Off to War-Dick Laws

What has he left behind?

His riding crop

Collar box.

I guess he was not going to need his collar box for storing the stiff collars or his riding crop.
These have been handed down in the family.

What he took with him that has been sent back and now passed down the family- his prayer book..

GETTING  TO  EUROPE

The new soldiers were eager to join up with their 9^th Battalion and get to fight the Enemy. By the time their reinforcements left on the “Commonwealth”, the 9^th were on the battlefields of France after leaving Egypt where they had regrouped after the failed Gallipoli campaign. But it was to be much more than a year before Dick caught up with his battalion.

One month after their departure, there occurred the first anniversary of the landing at Gallipoli. This first Anzac Day was celebrated with parades, ceremonies, and displays in schools and public places. The newspaper “The Queenslander” in its issue on the 29 April 1916, reported many of these commemorations. Also featured in this issue was its report of the departure of the “Commonwealth” the previous month, with 4 full pages of small individual portraits of every soldier on the boat, including the 111 men in the 9^th Battalion, Sergeant R. W. Laws being one of them.

When the family read this exciting newspaper, they had already received postcards from Dick sent from West Australia. The troops were kept on board until Freemantle, where they were allowed ashore briefly. It was an opportunity to buy and send postcards home, and Dick the athlete did some training too. “I went for a good long run.”  He was feeling the confined space, and the lack of activity and the heat. “It is very stale on board. Most of the troops sleep on deck, but it is hot wherever you get. I will not be sorry when we land” b

ut it was another four weeks before that happened.

Then they were landed in Egypt where they trained for 3 months in camps recently vacated by the soldiers from Gallipoli, now in France. Dick had his 21^st birthday here, and it is hoped he did manage to celebrate this birthday, because for the next birthday he was in hospital in France, for the next he was in hospital again in England, and before the next birthday he was dead.

TRAINING  IN  ENGLAND & FRANCE  

From Egypt they were sent to England to train further in the big British camps on the southern downs, waiting until needed to replace casualties in their regiment fighting in France. Dick was at Tidworth Barracks on Perham Downs and sent from there letters and postcards every mail to someone at home. He was missing his big warm family, but always wrote lightheartedly. He wrote to his 12 year old brother Frank - “Just a line to let you know I have not forgotten you and I would like to see you again. We have lots of fun here and aeroplanes are as common as motorcars are in Warwick. There were 8 flying over our camp the other day.”

From Tidworth Barracks

However, a little later his boredom and frustration were revealed to his older sister Lily when he writes to her - “We have not left England yet, but I don't think it will be long before we do. I will not be sorry because I am just about fed up of all the training we are getting.” This was then 11 months since he had joined up.

Finally, 2 weeks after this, the reinforcements were moved to north France, being marched in to Etaples on 16 October 1916. This was the big British base camp where all new arrivals to France were sent for their final toughening up training at “The Bullring” before being sent to the front.

Soon after his arrival, Dick purchased more postcards and posted them off to reach home by Christmas. The ones he sent to his sisters were special ones with colourful, pretty embroidered organza panels. Two of them had a pocket which contained a similarly embroidered handkerchief. These were greatly treasured then and still are a hundred years later.

Christmas card to his sister Jessie

Cover of the card sent to his sister Jessie

Also in October 1916 Dick Laws voted for the first time.  All soldiers over 21 had to vote when there was an election in Australia, and also now in the Referendum to enact a law that all Australian men should be conscripted to serve overseas. Men enlisted in the Services voted in a small majority for Yes, but the overall Australia vote was a majority for No. So unlike most other countries, Australian forces fighting overseas remained all volunteers.

The final hard training went on, and it seemed Sergeant Laws would soon march out to his 9^th Battalion with flying colours.  But this was not to be.  A most unfortunate event ruined Dick's future in the army forever, even though it was through no fault of his.