DAVEY, 2nd Lieutenant Charles Basil Trevor

2^nd Lieutenant Charles Basil Trevor Davey

7^th Battalion AIF

by Ian Curtis

2^nd Lieutenant Charles Basil Trevor Daveyⁱ

‘His was a soldier’s death. God rest him’ⁱⁱ

Charles Basil Trevor Davey was born in Kerang, Victoria on 16 July 1889 to William John Davey and Mary McKenny (née Blackham). Charles was their youngest son. His father was of Cornish stock, born in Phillack, Cornwall, England. After immigrating to Australia, he met and married Adelaide-born Mary, in 1879, in Victoria. Records show that she was a descendant of Sir Richard Blackham, created baronet by King William III.

Charles attended the Kerang State School and attained 6^th Class standard. He joined the Cadet Corps at the age of 12 years and later joined the Victorian Rangers, passing through the ranks of Lance Corporal to Sergeant. When the Defence Act 1910 came into force, Charles received the appointment of Provisional Lieutenant with the 67^th Regiment. Charles completed his examinations for 2^nd Lieutenant in 1912 and later for Lieutenant in 1914 with good marks, then took command of ‘F’ Company, Kerang and Swan Hill District Military Forces. He was a very good shot and won several gold medals at rifle shooting competitions.

When England declared war against Germany, Prime Minister Joseph Cook committed an Australian Force of 20,000 men to support the British Empire. Charles quickly applied for a Commission. He was appointed 2^nd Lieutenant in the 7^th Battalion under the command of Colonel Harold Edward Elliott DCM who allocated the battalion on a territorial basis. H Company was made up of men from the Murray Valley, Echuca, Inglewood and Charlton.

Elliott had been a Corporal with the 4^th Victorian (Imperial) Contingent in the Boer War and had received a DCM for playing a leading role in a notable exploit. He managed to advance stealthily towards a camp where a large party of Boers were asleep. Elliott and another man untied and led away the horses without disturbing the sleeping Boers. He was commissioned in the 2^nd Royal Berkshire Regiment; however he remained with the Australians as acting Adjutant. He later served with the Border Scouts.

Elliott was outspoken, impulsive, headstrong and intense. He worked his men hard during training, perhaps more than any other commander. He was loved by his men, who nick-named him “Pompey.” ⁱⁱⁱ

The initial members of the 7^th Battalion assembled at 9.30am, 19 August 1914 on the parade ground at Victoria Barracks in Melbourne. With the officers and a few of the men in uniform and carrying their baggage, they marched through the streets of Melbourne with a Citizen Military Force band to the Carlton Football Ground where a meal was provided. They then set off again and with a number of breaks they reached their training camp at Broadmeadows. Charles and 43 men from the Kerang District left the Kerang railway station on 25 August for Broadmeadows. He had been responsible for initial recruitment of infantry soldiers in the district. Many others were placed on a waiting list.

The Battalion undertook intense training consisting of physical drill, squad drill, rifle exercises and lectures, all under the watchful eye of Pompey Elliott.

The 7^th Battalion, which was part of the 2^nd Brigade commanded by Brigadier James Whiteside McCay, was inspected on 11 September, by the Governor- General Sir Ronald Munro-Ferguson. He was very pleased with the parade. Two weeks later the Brigade marched through Melbourne prior to receiving orders to embark on 27 September. However, due to activity of German ships including Emden, it was considered too dangerous to depart until escort ships had arrived. The Battalion remained at Broadmeadows for a further three weeks.^iv

Early on the morning of Sunday 18 October, the Battalion marched to Broadmeadows railway station, then travelled to Port Melbourne where they embarked with the 6^th Battalion on HMAT A20 Hororata.

The ship was owned by the New Zealand Shipping Co Ltd, London and leased by the Commonwealth until 11 Sep 1917. Originally it had been fitted out to serve the New Zealand immigration trade, with five First Class berths and 1,066 Steerage berths. During the war, it completed six voyages from Australia, the first being from Melbourne with the 6th and 7th Battalions on 18 October 1914. She was a member of the First Convoy that left from Albany. From 12 September 1917 until 12 April 1919, she was under the control of the British Admiralty, having been taken up as part of the Liner Requisition Scheme, continuing to carry troops.^v

The 7th Battalion marching on the pier at Port Melbourne, prior to boarding HMAT A20 Hororata. The ship on the left is HMAT A3 Orvietto, the flagship of the convoy.^vi

On 19 October at 11:40am, Hororata steamed out of Port Phillip Bay. Due to overcrowding, A Company of the 6^th Battalion, was transferred while at Albany, to HMAT A5 Omrah. The convoy then sailed and the destination generally expected was England. However, due to the English winter and the lack of accommodation there, orders were received on 28 November for the Battalion’s training to be completed in Egypt. The Australian and New Zealand Corps were placed under command of General Sir William Riddell Birdwood.

