Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Hurtle, born at North Adelaide on the 2nd May 1909, was the tenth of twelve children of Shadrach (Frederick) Alfred and Elizabeth Hunter Ash. His siblings included Estella Ruth born in 1888, Shadrach Alfred, Henry George Leslie, Clarence Hugh, Leslie Harold, Lillian Alice, Andrew Ernest, Hilda Kathleen Mabel, Edgar Eric St Clair, Ruby Florence and Percival Alexander, the last child born in 1911. The family lived in the Unley area, until a year after Percival’s arrival. The children’s mother, 43-year-old Elizabeth died on the 26th of November 1912, soon after Hurtle had turned three.
With so many children still to support, Shadrach Snr. soon re married to Susan Agnes Clarke, adding another (step)son, Roy, born in February ‘15 to add to the family. The following year and on Hurtle’s 7th birthday in 1916, his third oldest brother, 21-year-old Clarence, a baker, enlisted as 2281 to serve in WWI. He arrived in France early in December but was killed at Nord Pas de Calais in France on the 2nd April 1917.
Hurtle, like so many young men at the time, was reliant on his bicycle to get around. It meant that many fines were issued for what now seems extremely minor infringements, especially during the Depression years. In March ’35 Hurtle was one of several caught in a blitz and fined for riding his bicycle on a footpath, costing him 10/, with £1 costs. He worked as a valet at the time, so the fine was painful.
Hurtle married Cora Eveline with the two living at Glenelg. However, with the outbreak of WWII, he and several of his brothers enlisted. Hurtle was the first to answer the call for fit young men, enlisting on the 5th July 1940 and was allocated the number SX7829. He was immediately allocated to the newly formed 2/48th Battalion.
His 34 year old brother, Andrew, a wharf labourer, enlisted on the 21st February ’41 as SX11531, serving in the 22/27th Field Bakery in Malaya, Siam where he was briefly held as a Prisoner of War, but was recovered and Singapore.
The following month, 35-year-old Edgar, a baker enlisted on the 24th March ’41 as SX11921 in the 2nd Aust Ord Workshops Co (Depot Battalion), serving in the Middle East and different states in Australia.
Hurtle’s younger step-brother, 26 year old Roy, a taxi driver and also a Ripper, was the final sibling to enlist on the 20th August ’41 as SX14140 in the 2/5th Cavalry Commando Squadron, serving in New Guinea and Bougainville. (Highlights of his service included developing a taste for whiskey and Port Wine belonging to a Camp Officer, being wounded in action in New Guinea in May ’45 and also Mentioned in Despatches in recognition of his services rendered in the South West Pacific from October ’44 until March ’45.)
Hurtle’s early days were spent in camp at Woodside, in the Adelaide hills. Brief leave followed before he embarked overseas on the 7th November ’40 aboard the Stratheden. He arrived in the Middle East on the 17th December. The strict discipline of army life saw him receive fines for poor conduct and for being absent without leave. The latter was the more hurtful as Hurtle was then Confined to Barracks for seven days, despite only being AWL during the early hours of an evening into the morning.
A luxury which was appreciated by the family back home was hearing Hurtle’s voice sending Christmas greetings in a National broadcast by the ABC. The News Publicised the names of soldiers who would be heard over the days leading up to Christmas in ’41. During his time in the Middle East, Hurtle was to become one of the famed and highly respected Rats of Tobruk. This derogatory term was designed by the enemy to reduce morale of the Australian troops who were ‘living like rats’ in their sandy dugouts. Not unexpectedly, the men adopted the term, with it becoming a badge of pride and camaraderie.
The 2/48th finally returned to Australia via Melbourne in February ’43. The soldiers had leave before they headed to Queensland to train in the tropical conditions in preparation for heading to New Guinea. Hurtle at the time was faced with niggling poor health including a deformed hammer toe, boil on forehead which contributed to him eventually being discharged on the 22nd Feb 1944.
His brothers all survived the war with Edgar being the next to be discharged on the 10th March ‘44, POW Andrew on the 15th February ’46 and finally Roy on the 24th June ’46. Just prior to Roy’s discharge, Hurtle, then working as a master baker, was caught with an illegal Italian ‘souvenir’ a pistol he had brought back from Libya. Being unlicenced, it was confiscated and a fine of £3 imposed.
Hurtle then faced a far more serious case, inexcusable despite him being drunk. Part of his defence was to present the judge with his war record that he had received an honorable discharge after having served in the A.I.F. in the Middle East and New Guinea. He had no previous convictions, and there was no reason why his previous good character could not reassert itself. A request that Hurtle be released on a bond was denied and he was ordered nine months' imprisonment.
Hurtle’s son, also named Hurtle, followed his father into the armed forces, undertaking National Service training in August ‘51. Inheriting not only the name, but also the same height genetic, (Hurtle Snr was 5 ft 2 inches), Hurtle Jnr at 5 ft. 4 inches, was photographed stretching to light a cigarette for a fellow enlistee aptly nicknamed ‘Lofty’ who was a good foot taller. Coincidentally, the Supervisor of Hurtle Jnr’s Training was Major J. D. Potter, SX10258, company commander of Hurtle Snr in the 2/48th Battalion, AIF, at Tobruk and El Alamein. The Major was quoted as saying 'They look very alike.' Trainee Ash said: 'Dad told me they'd probably knock the loose bits off me and wake me up a bit.' Trainee Ash, who is a bootmaker, said, with a rueful look at his heavy Army boots: 'I'm starting to feel like one, too.'
Aged 53 Hurtle died on the 12th January ’63 and now rests in the Derrick Gardens at Centennial Park Cemetery, Paths 23 Grave 702.
Researched and written by Kaye Lee, daughter of Bryan Holmes SX8133, 2/48th Battalion.