WWI - The Fallen

The First World War (WWI), known in the early 20^th Century as “the war to end all wars” began in 1914.

Australia's first significant involvement was in taking possession of German New Guinea and neighbouring islands in the Spring of that year.

Far better known is the unsuccessful campaign by the Allied Forces of Britain, Australia and New Zealand to take the Gallipoli Peninsula, which began in April 1915. Over some eight months of intense fighting against the well-defended Turks, Australian forces alone sustained 26,111 casualties including 8,141 deaths.

As news of this horrendous toll filtered home the nation went into shock. Then during July and August 1916, the Australian Infantry Forces suffered more than 23,000 casualties in the Pozieres-Mouquet Farm battles in France. More than 7,000 of these were deaths through enemy fire. Australian troops also saw action across the Middle East.

The War Memorials at Blackwood and Coromandel Valley list the names of men who were killed or died as a result of their involvement in WWI.

Blackwood's Memorial lists 14 men: L.S. Bigg, N. Campbell, T.S. Coombs, J.L. Downer, W.J. Dunn, R.S. Guthrie, F.L. Ougden, O.V. Pearson, A.G. Sinigear, J.L. Smith, E.C. Sparkes, H. Sullivan, H. Thorp and P. Wade.

Coromandel Valley's Memorial lists nine men: W. Altree, W.E.L. Cullen, A.J. Hall, F.W. Jones, H.L. Light, R.C. McNamara, A.E. Watchman and G.W Woodings.

Many of the above are also listed on the Coromandel Valley Public School's Roll of Honour, now displayed at the Blackwood RSL Clubrooms. Several men listed there are indicated as having lost their lives during the war, but are not listed on either the Blackwood or Coromandel Valley Memorials. Those men are: F. Crane, A.L. Davidson, P.V. Smily, G.S. Welfare and J. Waters.

The biographies and general information in this section of our website have been prepared using information obtained from the individuals' enlistment papers held by the National Archives of Australia as well as from Australian War Memorial records, Battalion histories, Blackwood Magazine 1914, Coromandel Valley Primary School and records held by the Coromandel Valley & Districts Branch, National Trust SA.

Research by Geoff Lock, 2015

Editing by Kat Lister, 2018