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This website is dedicated to the memory of my two dear friends Sandy Duncan and Shyama Peebles who both passed away in 2012.

WW1 Soldiers -  Enlisted or Born in Mount Morgans  

 For further details go to - https://www.awm.gov.au/

Clive Baron : Place of Birth, Birmingham England ; Place of Enlistment, Morgans WA ;
Next of Kin; Brother - Clive Clifford
Fleming Tom Joseph : Place of Birth, Mount Morgans WA ; Place of Enlistment, Fremantle WA ;
Next of Kin; Brother - ookin D.F.
Forsythe George Vincent[Gibson George]:Place of Birth, Mount Morgans WA:POE Melbourne VIC:NOK M Forsythe Alice

Researched by Dave Spain:-

 

MOUNT MORGANS

7095 Sapper Baron Clive was born in Birmingham England about December 1873.  His NOK was his brother Clifford Clive and resided at 10 Hall Rd, Handsworth, Birmingham, England.   He was 6 ft 2 ins (177 cm) tall and weighed 176 Lbs (80 Kg).  He had a fair complexion with blue eyes and brown hair.  He was single, and his religion was Church of England.  He was a Prospector and worked in the Linden area.

SPR Clive enlisted on the 19^th October 1916 at Mt Morgans.   He attended his basic training at 92 Training Depot from the 1^st November 1916 to the 30^th November 1916.  He was allocated to the Miners Reinforcements to complete training as a Tunnel Reinforcement at Seymore, Victoria, from the 19^th January 1917 to 27^th February 1917.  On completion of the training he was allocated to the February Reinforcements of the 3^rd Tunnelling Company of the AIF.  SPR B Clive embarked on the HMAT A9 (Shropshire) from Melbourne on the 11^th May 1917 and arrived in Plymouth, England on the 19^th July 1917.  During the voyage to England he contracted a bout of Influenza and was confined to the ship’s hospital from the 28^th June 1917 to the 14^th July 1917.  On arrival at Plymouth he was transferred to the Devonport Military Hospital and was discharged fit on the 24^th July 1917.  On the 24^th July 1917, he marched in to the No 1 Command Depot located at Devonport, Perham Downs.   He was allocated to the Overseas training Depot on the 28^th July 1917 and after further training proceeded to France via Southampton on the 12^th September 1917.

He arrived at the Australian General Base Depot (AGBD) located at Rouelles on the 14^th September 1917.  He was sent to his Unit, the 3^rd Tunnelling Company, on the same date. 

7095 Sapper Baron Clive was admitted to the 2^nd General Hospital at Le-Havre, France, on the 29^th October 1917 with Influenza.  At 0910 on the 6^th November 1917 he died of Lobar Pneumonia and Cardiac Failure.  He is buried in the STE. Marie Cemetery, at Le-Havre, France.  Div.62. I.K.6.  His medals have been claimed.

 

 

 

7299 PTE Tom Joseph Fleming was born at Mount Morgans, Western Australia, about June 1899.   His NOK was DF Bodkin, a Guardian residing at Victoria Park, as both his parents were deceased.  He was 5 ft 7 ins (161 cm) tall and weighed 133 lbs (60.5kg).  He had a fair complexion with blue eyes and brown hair.  He was single, and his religion was Roman Catholic.  He was a farmhand.

PTE T Fleming enlisted on the 16^th November 1917 at Fremantle, Western Australia.  After attending basic training at Blackboy Hill, he was allocated to the 22^nd Reinforcements of the 28^th Infantry Battalion.   Leave was granted during December 1917.  On the 13^th March 1918, Pte Fleming embarked for England from Fremantle on the RMS Ormonde.   During the sea voyage, he disembarked at the Australian Camp at Suez on the 4^th April 1918 and remained at this location until entraining to Port Tewfik on the 30^th April 1918.  He embarked on the T15 “Ellenga” and arrived at Southampton on the 15^th April 1918.  On the 16^th April 1918, Pte Fleming marched in to the 5^th Training Battalion at Fovant and after further training was transferred to the 51^st Infantry battalion and then detached to the 12^th Training Battalion located at Codford on the 5^th June 1918.   On the 6^th June 1918, he contracted Influenza and remained in hospital until 11^th June 1918.  He recovered during his stay in Codford Training Camp and on the 9^th July 1918 went AWOL until the 15^th July 1918.  After serving his punishment he proceeded overseas to France via Folkstone on the 7^th August 1918. 

