middle ear infection (Otis media) before then being transferred to the Australian Anti-Malarial Control Unit for three months before returning to his 2/48th Battalion. Malaria continued to return before finally in February ’43 Angus returned to Australia via Melbourne. However, ill-health with back issues and a return of malaria continued until he was discharged.
Angus’ mother, Olive, lived to see her son return home. Aged 60, she died on the 14th June ’50. His father Sydney lived a further five years and died in October ’55 aged 73. Both now rest in the Cheltenham Cemetery with the poignant inscription ‘Beyond the Sunset’.
Aged 77, Angus died on the 19th April 1989 and was interred in the Mornington Cemetery, Victoria. Phyllis Elizabeth lived almost two decades longer to be 96. She died in her sleep at home on the 17th November 2005. The inscription ‘Somewhere Beyond the Sea’ is engraved on their plaque.
Researched and written by Kaye Lee, daughter of Bryan Holmes, SX8133, 2/48th Battalion.