Hororata reached Suez on 1 December and steamed up the canal, passing Port Said, and after some delay it tied up at Alexandria on a Saturday afternoon. The 6^th Battalion were able to leave the boat that day but the 7^th remained. The following day the ship’s crew refused to work the winches because it was a Sunday, so quickly the Battalions took over and had the ship unloaded. The men then moved to their camp at Mena.

A number of Charles’ letters home to his family were published in The Kerang Observer which was owned by his father. Charles had worked as a clerk and foreman of the Printing Department at the newspaper office. On arrival in Alexandria, Charles wrote to his father, “ …. As luck would have it the major had obtained permission to go into the city with a party on leave. I am unable to say much in favour of Alexandria. It is a rotten place.’^vii Charles and another had got separated from the main party and they spent the better part of their time on shore looking for them. They eventually went to the police station and were able to obtain a Police Corporal as a guide. ‘Alexandria is of all shapes and sizes and the buildings cannot be described. Some of the shops are fine establishments and some the very essence of dirtiness, and the people are no better. I was glad to get back on the ship again.” ^viii

On the Sunday morning, Charles was left in charge of B Company to disembark and get them to the camp. All the other officers in the Company were doing other duties. The trains were booked to leave by 9.30am. Like many of the country boys who went to the war, Charles described, in his letters home, the countryside the train passed through on its way to camp. Also he described the area where the 7^th Battalion Camp was situated. “We marched about half a mile and came upon the Shadow of the Pyramid. Some thought the troopships bad, but this was worse, as the sand is about four inches deep, and came well up on the boots, and is just as bad as trying to walk on the seashore at South Melbourne above high water mark.” ^ix

On 3 February, the 7^th and 8^th Battalions were railed to Ismailia after the 8^th Turkish Army Corps had delivered its long-expected attack on the canal. It was planned to attack the enemy at Tussum, but after information had been received that there was a large body of Turks at Habeita, a few miles from Serapeum, the attack was abandoned. After five days at Ismailia, the 7th Battalion returned to Mena Camp.^x

The last letter written by Charles to his family appeared in The Kerang Observer on Wednesday 19 May 1915.

Mena Camp

April 3, 1915

The mail closes in a quarter of an hour and I have no time to write a letter. We have just got orders to leave here tomorrow morning. We do not know where we are going, nor what might happen to us, but we will hope for the best. Good-bye all. Good-bye everyone in Kerang.

Your loving

CHAS ^xi

On 4 April, the Battalion marched into Cairo and entrained for Alexandria. They embarked on HMTS Galeka. Four days later she steamed out and proceeded to Mudros Harbour on the island of Lemnos, arriving on 11 April. For several days the troops were exercised. On 24 April, orders were issued for the attack on Gallipoli Peninsula, north of Gaba Tepe. Three days’ rations and 200 rounds of ammunition per man were carried. ^xii

Lieutenant Charles Basil Trevor Davey was severely wounded on 26 April and he died at sea on 27 April 1915 aboard the hospital ship Ionian. He was buried at sea on 28 April, with Colonel M’Vea reading the burial service.

A letter to Charles’ father from a close friend, Lieutenant Chas A Denehy, gives the account of the operations. This letter was published in The Kerang New Times on Tuesday 29 June 1915.

“We landed on the western side of the Gallipoli Peninsula at daybreak on the morning of Sunday, 25 April. We landed under a hail of shrapnel and drove the Turks back. We won ridge after ridge until we could advance no further. Charlie was on the right flank, and did excellent service. He and his men captured a Turkish gun. All day the fight went on. Charles had swung his part of the line in advance of the general firing line. Toward evening he got the order to retire and dig in, which he did. All night we dug and repelled four attacks. Next morning there was [still] no chance of sleep; during the night we advanced again, having being reinforced. During that day (Monday 29 April) we had another hard time of it; in fact, the whole engagement was a fierce, terrible affair, with great odds against us. It was during the afternoon on Monday that Charlie was hit, the bullet entering the thigh and travelling up the body. He called to his men, ‘Go on boys: get forward!’ and they did. It was night when they got him to the beach and transferred him to the ship Ionian. He bore up well, and was bright and cheerful; but on Tuesday, 27 April, about three or four o’clock pm, haemorrhage set in, and he passed over peacefully and calmly. Next day he was buried at sea, one day out from Alexandria. His was a soldier’s death. God rest him”^xiii

The letter was posted by Lieutenant Denehy on the hospital ship HMHS Goorkha, Mediterranean Sea, on 10 May 1915.^xiv

One of his men wrote: “He was a jolly fine officer, one of the most popular in our battalion, as well as being clever from a military standpoint, all the men regretted his untimely death,”^xv