On the 10^th August 1918 he disembarked at the Australian 1^st Base Depot at Havre in France and proceeded to join his Unit, the 51^st infantry Battalion on the 12^th August 1918.  He was taken on strength in the field on the 24^th August 1918.  PTE T Fleming remained with the 51^st infantry battalion and on cessation of hostilities, his Unit was allocated to assist in burial detail.  From the 8^th March 1919 to the 23^rd June 1919, PTE T Fleming was attached to the Australian Burial Unit.  On the 24^th June 1919, he embarked for England and arrived in Southampton on the 25^th June 1919.  He reported sick, to the Australian General Hospital on the 27^th June 1919 and remained in hospital until the 1^st September 1919.  On the 22^nd September 1919 he embarked for Australia on the HMAT Port Sydney and disembarked at Fremantle on the 4^th November 1919.  During the return trip to Australia, PTE T Fleming contracted Jaundice and was hospitalised on the Ship.  He was finally discharged at 5^th Military District on the 26^th December 1919.  He claimed his medals in 1921.

 

 

    

7373 PTE George Vincent Forsythe was born at Mt Morgans on the 8^th January 1903.   His Father was George Albert Forsythe and his Mother was Alice Maud Vincent.  His parents lived in Port Fairy, Victoria.  He was 5ft 5 inches (162 cm) tall and weighed 121 lbs (55 kgs).  He had a fresh complexion with blue eyes and fair hair.  He was single, and his religion was Church of England.   He listed his occupation as a Seaman. 

PTE GV Forsythe enlisted on the 9^th January 1917 at Royal Park, Victoria.  He enlisted under the name of George Gibson and stated he was a Seaman and his parents were deceased.  He indicated his age was 18 yrs 11 months old.   In fact, he was 14 years and 1 day old.  It appears after he stated he had no guardian or next of kin, he nominated a friend, Mrs Alice Forsythe of Port Fairy, North Victoria, as a NOK.  He stated he had been rejected as “unfit” due to his chest in section 12 of his Attestation Paper.  He was also cleared by the Royal Australian Navy by a letter to join the 1^st AIF on the 6^th January 1917 due to him indicating he was a Seaman.  He signed his Attestation Paper on the 6^th January 1917, followed by the “oath” on the 9^th January 1917, in front of the Recruiting Officer.  Interesting to note the Major in Charge of the medical examination passed him fit for Service on the 6^th January 1917.  

He attended his basic training from the 10^th January 1917 to the 26^th January 1917 with the 2^nd Training Battalion located at Royal Park.  On completion of his training, he was allocated to the 24^th Reinforcements of the 8^th Infantry Battalion and served with that Unit from the 26^th January 1917 to the 19^th February 1917.  He embarked from Melbourne on the 19^th February 1917 with the HMAT A70 (Ballarat).   He disembarked at Devonport on the 25^th April 1917.  He marched in to the 2^nd Training Battalion located at Durrington, England, to complete his training on the 26^th April 1917.  During his stay at the Training Battalion he decided to be AWOL on several occasions from 13^th May 1917 to 9^th July 1917.  The most severe punishment he received from his Commanding Officer, LtCol J Walston, was 9 days detention and 22 days forfeiture of pay.  Eventually he settled down and after completing the training was allocated to the 23^rd Infantry Battalion.  He proceeded via Southampton, to France on 5^th September 1917.

On the 6^th September 1917 he marched in to the 1^st Australian General Base Depot in Havre, France and on the 13^th September 1917, proceeded to join the 23^rd Infantry Battalion.  He was taken on strength in the field on the 22^nd September 1917 and allocated to B Company.   On arrival to the 23^rd Infantry Battalion, PTE GV Forsythe found his Company was involved with intense fighting and enemy shelling at Polygon Wood.  He was involved with B Company holding ground against an enemy counter attack until they were relieved by the 13^th Infantry Battalion at 2335 on the 23^rd September 1917. By 0400 on the 24^th September 1917, the Battalion was at the rest area and was met by the YMCA with “A Hot Cup of Tea”.  The 23^rd Battalion with all Companies, were rested at the Dominion Rest Area from the 24^th to 26^th September 1917 and by the 25^th, the Battalion had been reinforced by 15 Officers and 265 OR’s from Fletre.  

