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From: Ballarat & District in the Great War

It is not difficult to admire a high achiever – especially one who contributes to their community on multiple levels. Certainly, one of Ballarat’s most memorable citizens did exactly that. He served the people of the district for many years, and, when needed, he served his country, too. The importance of this article is to do him justice – and to make sure his legacy is never forgotten.

Charles Henry William Hardy was born into a family of doctors. He arrived at Maldon on 9 January 1861, the eldest of two surviving sons born to Irish doctor, Charles Henry Hardy, and his wife, Henrietta Edwards.

The influence of their father was enormous. A man of remarkable endeavour and stamina, he led by example. He held the post of health officer to the Maldon Municipal Council when his sons were born. He had also held the post of Honorary Medical Officer of the Ballarat Hospital and the Ballarat Orphanage for many years. By 1866, he had moved his family to the inner northern Melbourne suburb of Carlton to undertake more diverse opportunities in his medical career.

As the boys grew, they became more aware of the commitment their father exhibited to the community. As well as his work in private practice, Dr Hardy was on the board of the Benevolent Asylum and Immigrant’s Home, he was the honorary surgeon to the Alfred Hospital and member of the Central Board of Health. He was also a Justice of the Peace and a long-serving president of the Carlton Cricket Club.

When both William and Samuel chose to study medicine, their father must have been quietly pleased and proud. In October 1877, William passed his matriculation examination at the University of Melbourne. He was immediately accepted by the university to begin studying for his degree.

In October 1882, William sat his examinations for fifth year medicine. Results were posted in December, confirming that he had successfully completed his degree.

Having already established a strong connection with the military – he held the rank of captain in the 3rd Infantry Regiment by 1882 – William was appointed surgeon in the medical department of the citizen forces on 31 January 1883.

On Saturday 31 March 1883, the Hardy family was able to watch with pride as William was conferred with the Bachelor of Surgery by the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Melbourne, Anthony Brownless. The ceremony was conducted in the newly constructed Wilson Hall, a building made possible by a donation from Sir Samuel Wilson, who had once owned Ercildoune Station near Ballarat.

Sadly, Charles Hardy was not to see his second son graduate. Samuel was still a medical student when his father died at the family residence at 190 Collins Street, on 24 August, 1883.

By the end of the year, William was well on his way to establishing his career. He was appointed Officer of Health for Buninyong Shire, then in September of the following year he was appointed to the same position for Meredith Shire.

Whilst in Buninyong, William became heavily involved in the local Masonic Lodge. He also built on his interest in tennis by securing a piece of land from the Buninyong Council to establish a lawn tennis club in 1886. The new court was in the Botanical Gardens adjacent to the existing bowling club.

Within two years, William had re-located into nearby Ballarat. As a consequence, he was one of the first on the scene of one of the worst tragedies to ever be seen in the city. On 9 December 1890, local stock and station agent, James Johnston, smothered his four children and shot his wife in the head, before taking a concoction of arsenic and opium in an attempt to commit suicide. When the alarm was raised, it was William Hardy who had the heartbreaking task of confirming that the children, Mary aged 8, Ruby 7, Gordon 3 and Pearl, just 2, were all dead. He briefly held out hope that the baby was still alive, but it was too late. When he checked the mother, Mary Johnston, he discovered that despite the severe gunshot wound, she was still alive. As was her husband.

Johnston was treated and taken to the Ballarat Gaol. Mary Johnston was removed to the Ballarat Hospital, where William Hardy and Doctor William Morrison attempted to save her life. Despite regaining consciousness and being able to speak, the bullet was deeply imbedded in her brain. She died five days later on 14 December.

In May 1891, after James Johnston had been found guilty of the murders and had been sentenced to death, a controversy erupted when the two doctors agreed with one another that the man was insane, bringing about a brief stay of execution. Their finding was overridden by a medical board formed by the government, who declared that Johnston was in fact completely sane. He was executed at the Ballarat Gaol on 18 May 1891.

William’s commitment to community endeavours saw him join the committee of the Ballarat Mechanics Institute in 1893. In January 1894, he resigned his position with the Meredith Shire, and in July of the same year took the position as honorary physician at Ballarat District Hospital, where he also delivered lectures for the Nurses Training School.

On 9 March 1901, William married Helen Kate Strachan Smith. The wedding was held at the bride’s hometown of Casterton, and was conducted by the Right Reverend Bishop of Ballarat, Dr Arthur Green. It seems likely that it was at Christ Church Cathedral in Ballarat that the couple first met. Kate had been a student at Queen’s College, Ballarat (she matriculated from there in May 1894) and the students would have worshipped at the Cathedral. By this time, William Hardy had established a strong connection to the Cathedral in Lydiard Street, where he was on several boards relating to the church – he was an office bearer and a trustee of the Young Men’s Club.

William took a leave of absence from his position at the hospital in order that he and Kate could enjoy an extended honeymoon “tour” of England. When they returned to Ballarat, they made their home at 208 Sturt Street.

After the arrival of their two sons, Charles William Kenneth on 18 August 1902 and John Adrian on 4 September 1904, William moved his family to new premises at 816 Sturt Street, which was adjacent to the Ballarat Hospital.

