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Dudley Colin Suttor enlisted in the Australian Imperial Expeditionary Forces on 16th June 1915, at the age of 23, and three months. He was posted to the 15th Army Service Corps 4th Reinforcements. On30th September embarked from Sydney on board HMAT A8 Argyllshire. (Note: Some 328,583 Australian men and 2,131 women enlisted during WW1)

On the 18th December 1915 he was absorbed into the 15th A.A.S.C 2nd Division Training from the 4th Reinforcements. His initial rank was “Driver”, being promoted to Lance Corporal on the 1st September 1916.

He saw service in Egypt, France and Belgium as well as in England.

Following the signing of the Armistice in Compeigne France, for the cessation of hostilities on the Western Front, which took effect at 11am on the 11th of November 1918, the Australian Military had a problem in keeping a couple of hundred thousand home hungry men occupied and contented with no way to get them home quickly as they had been brought over in small portions over an extended period of time. Some were able to get work in the “old country” until their return. Another solution was for the AIF to organise unlimited sport of which Rugby was just one.

Dud became a star winger with the AIF Services team which did so much to rehabilitate Rugby Union after the World War One.

The AIF team had a grand pack of forwards headed by the late Billy Watson and Suttor was a star winger among an average set of backs.

Dud was promoted to Corporal on11th January 1919 and then to L Sergeant on the 16th January 1919

The teams left Devonport, England for Australia on 15th May 1919 on the Orontes disembarking at Sydney on 1st July 1919. The intention at the time was that they should play matches at Sydney and Brisbane before being disbanded.

Dudley Colin Suttor (Regimental No 7291) attained the rank of F/C Sergeant and was discharged from the 15th A.A.S.C of the AIF on 23rd August 1919, after 4 years and 70 days of service including 3 years and 276 days service abroad. Entitled to and issued 4 blue chevrons and Returned Soldiers’ Badge 101557.  War service medals issued were: 1914-15 Star; British War Medal and Victory Medal.

“I remember the day when Uncle Dud returned from the war looking very handsome in uniform. We were all waiting on the “Warrangunyah” verandah when the family car arrived, probably from Clandulla, but perhaps all the way from Sydney. There was a great rejoicing and  and welcoming and before long Uncle Dud was playing hide and seek with the numerous children.” (memories of Louis Baeyertz (nee Wilson) grand daughter of Walter Sydney Suttor via his daughter Reta Maria)

There was a welcome home dance held at “Warrangunyah” woolshed for Dud and his brother Jim and because there was so many children a “juvenile” dance was held for about an hour before the dance proper, and then the children were put to bed, more than often on a mattress in the back of a buggy.

Dudley Colin Suttor (1892 – 1962) married Elizabeth “Betty” Palmer (1895 – 1986) in 1921 at All Saints Cathedral, Bathurst. Betty was the only daughter of John Edward “Jack” and Louisa E (nee Lomas) Palmer of “Warraweena”, Bathurst. Jack Palmer was a well known Stock & Station Agent. The ceremony took place at All Saints Cathedral, Bathurst.

During the World War II years a local Ilford-Running Stream Volunteer Defence Corps was formed in 1942. Dud Suttor was in charge of the company and the writer believes that he may have held the rank of Captain. Measurements were taken, and uniforms sent up from Army Headquarters and everyone looked very smart in the uniforms, worn with the military hat. The training time was Sunday mornings at Ilford Recreation Ground from 9 am to 12 Noon. Some weekend camps were held at Bathurst. The company was disbanded in September, 1945.

Australian Rugby Union Representative

Wallaby # 129 3 Caps
Date of Birth; April 10, 1892 Cowra, NSW
School; Sydney Church of England Grammar School
Province; NSW
Position; Winger
Debut Club; Bathurst Experiment Farm (Bathurst)
Other Club; Bathurst
Debut Test Match; 1913 Wallabies v New Zealand, 1st Test Wellington
Final Test Match; 1913 Wallabies v New Zealand, 3rd Test Christchurch
Service Number; 7291, N196631
Died; April 15, 1962

Biography

Dudley Suttor had that great attribute that all top-class wingers need – speed – and he could use his extreme pace to fashion scoring chances where none seemed to exist. A contemporary of flyhalf Bill Tasker, Suttor made his New South Wales debut in the same match but missed selection for the 1912 Australian team that toured America. Perhaps that was no bad thing, as the tour was little short of a debacle, and by the time 1913 rolled around Suttor was both fresh and hungry for success. Although he continued to play in the country, Suttor’s abilities were well known in town. When South Sydney wing RD Fusedale did not have a particularly good match in the first contest against the visiting New Zealand Maori team, Suttor was called up with immediate and impressive results.

His first real chance came from a slick move worked by Fred Wood and Tasker, which gave the speedy Bathurst man a modicum of space. It was all he needed, as he burst clear of the defence and scored after a 50-yard run that had the crowd on its feet. In the second spell he again made a classy finishing run after good work by the inside backs had created space and his defence also won acclaim on many occasions. Praised on all sides as the star turn of a hard-fought match, Suttor was always going to be chosen for the New Zealand trip. In New Zealand Suttor played all the main matches and, with Ernie Carr playing every match, Queensland winger Lou Meibusch did not get a look in.

Suttor did little early on, as most of the play tended to run Carr’s way, but he made a mark in the second Test. Finally given a chance to show off his great pace, Suttor scored one of Australia’s three tries that day after receiving the ball from his centres and being given half a yard to move in. Once again, that was all he needed as he raced off to score. He scored again after coming on as a replacement at Timaru – the injury finishing any hopes Meibusch may have entertained of winning a Test spot – and Suttor had a stand-out game at Christchurch. He scored two fine tries, once after getting an overlap and the other after receiving a cut-out pass from Larry Wogan, and both times he was too quick for the chasers or the cover.

Australia claimed an historic 16-5 win, its first over the All Blacks in New Zealand, and was value for every point. The tour finished with a match against a moderate Marlborough side at Blenheim, where Suttor and Carr enjoyed both the firm ground and the space created by the centres to register hat-tricks. Naturally the two wingers were the day’s star turns and both were given a fine reception by the crowd. The 1913 Australians were nowhere near as strong as the first-string All Black side, but this combination left for California after winning the first Test 30-5 in terrible conditions. The Wallabies were an even match for the next best, however, and won many friends through their attacking mindset and the willingness they showed to give the ball air.

Naturally a speedy winger like Suttor was one of the chief beneficiaries and he returned home with a greatly enhanced reputation. Whatever his reputation after the New Zealand tour, Suttor had a less impressive home season in 1914. He was a member of the New South Wales side that faced the All Blacks in the tour opener and then played for Central-Western in the second tour match. This was a disaster as far as Suttor was concerned; he spent most of the afternoon trying to combat two or three attackers and the home side, completely outclassed, lost by 10-59. The All Blacks scored 15 tries – 12 by the three-quarters – and Suttor’s marker, Henry Taylor, scored five times.

Even though his defence had been a feature in New Zealand, Suttor was condemned on this showing and Queensland fullback Eric Francis was promoted to the Test wing spot. Suttor was also left out of the New South Wales side for the return match, although he did keep his place for the Queensland game. Like almost all his contemporaries, Suttor signed up almost as soon as war was declared. He was more fortunate than many former team-mates, getting through the war without suffering too many wounds, and he returned to big –time rugby with the AIF team in 1919. He only appeared in the first two matches, scoring two tries against New South Wales and starting on the wing in the first of a three-match series against Australia, but after that match he withdrew from the tour and returned to his orchards.