1st Field Company
Australian Engineers
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Major Headquarters |
Locations |
Dates |
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Home Service |
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Company raised in New South Wales. Enrolled in Sydney and into camp at the
Royal Agricultural Society Grounds. |
Aug 1914 |
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1st Australian Division |
Sailed from Sydney on
board the Afric. |
18 Oct 1914 |
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1st Australian Division |
Assembled in convoy in King George’s South. |
26 Oct 1914 |
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1st Australian Division |
Departed King George’s Sound |
1 Nov 1914 |
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Middle East and Egypt |
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1st Australian Division |
Arrived at Aden via Columbo, Ceylon |
25 Nov 1914 |
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1st Australian Division |
Suez Canal |
5 Dec 1914 |
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1st Australian Division |
Mena Camp, Egypt |
15 Dec 1914 |
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Gallipoli |
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1st Australian Division |
Lemnos |
4 Mar 1915 |
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1st Australian Division |
Anzac |
25 Apr - 30 Jun 1915 |
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1st Australian Division |
Landing at Anzac |
25-26 Apr 1915 |
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1st Australian Division |
Defence of Anzac |
19-21 May 1915 |
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1st Australian Division |
Mining and
countermining operations opposite German Officer’s Trench |
Jun 1915 |
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1st Australian Division |
Sulva |
6-21 Aug 1915 |
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1st Australian Division |
Landing at Sulva |
6-15 Aug 1915 |
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1st Australian Division |
Sari Bair |
6-10 Aug 1915 |
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1st Australian Division |
Scimitar Hill |
21 Aug 1915 |
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1st Australian Division |
Relieved of front line duties |
13 Sep 1915 |
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1st Australian Division |
Half company to rest camp at Mudros. Remainder of company working on fortifications and trenches. |
17 Sep 1915 |
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Egypt |
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1st Australian Division |
Suez Canal Defences |
January 1916 |
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France and Flanders |
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1st Australian Division |
Pozieres |
23 Jul - 3 Sep 1916 |
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1st Australian Division |
Bullecourt |
3-17 May 1917 |
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1st Australian Division |
Menin Road |
20-25 Sep 1917 |
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1st Australian Division |
Polygon Wood |
26 Sep - 3 Oct 1917 |
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1st Australian Division |
Broodseinde |
4 Oct 1917 |
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1st Australian Division |
Poelcappelle |
7 Oct 1917 |
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1st Australian Division |
Passchendaele |
12 Oct 1917 |
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1st Australian Division |
Passchendaele |
26 Oct - 10 Nov 1917 |
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1st Australian Division |
Hazebrouck |
12-15 Apr 1918 |
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1st Australian Division |
Amiens |
8-11 Aug 1918 |
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1st Australian Division |
Albert |
21-23 Aug 1918 |
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1st Australian Division |
Epehy |
18 Sep 1918 |
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1st Australian Division |
Pursuit to Mons |
28 Sep - 11 Nov 1918 |
OFFICERS:
Original officers of the company (1914)
· Major J.P.L. Mc Call, V.D. Later Lieutenant Colonel. Commander, 1st Field Company, 1914-1916. A.D.A. Signals, A.I.F. in Egypt, 1916-1918. Municipal Officer, Sydney. Born: 10-11-1864.
· Captain (Honorary Major) J.M.C. Corlette, C.M.G., D.S.O., V.D. Later Brigadier. Commander 1st Field Company, 1915. Commander 4th Pioneer Battalion, 1916. C.R.E., 2nd Division (C.M.F.) 1921-1926. Commander, 1st Infantry Brigade, 1926-1932. Civil Engineer, Hunter Distict Water Board. Born: 25-3-1880 in Ashfield, New South Wales. Died: 11-2-1969.
· Lieutenant L.F.S. Mather, D.S.O. Later Lieutenant Colonel. Commander, 2nd Field Company, 1915-1918. C.R.E., 5th Division, 1918. Regular Army Officer. Born: 30-6-1888 in Melbourne. Died: 23-1-1919.
· Lieutenant N.E. Biden. Regular Army Officer. Later 3rd Field Company. Born: 26-12-1892 in Sydney. Died: 21-12-1915 at Lemnos.
· Lieutenant R.J. Dyer, D.S.O. Later Lieutenant Colonel. Commander, 1st Field Company, 1916-1918. C.R.E., 4th Division, 1918. C.R.E. 1st Division (C.M.F.), 1921-1922. Engineer in Sydney. Born: 8-12-1893 in Sydney.
· Lieutenant C.N.R. Huntley. Engineering draughtsman for New South Wales Railways. Born: 14-3-1885. Died of wounds: 4-5-1915.
First Reinforcement
2nd Lieutenant Henry Bachtold, D.S.O., M.C. Later Lieutenant Colonel. Commander, 14th Field Company, 1915-1916. C.R.E., 3rd Division, 1918. Civil Engineer in Sydney. Born: 22-8-1891 at Stanningley, Yorkshire, England.
Other Company Officers
Captain R.C. Herbertson. Mining Engineer of Brisbane
and Mount Morgan, Queensland. Born: 7-4-1882 at Clunes, Victoria. Killed in action:
23-7-1916.
SOURCES:
1. Battle Honours of the Royal Engineers. The Royal Engineers Journal. The Institution of Royal Engineers, Chatham, Kent, 1925-1932.
2. Mc NICOLL, R.R. The Royal Australian Engineers, 1902-1919: Making and Breaking. Corps Committee of the Royal Australian Engineers, Canberra, 1979