Throughout this period, William also continued his association with the Citizen Forces. In 1904 he was gazetted brevet major and Commanding Officer of the 30th Australian Army Medical Corps. The full rank of major was conferred in 1906. He was then promoted to lieutenant colonel in 1911 and figured prominently with the Light Horse Field Ambulance.

By the time war was declared, William Hardy was one of the most popular figures in the Ballarat community. He enlisted at Ballarat on 1 March 1915, and, after applying for a commission three weeks later, was appointed to the rank of lieutenant colonel and given command of the 6th Australian Field Ambulance. The medical examination that accompanies an application for commission in the AIF, was always less revealing than that of an ordinary soldier. From the few details given, William Hardy certainly cut an impressive figure – he was just half an inch over 6-feet tall, weighed 13-stone 12-pounds and had a 38-inch chest.

On 15 May1915, Colonel Hardy caught the train to Ballarat from Melbourne to attend a special presentation at the City Hall. Accompanied by about 120 members of the 6th AFA, he took possession of a motor ambulance and a Wiles cooker that were gifts of the Ballarat branch of the Red Cross Society.
‘…Col Hardy, on behalf of the 6th Field Ambulance, thanked the two Mayors for their hospitality. Ballarat had done
wonderfully for the Ambulance. It had supplied members for the unit of whom they were proud. It would be the best-
equipped Ambulance, he believed, that had left Australia, the motor ambulance would be the best that had ever left
these shores, and he believed it would be better than most that were at the front. It was large, roomy, and complete. It
was a magnificent piece of work, a great credit to Ballarat in workmanship, but a greater credit still to the loyal-hearted
women who had worked and subscribed to get it to send to the front. From what they learned, it took two or three days with the ordinary waggons and carts to get the wounded where they could obtain skilled attention, and they could imagine what a difference there could be with such an ambulance. Another and a purely Ballarat thing, was the Wiles' cooker. There was no cooker to touch it…’

On 4 June the 6th Field Ambulance embarked from Port Melbourne onboard HMAT Ajana. It was to be a quick stopover in Egypt before the unit embarked for Gallipoli on 30 August. From the minute he arrived at ANZAC, William Hardy performed his work brilliantly and quickly came to the attention of his superiors for his dedication to the men and ability to oversee the efficient function of the 6th Field Ambulance.

However, there were the inevitable casualties to his unit, who were working under particularly dangerous conditions, and one of William’s saddest tasks was writing letters to the families of fallen men. The following letter was written to Bertha Murray after the death of her son, William Herbert Murray. The 19 year-old chauffer from Ballarat died of wounds on 15 November 1915.

'Dear Mrs Murray,
I am very sorry indeed to have to write to you about your boy. He was on duty at Brown's Dip, one of the most dangerous posts on the Peninsula, and was in the station when a broom-stick bomb struck the roof, and, exploding, caused injuries to his head. Your son, though living, was quite unconscious. He was at once removed to the base hospital on the Peninsula. He lingered and died without regaining consciousness. I saw him immediately he was brought down, and afterwards visited the ACC where he was taken. He is buried close to this hospital.
We all deeply regret his loss, for it was through his actions and those of his mates that this unit has won the admiration of the combatant units at the Dip for their bravery. He was a good boy, and we all deeply sympathise with you and yours in your loss…'

After the evacuation of the peninsula, the 6th Field Ambulance arrived back in Egypt on 7 January 1916. To keep the men amused and occupied, many fun and innovative ideas were employed, including a rather competitive polo match. Driver Joseph Scott, from Ballarat, sent a leaflet home that detailed the match, which was between the ‘…16th Ally Slopers' Cavalry and the 6th Linseed Lancers and team lists were as follows - Lancers: Major Dane on Forceps, Major Makin on Pill King, Captain Adey on Cough Mixture, Captain Cordner on Sawbones, Captain Wilkinson on Disinfectant, and Captain Johnson on Porous Plaster. The Cavalry: Captain C. H. E. Manning on Lyddite, Captain J. W. Blanche on Dreadnought, Captain J. S. Duffy on Hot Stuff, Lieutenant H. W. Ennis on La Renee, and Lieutenant R. Kerr on French Maid. The Referee was Colonel C. H. W. Hardy on Germ!...’

Due to his performance at Gallipoli, William was transferred to the 5th Australian Division on its formation at Ismailia on 20 February and appointed as Assistant Director Medical Services with the rank of colonel. Until June, while the Division was being organised and trained, William succeeded in keeping the men fit and well. This was no easy task, as the troops were holding some 8-miles of the Suez Canal east of Ismailia and the sanitary conditions were less than ideal. Under his training the AAMC of the Division became ‘very effective and well trained.’

William landed in France on 23 June. The 5th Division went into the line in front of Sailly on 10 July. Once again, Colonel Hardy was ‘indefatigable in his arrangements for sanitation, good water supply and ensuring health in the Division… [he] consistently supervises personally all parts of the line…’

His work ethic was mirrored by his popularity and it was not unusual for him to be mentioned in letters home to Australia, with ‘…Dr Hardy was as active as ever, and looked in splendid health…’ or ‘…Dr Hardy is still 'going strong.'…’ And there was always a degree of pride in being a part of “Colonel Hardy’s Field Ambulance.”

