Virtual
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Australia

From the book Fallen Saints

Dudley Castle Oldham of Hackney South Australia was the brother of Edward Castle Oldham (PAC) who had been killed in action on 25 April 1915 while commanding B Company, 10th Battalion. Sergeant Dudley Oldham, 2nd Mounted Brigade, South African Horse, Pretoria had served 43 days on active service with the 1st South Australian Mounted Rifles during the Boer War. [i]

In 1914 while back in South Australia to see his family, Dudley paid a visit to his School, St Peter's College, Adelaide South Australia

…Peter Warburton and Dudley Oldham, after a long sojourn in South Africa, visited the School this term. They were eloquent in their praises of the many improvements that had taken place since their school days. [ii]

The editor of the School Magazine obviously knew Dudley well and perhaps he’d even witnessed him scrapping in the schoolyard, as back then a boy would sometimes do to put an end to being bullied. Dud Oldham is Shift Boss on the Van Ryan Estates, and has been connected with this property ever since the end of the South African War. Fights his way out of some tough corners. [Like boy, like man. -Ed.] But is always cheery and immensely popular. His spare time, when he has any, is spent in golf. [iii]

Dudley enlisted with the 1st South African Infantry Brigade at Roberts Heights on 29 Oct 1916 and sailed from South Hampton on 2 March 17 and joined D Company, 3rd South African Infantry Regiment in France.  

The 3rd South African Infantry Regiment (Transvaal and Rhodesia) was one of four infantry battalion- sized regiments that were the core of the 1st South African Infantry Brigade. The 1st South African Infantry Brigade commanded by Brigadier General Lukin was raised at Potchefstroom August-September 1915 and recruited volunteers from the four provinces of the Union; the 1st, (Cape of Good Hope) 2nd, (Natal and Orange Free State) and the 4th (South African Scottish) South African Regiments.

At the end of their successful campaign in German South West Africa (now Namibia), a great number of men in the various regiments volunteered for service overseas.

In December 1915, the Brigade was deployed to Egypt where on 26 February 1916 it distinguished itself in the fight against the Senussi at Agagia. After assisting to put down the Senussi uprising along the Egyptian coast, the Brigade proceeded to France and there became part of the 9th (Scottish) Division.

On 14 July 1916, the South African Brigade with a fighting strength of 121 officers and 3,032 other ranks entered Delville Wood with orders to take the Wood at all costs.  They took the Wood and even after repeated German counter-attacks held it until relieved on 20 July by which time brigade strength had been reduced to slightly less than 30 officers and 750 men.

The first two stages of the Battle of Arras on 9 April 1917 had met with success and would have been complete except for a few areas where there was serious resistance. When elements of VI Corps advanced south of the River Scarpe, they were held up by heavy machine gun fire and the Scots saved the day.

Immediately north of the Scarpe the 9th Scottish Division (including its South African Brigade) punctually broke through the second German line at Athies and allowed the 4th British Division to pass through and seize the third line at Fampoux,... [iv]

10414 Private Dudley Oldham was shot through the right thigh during the fighting there and died of wounds on 20 April 1917. [v]

[i] Department of Defence Documentation Centre, Pretoria, South Africa– Oldham, Dudley Castle
[ii] St Peter’s School Magazine - W K Thomas & Co, Adelaide, December 1914, p. 39
[iii] ibid., p. 40
[iv] Bean, C E W, Official History of Australia in the War of 1914–1918, Vol IV, Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1933, p. 270
[v] Department of Defence Documentation Centre, Pretoria, South Africa – Oldham, Dudley Castle