Comments on: Battle of Passchendaele (Third Ypres) http://www.awm.gov.au/blog/2007/04/11/battle-of-passchendaele-third-ypres/ Blog Thu, 02 Feb 2012 19:01:56 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.5 By: Chris March http://www.awm.gov.au/blog/2007/04/11/battle-of-passchendaele-third-ypres/comment-page-1/#comment-6541 Chris March Tue, 26 Apr 2011 22:54:11 +0000 http://blogdev.awm.gov.au/1917/?p=39#comment-6541 Craig - your blog has been insightful. My Great Uncle Alphonsus Cahill was killed in the Passchendaele II battle on 12 Oct 1917. As a youngster I was fascinaetd by the huge bronze service meadallion on my Nan's mantlepiece - his Sister Therese Hughes nee. Cahill - and she spoke sadly about him. I knew that he had been killed in action on Passchendaele Ridge and his body never recovered. He is listed at the Menin Gate. He was commemorated in a full stained glass window in Saint Patricks Church in Singleton NSW (which I can only assume the family paid for). As a schoolboy I would point it out to my mates and proclaim "that's Uncle Ally's window". Unfortunately that window was totally destroyed during the hail storm that wreaked havoc on Singleton in 1996. I couldn't help thinking at the time there was some greater force trying to obliterate the poor bloke! Never found, never properly interred and now the memorial pane was gone with no record of it's design/detail. His military dossier and record of enlistment mentions that he was serving already in the 6th Australian Light Horse when he joined the 34th Battalion 2nd Reinforcements - this puzzles me as I can find no record of this prior service? It wouldn't surprise me as he would no doubt have been a horseman by nature. There are some embarkation detail contradicitons between the AWM and National Archive infromation also. What I need now I suppose is some anecdotal information. The stuff that comes from the diaries of his comrades - travel memoirs etc. I have no idea where to start searching? Craig – your blog has been insightful. My Great Uncle Alphonsus Cahill was killed in the Passchendaele II battle on 12 Oct 1917. As a youngster I was fascinaetd by the huge bronze service meadallion on my Nan’s mantlepiece – his Sister Therese Hughes nee. Cahill – and she spoke sadly about him. I knew that he had been killed in action on Passchendaele Ridge and his body never recovered. He is listed at the Menin Gate. He was commemorated in a full stained glass window in Saint Patricks Church in Singleton NSW (which I can only assume the family paid for). As a schoolboy I would point it out to my mates and proclaim “that’s Uncle Ally’s window”. Unfortunately that window was totally destroyed during the hail storm that wreaked havoc on Singleton in 1996. I couldn’t help thinking at the time there was some greater force trying to obliterate the poor bloke! Never found, never properly interred and now the memorial pane was gone with no record of it’s design/detail.

His military dossier and record of enlistment mentions that he was serving already in the 6th Australian Light Horse when he joined the 34th Battalion 2nd Reinforcements – this puzzles me as I can find no record of this prior service? It wouldn’t surprise me as he would no doubt have been a horseman by nature. There are some embarkation detail contradicitons between the AWM and National Archive infromation also. What I need now I suppose is some anecdotal information. The stuff that comes from the diaries of his comrades – travel memoirs etc. I have no idea where to start searching?

]]> By: Corneillie Pascal http://www.awm.gov.au/blog/2007/04/11/battle-of-passchendaele-third-ypres/comment-page-1/#comment-5431 Corneillie Pascal Mon, 04 Oct 2010 09:27:28 +0000 http://blogdev.awm.gov.au/1917/?p=39#comment-5431 I'm a Belgian living in the Ypres region. My grandfather fought with the small Belgian Army near Boezinghe. Severely wounded in July 1916 he was brought to Rouen Bonsecours Hospital. He stayed in France and married a French nurse. My father was born French but got caught in the 2nd WW as partizan near St Omer. Brought to Braunsweig in a work camp he survived and stayed stuck in Belgium. So we are here today standing on a place where the youngsters fought in 14-18. Thx to films like Beneath Hill 60 we get a push in the back to continue our guiding . It's our task to inform, to instruck and never to forget. I’m a Belgian living in the Ypres region. My grandfather fought with the small Belgian Army near Boezinghe. Severely wounded in July 1916 he was brought to Rouen Bonsecours Hospital. He stayed in France and married a French nurse. My father was born French but got caught in the 2nd WW as partizan near St Omer. Brought to Braunsweig in a work camp he survived and stayed
stuck in Belgium. So we are here today standing on a place where the youngsters fought in 14-18. Thx to films like Beneath Hill 60 we get a push in the back to continue our guiding . It’s our task to inform, to instruck and never to forget.

]]> By: pauline http://www.awm.gov.au/blog/2007/04/11/battle-of-passchendaele-third-ypres/comment-page-1/#comment-5225 pauline Sun, 15 Aug 2010 15:44:32 +0000 http://blogdev.awm.gov.au/1917/?p=39#comment-5225 Hi, I found this site while looking for info on my grandfather. I believe he was in the 44th batt and was a stretcher bearer. His name was Pt. Alfred Horwood. Any info would be great. Hi, I found this site while looking for info on my grandfather. I believe he was in the 44th batt and was a stretcher bearer. His name was Pt. Alfred Horwood. Any info would be great.

]]> By: Roger Dobson http://www.awm.gov.au/blog/2007/04/11/battle-of-passchendaele-third-ypres/comment-page-1/#comment-4613 Roger Dobson Fri, 21 May 2010 05:01:42 +0000 http://blogdev.awm.gov.au/1917/?p=39#comment-4613 I visited the area of the Battle of Broodseinde last year. I had heard (and read) about an action during that battle at an area known as Celtic Wood/Copse. I was able to visit, and video, that area as it is now. There is very litte information about that action (only one book that I can determine). The information that I have indicates that the Australian soldiers that took part were all killed and have no known grave. Can you shed any light on,or indicate, any publication or source that I may access on this small action that was part of the larger battle. I visited the area of the Battle of Broodseinde last year.
I had heard (and read) about an action during that battle at an area known as Celtic Wood/Copse.
I was able to visit, and video, that area as it is now.
There is very litte information about that action (only one book that I can determine).
The information that I have indicates that the Australian soldiers that took part were all killed and have no known grave.
Can you shed any light on,or indicate, any publication or source that I may access on this small action that was part of the larger battle.

]]> By: AnnMarie Lawson http://www.awm.gov.au/blog/2007/04/11/battle-of-passchendaele-third-ypres/comment-page-1/#comment-4358 AnnMarie Lawson Sat, 17 Apr 2010 04:28:42 +0000 http://blogdev.awm.gov.au/1917/?p=39#comment-4358 Very Interesting reading. My Great Uncle was wounded on the 31st July 1917 and died the next day from his wounds, his name Pt. G H Mason, with the 42nd Battalion. I have read some of the 42nds unit diaries on microfische but found there is not much info out there. Lest we forget Very Interesting reading. My Great Uncle was wounded on the 31st July 1917 and died the next day from his wounds, his name Pt. G H Mason, with the 42nd Battalion. I have read some of the 42nds unit diaries on microfische but found there is not much info out there.
Lest we forget

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