Colonel William Hardy’s work during the Battle of Fromelles was perhaps one of the single most important feats by an Australian medical soldier up to that point in the war. During the action of 19/20th July his arrangements to collect and evacuate the wounded resulted in some 3000 casualties being safely removed from the battlefield in a 36-hour period and taken to Clearing Stations where they received immediate medical treatment. It is impossible to calculate exactly how many lives were saved because of the efficiency of his work. As would later be noted, ‘…Colonel Hardy is tireless and his unobtrusive, but single-minded devotion to duty has inspired the whole of his command…’

It is obvious that the trials of Gallipoli and the horrendous experience at Fromelles began to affect the popular doctor. His health began to deteriorate. At Fricourt on 7 November, he reported sick and was diagnosed with influenza and bronchitis and an infestation of scabies. More concerning was his general debility with an underlying ‘disordered action of the heart,’ a condition that was often triggered by stress and the constant bombardment from high explosive shells. He was admitted to the No1 New Zealand Stationary Hospital in Amiens on 11 November, where trench fever was added to the diagnoses. It was decided to evacuate him to England, where he was admitted to the 3rd General Hospital in Wandsworth, London, on 22 November.

A Medical Board on 30 November found that, while there was no organic heart disease, he had suffered cardio-vascular changes due to the wear and tear of active service. The cause was recorded as ‘strain and stress’ and it was said he ‘looked older than his years.’ Given what he had witnessed at Fromelles, that could hardly be surprising.

When the New Year’s Honours List was released on 1 January 1917, Colonel C. H. W. Hardy was named as having received the Distinguished Service Order for his work at Gallipoli, at Sailly, and, in particular, for his remarkable work at Fromelles during what was to later be recognised as Australia’s single worst day in battle.

After over three months in hospital, William was finally discharge on 13 February 1917. Medical examination had confirmed that he was no longer fit for active duty and it was decided to repatriate him back to Australia. He sailed home on 12 April.

Upon arriving back in Ballarat, Colonel Hardy DSO was afforded two Civic Receptions – the first was on 18 April at the City Hall, then, two days later, he was received by the Mayor of Ballarat East, Councillor A. Levy. In responding to the many heartfelt speeches, William was quick to acknowledge the bravery and chivalry of the Australian soldiers. He also pointed out the horrendous conditions the doctors had faced…

‘…No-one knew what the men endured. One unit had nine doctors, but in a few weeks, owing to sickness, only one doctor remained to do the work, which was tremendously great, because as the men fell ill so did the medical men. It was day and night work for the doctor who remained, and a request was made for reinforcements. One doctor was lent after he had done the work for his own unit, and he was suffering from jaundice and hardly able to crawl. But he would not give in. He later returned to Egypt, and served right through, and he would not go into hospital or take any rest. And that man was a Ballarat boy…’ The latter statement elicited loud cheers.

On 21 August 1917, William Hardy’s appointment in the AIF was terminated. He was also awarded the Volunteer Officer’s Decoration (VD).

For William and Kate, the war had not finished, however. In March 1918, it was announced that their son, John, had passed the educational and medical examinations to join the Royal Navy. He was to train at the Royal Naval College at Gosport in England.

William Hardy’s other achievements before and immediately after the war included being the first president of the Ballarat Red Cross (1914-15) and first president of the Ballarat Women’s Ambulance Association. He was also an honorary lecturer and examiner for the Ambulance Association. He eventually held positions on the committee of the Ballarat Mechanics Institute (including terms as president) for a total a period of 42 years, which was at the time the longest service by an individual with that group. He performed the role of president for the Ballarat Choral Union and was involved with the Masonic Choir. And when the Ballarat County Council of Boy Scouts was formed in 1930, he was nominated as vice-president.

His work with the military continued, taking on the role of repatriation medical officer at Ballarat and he was eventually promoted to the rank of brigadier.

He watched with pride as his son, Kenneth, also became a doctor. When William suffered a serious illness in late 1932, and required surgery, and it was Kenneth who provided a blood transfusion ‘at a critical stage of his illness,’ which ultimately saved his father’s life.

In 1934, William and Kate relocated to St George’s Road in Toorak. Before leaving Ballarat, William was accorded a Civic Farewell by the Mayor of Ballarat, Councillor A. J. Darling. The couple later moved to Youpaiang at Apsley. Interestingly, there youngest son (who chose to become a grazier, rather than join the medical profession) was to later take up the land at Apsley.

The death of his only sibling, Samuel, on 29 August 1935, must have brought a great deal of sadness to William Hardy. The pair had remained close, with Samuel working for many years as a dental surgeon in Ballarat.

It seems that William Hardy continued in private practice up until the time of his death. They were living in at “Netralta” in Rockley Road, South Yarra, when William died on 4 August 1941. The funeral was held at Christ Church Cathedral, Ballarat, where he had spent so many happy and fulfilling years. After the service he was buried in the Old Ballarat Cemetery.