Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Lewis was born in Mannum on the 13th August, 1901, the youngest of six children born to George Edward and Emma Reschke who were long term residents of the town and experienced a number of floods in the region. Lewis’ older siblings were Nettie, Rosa, Minnie, Ellie and Charlie. George initially worked on the River Murray as an engineer before being employed as a fitter for David Shearer and Company. Lewis was 16 when his father, aged 45 died of tuberculosis in March 1917. Sister Nettie’s wedding to 19-year-old postal assistant, Leonard Allchurch still went ahead on June 4th that year. Len soon enlisted to serve in WWI in November and was posted overseas from England to France on the 15th June 1918. However, he was unaware that Nettie had died on the 11th June just after the birth of her son Murray Keith. This young baby was then officially appointed as Leonard’s next of kin. The Chronicle carried the distressing news of her death; ‘ALLCHURCH.—On the 11th June, at Mannum, Nettie, beloved wife of Sapper Len Allchurch, A.I.F., abroad.’
In the ensuing years the Neschke family continued to remember Nettie. Chronicle Saturday 14 June 1919, ALLCHURCH.—In loving memory of our darling Nettie, who passed away June 11, 1918. Silently the shadows of evening gather round my lonely door, Silently it brings before me The face I shall see no more. My thoughts they often wander To a spot not far away, Where they laid my darling Nettie Just twelve months ago to-day. Friends may think I have forgotten, When at times they see me smile; But they little know the aching heart Those smiles hide all the while. Sweet thoughts shall ever linger Round my darling Nettie's grave. —Inserted by her loving mother, brothers, and sisters, and her darling little son, Murray. (An irreversible transposition of the date numbers was made on Nettie’s headstone, recording her death as on 7 November 1918 7/11, instead of 11/7.)
On the 4th June ’27 at Rosewater 25 year old Lewis married Louisa (Louie) Ellen Bywater who also lived in that suburb. It was a western area of Adelaide originally called Graytown after the initial farmer, William Gray. From being swampy marshlands, it was soon reclaimed to become dairy and vegetable farmland, providing fresh produce for Adelaide and the surrounding areas. In the ensuing years afdter their marriage Lewis and Louie were to have two children, Peggy and Marcene.
With the outbreak of WWII, and just prior to his 39th birthday, Lewis enlisted to serve on the 4th July ‘40. He was allocated to the newly formed 2/48th Battalion and given the number SX7120. He nominated his wife as his next of kin.
Lewis’ initial days were spent in the cold of the Pavilions, now part of the Royal Adelaide Showgrounds before heading to Woodside for preliminary training. Following pre-embarkation leave, the 2/48ththe Battalion contingent then embarked on the Stratheden for the Middle East, on the 7th November 1940, arriving on the 17th December 1940 where his Battalion completing a few months training in Cyrenaica. He was soon on his way to serve in Tobruk, Syria and Egypt and becoming one of the famed Rats of Tobruk.
At the start of April ’41, the battalion was preparing to leave Gazala for Barraca. John Glenn in Tobruk to Tarakan reported that ‘We made the distance to Barraca in ten and a quarter hours, the only mishap on the way occurring between Derna and Barraca, where an overloaded vehicle driven by Private Arthur Whyte, containing cooking gear, which was under the care of Sergeant McElligott and cooks, Privates Reschke, Weber, Tully and Isgar, collided with a twelve ton diesel loaded with Italian prisoners on their way to the custody of A Company at Derna. The narrowness of the road and the potholes caused the vehicles to sway together as they passed, and their canopies hit. The Italians, who thought they were being bombed “shot through” in every direction. Several of them were injured, although none badly.’ Soon after, the 2/48th were in Tobruk where the dust, flies, heat, minimal water supplies and constant bombardment were quite a challenge to new enlistees.
Back home, his wife Louie was grieving the loss if her 71-year-old mother in July. On that anniversary the following year the family placed a Memorial in the Advertiser. ‘BYWATER. —In loving memory of our dear mother and gran. Not one day do we forget you, In our hearts you are always near We, who loved you, sadly miss you As it dawns another year. —Inserted by Louie, Lewis (A.I.F., abroad), Peggy, and Marcene Reschke.
Pte Reschke’s good fortune did not last to the end of ‘42. He was wounded in action in November ‘42. Louisa was notified and the November edition of the Advertiser carried the report that ‘Mrs. L. Reschke, of Shell street, Rosewater, has been notified that her husband, Pte. Lewis Reschke, has been wounded in action. He enlisted in June, 1940, and sailed overseas in November of that year. He served in Tobruk for nine months and also in Palestine and Syria.’ This was also reported in the Chronicle the following month and included the names of others from his battalion. SX77O0 L-Sgt. Frank W. Hale, 2/48th, Gladstone; SX13573 A-Cpl. Henry Winn, 2/48th Eastwood. Wounded In Action. — SX8321 Pte. Clifton Farquhar, 2/48th Kybunga; SX2720 Pte. Gerald G. Godfrey, Eng., Lyndhurst Siding; SX5267 Pte. Darcy L. Goldie-Scot, 2/43rd Berri; SX7120 Pte. W. Morgan, 2/48th Prospect; SX7799 Pte. Lewis St. K. Reschke, 2/48th Rosewater.
For these men, conditions were ever-changing and the fighting relentless. The 9th Battalion was ordered to attack northward in what was to be relentless fighting in a massive assault to ambitiously take the strategic position of Trig 29. In his book ‘Tobruk to Tarakan’ John Glenn describes that time “which was to be the most bitter and bloody fighting of the war. When next the sun drove away those shadows from the desert, death would have reaped a rich harvest of gallant men. And of the 2/48th Battalion only forty-one weary troops would remain in the field.”
Lewis survived the war and was discharged on the 10th May ’44 to become a butcher with Angliss and Company. Unfortunately, in wanting to provide extra for his family or as a result of constantly foraging for provisions during the war years, the News in March ’47 reported that ‘Lewis St. Kilda Reschke, 46, butcher, of McNicol terrace, Rosewater, was fined £7 with 15/ costs in the Norwood Police Court today when he pleaded guilty to having at Glenunga on Saturday stolen 9 lb. of pork. the property of W. Angliss & Co. John Edward Brown, 29, butcher, of Davies terrace, Nailsworth, was fined £5 with 15/ costs on a larceny charge relating to 2 lb. of sausages, the property of the same firm, on Saturday. Sergeant S. R. Stewart, who prosecuted, said both men were employed by Angliss & Co. The meat was found in their lockers in the change room at the works.’
Lewis’ long-widowed mother, Emma Reschke died aged 74 in December 1950. She was buried in the Mannum Cemetery alongside her husband.
Just nine years later, Aged 58, Lewis died on the 10th December ’59. He was buried at Centennial Park with a memorial to him in the Derrick Gardens, Path 14 Grave 339. His wife Louisa lived to be 86. She died in July ’94 and is also buried in Centennial Park, Lawn 2 Path 7 Grave 2542.
Researched and written by Kaye Lee, daughter of Bryan Holmes SX8133, 2/48th Battalion