Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

From Ballarat & District in the Great War

How often I have wanted to share a particular story, but for the want of a photograph to accompany it. Finally, after years of searching, a photo of Ballarat’s Pte Roy Kent 1490 came to the surface and I am finally able to share his life with you all.

Born at Sebastopol on 20 April 1896, Roy was the youngest of ten children born to Wiltshire-born John Kent and Mary Jane Williams. The family ran a small dairy farm in Smythe’s Road, producing champion Jersey and Ayrshire cattle, and providing milk around the district.

Growing up, no doubt Roy and his siblings were regaled with a wealth of stories of their father’s adventures on the Ballarat goldfields. He arrived in Ballarat when he was just 8 years of age, and, not only was he said to have been taken prisoner following the rebellion at the Eureka Stockade (just a year after arriving in the colony), he was also present at the discovery of the Welcome Nugget. As he was working the whim for the Red Hill Co-operative Company, John Kent was the first to handle the nugget above ground. It was indeed a golden part of history, although being only an employee he wasn’t to share in the rich reward. But, oh the stories to be told!

When Roy reached school age, he was enrolled at the Redan State School. It seems he attended the smaller Smythe’s Road State School, too. The family, being Welsh Methodists, he also attended the Carmel Welsh Church in Albert Street.

From the time he was old enough to take responsibility, Roy joined in the daily running of the farm and caring for their herd of cattle. It was inevitable, therefore, that he would become a dairyman on finishing his education.

He continued to work on the farm helping his father and brothers preparing the Jersey cows and their Ayrshire bull for local shows. They also ran quality horseflesh, which was to give Roy a life-long love of and affinity with horses.

Sadly, death was to become a familiar character in Roy’s life. He was just eleven when his eldest brother died on 4 April 1907, but the death of his brother, Gordon – the closest to Roy in age – was particularly difficult to bear.

War had been declared on 4 August 1914, but at that stage, Roy was underage and not able to enlist. Nevertheless, it was the only topic of conversation with the young men of the district. So, when 21 year-old Gordon Kent died suddenly from influenza and broncho-pneumonia on 3 October, the shock was felt throughout the community. Gordon was known for his bright and cheerful nature and was greatly loved. In a sad final symbolic act, Roy and his remaining brothers, William, George and Alfred, bore Gordon’s coffin to the grave in the Ballarat New Cemetery.

As time passed, Roy began to chafe to join his mates in the army. Finally, with the growing casualty lists coming in from Gallipoli, Roy convinced his parents to allow him to volunteer. The 19 year-old enlisted at Ballarat on 21 July 1915.

Popular local doctor, F. B. Crawford, conducted Roy’s medical examination and passed him fit for active service. Standing at 5-feet 9½-inches, weighing 10-stone 8-pounds and have a chest expansion of 37-inches, Roy easily met the enlistment criteria. Dr Crawford also noted Roy’s fair complexion, green eyes and straight fair hair.

According to Roy, he had not received any military training due to living outside the area covered by compulsory service. Given that he attended the Redan State School, however, it seems likely that he did at least have cadet training. After signing his oath to serve King and country on 29 July, Roy immediately went into camp with reinforcements for the Australian Light Horse.

On 10 August, the residents of Smythe’s Creek gathered at the State School to farewell a number of their local boys who were getting ready to leave for the Front. Amongst their number was Roy Kent. Grenville Shire Councillor W. Wallace presented Roy with a wristlet watch. He wished him good luck, ‘and sincerely hoped he would come back from the war safe and sound, covered with glory, to the right royal welcome which would be ready for them…’

Roy spent the next three months training in camps at Castlemaine and Broadmeadows. He finally embarked with the 12th reinforcements to the 9th Australian Light Horse from Port Melbourne on 23 November onboard the ocean liner Ceramic.

'…We are having a great time up to date. We had a lovely trip over in the Ceramic. The sea was just like a mill-pond all the way, and we were informed that our boat made an exceptionally fast trip, as can be seen when I state that we left Port Melbourne pier on 23rd November and reached Egypt on 20th December.

My first impressions of Cairo are certainly not favourable. I think it is the worst place God ever made. It is wonderful how some of the natives live. About a dozen crawl into one little hole, fowls and all, and you can imagine the state of affairs from a sanitary point of view. It is amusing to see the natives getting about with their donkeys, some riding and others driving, and they are always full of business. You would laugh to see the milkmen over here. They drive the old cow round the streets, and when a customer comes along, they sit down and milk the cow, filling the jug or whatever utensil may be brought.

We had a great "blow-out" Christmas Day. Fancy turkey for dinner, and we finished up with pudding and other delicacies obtained through our billies. Talk about a collection of things in the billies; they contained almost everything one could wish for - pipes, tobacco, cigarettes, and dozens of useful articles.

Today is Boxing Day.

Last year we were enjoying ourselves at Lal Lal; this year we are doing 'our bit' in a good cause. However, we are looking forward to Lal Lal next year.

The camps seem to be half full of Ballarat boys. I met Joe Scott last night; never saw him looking better. We would be pleased to hear from any of the boys as news is very scarce here.
Remember me to all the lads…'

This letter was written to Mr Syd Eudey, of Skipton Street, in Ballarat. Given that Roy was a dairyman, it is not surprising that he showed a particular fascination with the 'Cairo milkman'.

