Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Name: Ernest Grivell
Service Number: 6515
Place of Birth: Grunthal
Date of Birth: 5 November 1895
Place of Enlistment: Adelaide
Date of Enlistment: 14 August 1916
Age at Enlistment: 21 years
Next of Kin: Mother, Jane Grivell / Grunthal
Occupation: Gardener
Religion: Methodist
Rank: Lance Corporal
The Grivell family came to Australia from Gloucestershire, England in the 1870s. After living at Paradise in Adelaide, Tom Grivell and his family moved to Verdun in the 1880s to take up a stringybark property. The Grivell’s would cut stringybark and haul it to Adelaide on horse-drawn carts and bring back blasting powder used in the construction of the Adelaide to Melbourne railway line. This gruelling work enabled the family to make a modest income.
Ern left Australia on board the Port Melbourne on 21 October 1916, disembarking at Devonport, England and proceeded to France with the 10th Battalion, 21st Reinforcement. He served in battles at Pozieres, Bullecourt, Ypres, Menin Road, Bapaume, Somme, Passchendaele and Amiens. Ern was appointed Lance Corporal on 1 May 1918. He suffered a gunshot wound to the neck during action in France on 30 May. Ern told his son Don that when wounded he felt his life was fading away “like a flickering candle in the wind.” He was eventually found by two stretcher-bearers, one of whom was from Verdun and recognised him, claiming he was lucky that they happened to find him quite by accident. Prior to this a fellow soldier from Verdun, Reg Radbone, upon seeing a damaged helmet was told it had belonged to Ern. He then stated “ I will never see him alive again.”
Ern’s son Don showed the author the small bible Ern used to stem the blood flow until medical aid arrived. He was sent to Colchester Hospital in England on 12 June for treatment for his neck wound. Simultaneously his mother Jane was informed of her son being wounded by a telegram from Base Records Office, Melbourne that stated “Dear Madam, I now beg to advise you that Private E. Grivell has been reported admitted Colchester Military Hospital, England, 12/6/18 suffering from gunshot wound to neck. His postal address will be/ No.6515, Private E. Grivell, 10th Battalion, Australian imperial Force, Abroad.” Such telegrams to inform the next of kin were brief and provided no specific details of the soldier’s condition. The A.I.F. staff at Base Records in most cases would not have had specific details of injuries sustained in action. Due to the huge volume of communications that had to be sent out they simply weren’t able to provide more detailed telegrams.
On 28 June 1918 Ern was admonished for drunkenness by Major C.H.Howard. While under the circumstances this appears harsh, consistent discipline had to be maintained at all times.
Ern was able to rejoin his unit on 1 October 1918 in France, where he served out the remainder of the war. He returned to Australia on the Ormonde on 30 July 1919. This troop ship even had its own newsletter, “La Vie Ormondaise”, carrying stories of some of the comical experiences of soldiers. It served to boost the morale of troops during their voyage home.
Upon returning home to Verdun Ern stoically resumed his pre-war occupation as a vegetable grower. Twice a week he would use a horse team to transport his vegetables to the Adelaide market. Horses would be changed at Crafers at night ready for the downhill trip to the market in the morning. Don vividly recalls his father doing this year after year as “ sheer hard work, drudgery.”
Ern’s motivation for enlisting was “there was a job to be done.” His war experiences had a physical and emotional impact upon his post-war life. He had a permanent white patch on his scalp due to one of several wounds. Shrapnel in his throat made his voice croaky. While it appears Ern was wounded on three separate occasions, sustaining wounds to the neck, scalp and throat, his National Australian Archives war record only mentions that he was wounded in action in France on 30 May 1918. Don said his father often stated that he was wounded on three separate occasions.
Ern held strong anti-German views and could often be heard cursing them while working in his market garden. Don pointed out that this was the only time he would behave in such a manner and that at all other times he was a quiet and tireless worker.
Don has many of the postcards Ern’s future wife, Nellie, sent and received while he was serving in France. Together with his father’s war medals he also has his Army uniform which is still in perfect condition. A collector of military memorabilia offered Don 1,000 pounds for it many years ago, but Don refused to part with it, such is the pride he has in his father’s commitment to his country in its hour of need.
*Information provided from interviews with Don Grivell throughout the period 2009 to 2011.