During the day of the 27^th September 1917, the 23^rd Battalion were doing specialist training in preparation to attack the enemy at Brookseinde and Passchendaele Ridge.  They continued to train for the forthcoming battle during the 28^th and 29^th September 1917.  On the morning of the 30^th September 1917, the 23^rd Battalion with A, B, C and D Companies moved out from the Dominion Camp at 0730 arriving at Yser Canal Bank at 1030.   With specialist Officers and men of each Company, the 23^rd Battalion proceeded to take up advanced positions of the 46^th and 33^rd Battalions on the frontline.  B and A Companies of the 23^rd Battalion relieved the two companies of the 44^th Battalion and C and D Companies relieved two companies of the 33^rd Battalion.  By midnight this had been achieved.  On the 1^st October 1917, 6^th Brigade were in position for an assault on the enemy.  Between the 1^st October and 3^rd October 1917, heavy fighting between both sides took place and on the morning of the 4^th October 1917 most assigned objectives had been taken.  A new frontline had been established.  No counter attacks were initiated by the enemy.

From the 1^st October to the 4^th October 1917, 4 Officers had been killed and 128 OR’s had been killed or wounded including PTE GV Forsythe on the 2^nd October 1917.  The battleground had been taken and held by the 6^th October 1917.  A total of 6 Officers and 130 OR’s from the 21^st, 22^nd, 23^rd,24^th, 33^rd and 44^th Infantry Battalions had been killed or wounded during the 5 days of fighting.  On the 10^th October 1917 the 23^rd Battalion were relieved by the 51^st Battalion.  They had been fighting continuously for 12 days and nights.  On the 11^th October 1917, the 23^rd Battalion were at Ypres, resting after the battle.

7373 PTE George Vincent Forsythe was 14 years 8 months 17 days old when he participated in some of the heaviest fighting during the battles of the Western front.  During the early hours of the 2^nd October 1917, he was hit by shrapnel in the left shoulder and hand, the small of his back and the back of his head.  His condition was serious.   He was taken out of the field by the 3^rd Australian Field Ambulance to the 3^rd Canadian Casualty Clearing Station with multiple wounds on the 2^nd October 1917.  The same day he was entrained to the 55^th General Hospital in Boulogne.  After stabilising him, he was placed on the Hospital Ship, St Andrew, and was repatriated from France to England on the 11^th October 1917.   He was placed in the Northampton War Hospital on the 11^th October and by the 29^th November 1917 he had recovered enough to be granted Convalescent Leave and then reported to No 1 Command Depot at Sutton Veny, Weymouth.

On the 29^th October 1917, 9^th November 1917, 28^th November1917 and the 4^th December 1917, the Base Records Office in Victoria Barracks had informed PTE G Gibson’s well being to his listed friend Mrs Alice Forsythe.  It wasn’t until the 13^th December 1917, she contacted the Assistant Adjutant General of the 1st AIF by letter enquiring who PTE G Gibson is.  In doing this, it was established, PTE G Gibson was in fact PTE G Forsythe. 

From the 19^th January 1918 to the 17^th February 1918 PTE G Forsythe committed several offences whilst recuperating at the No 1 Command Depot.  During this time, it was finally realised who he was, and he was then posted to No 2 Command Depot awaiting return to Australia by request of his Mother and Father.  On the 21^st April 1918 he embarked for Australia on the A19 (Suevic) and disembarked at 3 MD, Melbourne on the 7^th June 1918.  He was discharged on the same day for the reason of being underage.

After his discharge from the Military, in 1919, George Forsythe joined the Merchant Navy and travelled extensively on several ships throughout the world.  He was in Perth in 1923.  By 1925 he had migrated to Canada and had joined the Royal Canadian Navy in about 1928.  Ironically, he was a Stoker 1^st Class on the HMCS Ypres.    In 1930, he met and married a girl named Eugena from New York.  1935 found them both living in New York.   

George’s parents were married in 1902 at Mt Morgans and he was the eldest of 7 children.  Four of the children were born at Mt Morgans but by 1914 the family had moved to Port Fairy on the north western coast of Victoria where three more siblings were born.  He had 2 sisters and 4 brothers.  One of his brothers fought with the 2^nd AIF in World War Two and was a prisoner of war.  He died in a prison camp in 1942.   George’s Father died in 1958 and his Mother died in 1962.  George Vincent Forsythe and his wife eventually settled in Dade County, Florida, USA and he passed away in October 1962 after being diagnosed with cancer in 1961.  George and Eugena had no known children.  He was issued his WW1 Medals and wore them on his Canadian Naval Uniform.