Charles’ father received a visit from Rev Canon Brydges, St John’s Vicarage, Kerang on 18 May 1915. He delivered the official notice sent by urgent telegram from Colonel Hawker, Victoria Barracks, Melbourne. It said, ‘ Officially reported that Lieut. C. B. T. Davey died of wounds ninth inst. Kindly inform his father, W J Davey, of Kerang, of sad news, and convey regret and sympathy of King and Queen and Commonwealth in loss sustained by the death of his son. Kindly wire me when you do this. Reply Paid.’^xvi

Charles’ Death Notice appeared in The Kerang Observer on Saturday 22 May 1915.¹⁷

DEATH

DAVEY. – On the 9^th May, 1915, died of wounds received in action at the Dardanelles. Lieut, Chas Basil Trevor, beloved younger son of W J and M Davey, Victoria Street, Kerang, age 25 years.

“Until the Morning Dawn”

All Australian and New Zealand officers and soldiers who were buried at sea after being evacuated from Gallipoli by reason of wounds or disease, along with those who have no known grave, are commemorated on the Lone Pine Memorial. Charles’ name appears on panel 27. He is also remembered at the Australian War Memorial on Panel 49, the Kerang State School Honour Roll, Kerang and District Honour Roll, Kerang Masonic Lodge No 100 – First World War Memorial Tablet.

The letter and supporting testimonial above are available for viewing at the Maryborough Military and Colonial Museum These documents show the high regard there was for Charles Davey within his own community.

Charles’ personal effects and equipment were sent home, by Thomas Cook & Son who were established in Egypt to perform this task. Initially sent home were his Tin Box (locked), Tin Trunk (locked) and a kit bag. Shortly afterwards a paper parcel was despatched with the items on him, at the time of his death; namely, nine pounds and eighteen shillings, wristlet watch, gold ring, money belt and identity disc. Charles’ mother was given a war pension of sixty-five pounds per year from 19 July 1915.

In 1917, Charles’ father wrote to Headquarters, 3 Military District enquiring about two letters (one to his sister) which were never received by the family. It is believed that they may have been destroyed at the time of his death, aboard the hospital ship HMHS Ionan.

In 1926, after the death of Charles’ father, his mother wrote to Base Records in Melbourne about Charles’ 1914-15 Star. She was informed that it had been sent to his father. She had received his Victory Medal in 1922 and at this time advised that she was now next of kin, as her husband had passed away. She also received Charles’ Memorial Scroll and Memorial Plaque.

2^nd Lieutenant Charles Basil Trevor Davey

1914 -15 Star, proudly displayed

at the Maryborough Military and Colonial Museum.

‘Lest we Forget’

References

NAA: B2455 DAVEY, Charles Basil Trevor

Kerang Shire Letter, Original held by the Maryborough Military and Colonial Museum

Dean, A., Gutteridge, Eric W. The Seventh Battalion AIF

Imperial War Memorial

www.aif.adfa.edu.au

Australian War Memorial

Kerang Observer

Kerang New Times

www.birtwistlewiki.com.au

www.ancestry.com.au

Massey, G. Gallipoli Heroes: a tribute to the men from Western Victoria who gave their lives for their country.

Note: For more of 2^nd Lieutenant C B T Davey’s letters, search the Kerang Observer www.trove.nla.com.au/newspapers/search/advance

ENDNOTES

i^Imperial War Museum (HU 109469)

ii^ Letter from Lt Chas A Denehy 7^th Battalion

iii^Dean, A., Gutteridge, E. The Seventh Battalion AIF, page 7

iv^Ibid., page 8

v^ www.birtwistlewiki.com.au

vi^Australian War Memorial photo CO2491

vii^ Kerang Observer Wednesday 27 January 1915.

viii^Ibid

ix^ Ibid

x^Dean, A., Gutteridge, Eric W. The Seventh Battalion AIF, page 13.

xi^ Charles wrote two earlier ‘last letters’ home dated 6 and 11 March 1915. In one he indicated that they could be going to Turkey.

xii^Dean, A., Gutteridge, Eric W. The Seventh Battalion AIF page 13.

xiii^The dates in the letter have been amended as the letter was written some time after Charles had died when Denehy was on a hospital ship himself.

xiv^ Denehy was hospitalized, but returned to duty and later attained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He was awarded DSO and Bar, Croix de Guerre and twice Mentioned in Despatches. He was a prolific writer to families to advise them of the deaths of their loved ones.

xv^ Gallipoli Heroes

xvi^ Kerang Observer, 19 May 1915.

¹⁷ Kerang Observer, 22 May, 1915, p. 2.

ANZAC Biographies

On our website you will find the biographical details of ANZAC (as well as British) servicemen & women whose medals or other memorabilia form part of the collection on display at the Maryborough Military & Colonial Museum, Maryborough, Queensland, Australia.