On 8 March 1916, Roy was transferred to the 3rd Light Horse Reserve Regiment stationed at Heliopolis. It wasn’t long though before he was transferred to Artillery Details at Tel-el-Kebir. He embarked for England at Alexandria with this group of reinforcements on 28 May.

‘…1 July 1916
We left Tel-el-Kebir Camp on 28th May, at 10 o'clock, and travelled all night in open wood trucks, 50 in a truck, so you can guess what sort of a ride we had. We landed in Alexandria on Monday morning, and boarded HMS Corsican, which sailed the same day.

Our first port of call was Gibraltar, which we reached on 5th June, and after a day's coaling we were off again, reaching England on 11th June, and a six hours train journey brought us to our camp. Well, the camp we are in will always do me. We are in huts, 30 men in a hut. We have the electric light on, tables to have our meals on, a sort of stretcher to sleep on, a fireplace with plenty of coal to burn - in fact, everything up to date.

I am with my old mates. We have been together since we left Broadmeadows. I was told that the 9th Light Horse were not going to leave Egypt. That was no good to me, for I had had quite enough of Egypt.

We get week-end leave here, so you can reckon I'll take the earliest opportunity of seeing the sights of the world's greatest city.

We are being treated like kings. We have our roast beef or mutton every day for dinner, also roast potatoes and cabbage; porridge for breakfast and stewed fruit for tea; so you will see we are not doing too bad.

I think we will soon be shifted to another camp to get more gun practice. The big guns will always do me. They make your ears ring for a while, though.

We have done a good deal of practice since we have been here. The English officers give us great praise. They say we have got on wonderful with the guns.

My word, there is no doubt about this country. It is something lovely. The grass here is up to your knees. All the paddocks are the same, and they remind me of George's paddock when he used to save it for cutting. The cattle are rolling fat. Talk about hares, why, they go about here in droves, some of the larger estates having gamekeepers looking after them. Wild ducks on the ponds and pheasants flying about - it is too much for me to tell you all the wonderful sights. My word, this part of the world has got me beat. It doesn't get dark till about 11 o'clock. I am writing this now, and it is quarter-past 9 and just like 10 o'clock in the morning. Remember me to all old friends…'

Gunner Roy Kent was attending the Australian Artillery Training Depot when he wrote this letter to his father from Bulford Camp, England. As Roy stated he had transferred from the 9th Light Horse when it became obvious that there was little chance that they would ever see action on the Western Front – where the real war was being fought. This transfer, after training, resulted in him being attached to the 1st Divisional Ammunition Column. His experience with horses eventually saw him re-mustered as a shoeing-smith. He sailed for France on 9 September.

After passing through the Australian Divisional Base Depot at Étaples, Roy joined the No1 Section of the 1st DAC at Pommiers Redoubt near Montauban on 23 November. The unit remained in the Montauban sector into the New Year.

The 1st DAC was deployed up and down the line during the remainder of 1917, and it wasn’t until November that Roy had a break. Just over two weeks leave in the United Kingdom was exactly what the young man needed.

On 8 February 1918, following an illness of just three days, John Kent died at the Ballarat Hospital. It is not known how soon Roy would have heard of his father’s death, but being so far from home at such a time must have brought great personal heartache.

Throughout the remaining exhilarating and turbulent months of 1918, Roy continued to serve with his unit. He was in France when the Armistice was signed on 11 November and heard the guns finally fall silent on the Western Front. Two days later he was granted leave to England, where no doubt he witnessed the jubilant celebrations that came with peace.

Roy returned to Australia on 12 April 1919 and celebrated his 23rd birthday at sea onboard the transport Suffolk.

A large, happy gathering took place at the Smythe’s Creek State School on the evening of 3 September 1919, the purpose being to formally welcome home the boys from Smythe’s Road. Amongst the twelve returned men was Roy Kent. Each soldier was presented with a gold medal, and the evening was rounded out with a dance and ample refreshments.

Choosing not to return to his pre-war life on the dairy farm, Roy moved into Ballarat and worked as a labourer.

In 1926 he married Ballarat girl, Inea Berry. Known as Ina (pronounced Ena), she was nine years younger than Roy, but she had seen two of her brothers, George and Dick, go away to war, so she was an ideal match for the young veteran. The following year, Ina gave birth to the couple’s only child, a daughter, Joan Lois.

Over the ensuing years, Roy worked as Postmaster in several country towns. These included positions at Gordon, Carisbrook and Harrow.

Then, during the Second World War, Roy enlisted once again and served for over three years as a sergeant with the Australian General Hospital.

When their daughter died suddenly from a brain aneurism on 12 July 1962, Roy and Ina became guardians to her children, Margaret and Neil Neaves.

At the time Roy was acting as resident caretaker of the Ballarat Civic Hall and they all lived together in the small flat on the east side of the building. The children grew up with this vast building as their very own “backyard.”

Roy, who loved birds of all sorts, cut a quaint figure as he completed his rounds of the Civic Hall with his favourite budgie perched happily on his shoulder. He also loved going to the trotting races at Ballarat’s Bray Raceway and worked on course at the adjacent greyhound track.

Margaret, Roy’s granddaughter, remembered him fondly as a quiet man, who always cared for others and would help anyone in need. She also recalled how he marched every year for ANZAC Day, proudly remembering those mates who had not returned home.

Roy Kent died at Ballarat on 15 February 1971.