{"id":519,"date":"2008-07-08T09:50:37","date_gmt":"2008-07-07T22:50:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/fffaif.wordpress.com\/?p=519"},"modified":"2008-07-08T09:50:37","modified_gmt":"2008-07-07T22:50:37","slug":"uncle-harrys-charm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fffaif.org.au\/?p=519","title":{"rendered":"Uncle Harry's Charm"},"content":{"rendered":"

The 5th<\/sup> Australian Division<\/strong> units involved in the Battle of Fromelles<\/strong> on 19 July were (from north to south):<\/p>\n

8th<\/sup> Brigade: <\/strong>Assaulting battalions 32nd<\/sup> (WA) and 31st<\/sup> (Qld, Vic) with Reserve battalions 29th<\/sup> (Vic) and 30th<\/sup> (NSW)<\/p>\n

14th<\/sup> Brigade <\/strong>(NSW): Assaulting battalions 53rd<\/sup> and 54th<\/sup> with Reserve battalions 56th<\/sup> and 55th<\/sup><\/p>\n

15th<\/sup> Brigade<\/strong> (Vic): Assaulting battalions 59th<\/sup> and 60th<\/sup> with Reserve battalions 57th<\/sup> and 58th<\/sup>\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Australian troops of the 59th and 60th Battalions near the Sugar-loaf, where No-Man’s Land was wide, went over the parapet at 5.45p.m. following the 53rd at 5.43p.m. on their left and\u00a0the 54th at 5.50p.m. and then the 31st and 32nd at 5.53p.m.. The 8th<\/sup> Brigade formed the left of the attack, and the 31st<\/sup> Battalion lost 143 men killed during the assault.<\/p>\n

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\u00a0Photo: <\/strong>Australian soldiers killed in the German 2nd<\/sup> line at Fromelles [AWM A01565]<\/p>\n

This photo has been reproduced with the permission of the Australian War Memorial<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Today Tim Whitford<\/strong> introduces his great uncle, Private Harry (Henry) Willis<\/strong>, one of the 16 members of the 31st<\/sup> Battalion of the 8th<\/sup> Brigade, 5th<\/sup> Division, AIF listed amongst the \u2018missing’ at Fromelles.\u00a0 A good luck charm belonging to Private Willis was found during preliminary searches of the Pheasant Wood site in 2007. This find provided a vital piece of evidence in the initial stages of the investigation.<\/p>\n

Tim Whitford, with his wife Elizabeth and daughter Alexandra travelled from their home in Tallarook, Victoria, to be present in Fromelles during this year’s excavation by the GUARD team from Glasgow University. On several occasions Tim was permitted to view the pits during the excavation. He describes the experience as a rare privilege and honour.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Photo<\/strong>: Lambis Englezos, Tim Whitford & Ward Selby at Pheasant Wood [Carole Laignel, Secretary of the F.W.T.M. 14-18 (Fromelles Museum)]<\/p>\n

In a newspaper interview while in France Tim said: His<\/em> (Private Harry Willis) remains are among those that are here and we know that because of the medal that was found. I think this is the beginning of the end of Harry’s story rather than the end.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0Private Harry Willis (Henry Victor Willis) No<\/sup> 983<\/strong><\/p>\n

31st Battalion, AIF<\/strong><\/p>\n

KIA Fromelles 19\/20 June 1916<\/strong><\/p>\n

Pheasant Wood<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Photo: <\/strong>Private H.V. Willis [Tim Whitford]\u00a0<\/p>\n

Harry Willis was one of the 14 Children of John and Janet Willis of Alberton, South Gippsland, Victoria. The Willis family were battlers, struggling\u00a0since the death of their breadwinner John in an accident some years earlier.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Harry was a good looking boy and always had a smile on his face. He was extremely youthful in his looks and was a hard worker. He worked as a general labourer on the family farmlet and helped on other farms around the district. Harry’s brothers Bert, George, David and Syd all joined the AIF when war came and after receiving a white feather in the post, Harry soon forged his mum’s signature (he was 19 years old – under aged at the time) and joined up as well. Janet mustn’t have minded too much as she never sought to have Harry discharged in the months that he was at Broadmeadows camp. I guess money was tight so the extra really helped.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Harry became an original member of D Company (OC Captain Mills)\u00a0of the 31st Battalion (Lt Col Toll), 8th Brigade (Gen Tivey), and was eventually trained as part of a Lewis Gun team. We think Harry was proud of being a soldier. Although he never wrote much, he sent many portraits home to the family.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Photo<\/strong>: Private Harry Willis [Tim Whitford]<\/p>\n

Harry, with the rest of the 8th Brigade, missed out on the Gallipoli campaign and spent an extended period of time training in Egypt before sailing for the Western Front.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The 31st Battalion was allotted to the attack on Fromelles shortly after its arrival in France,\u00a0and it was while marching up to the Fleurbaix sector that Harry and his Brother Syd had a chance, final meeting. Syd had been in a neighbouring sector with the 21st Battalion and was\u00a0on a carrying fatigue when the two met. Both brothers knew that Harry’s chances weren’t good\u00a0and one can only imagine what it feels like, in a few snatched moments, to shake hands and say goodbye to\u00a0a little brother for what they knew was the last time. \u00a0<\/p>\n

Syd remained bitter with the “heads”, who he personally blamed for Harry’s death, for the rest of his long life. Syd’s first born son was named Harry in his honour. Harry Jr is still alive and is a veteran of the Second World War. Harry Jr has lived his entire life in the shadow of, and with the legacy of\u00a0his long dead Digger uncle.\u00a0<\/p>\n

When the attack on Fromelles started, Harry’s company were held as reserve company for the Battalion, and it is believed that it was as a response to Lt Col Toll’s urgent call for Lewis Guns and Bombs that Harry crossed No Mans Land and headed toward his CO. Lt Col Toll was in action in front of the\u00a0large German\u00a0 fortified farm known as the Grashof so it is in all probability that it was a weapon from this position, now a peaceful\u00a0hunters retreat complete with picturesque fish ponds,\u00a0which claimed Harry’s life. We know from eyewitness accounts that Harry received a jaw wound. It was this wound or shock\u00a0that probably killed him. \u00a0<\/p>\n

The Germans gathered up Harry’s remains and deposited them in one of the pits\u00a0in front of Pheasant Wood. They removed his ID disc and it eventually made it’s way back to his mother through the Red Cross. Very small change for a good looking boy\u00a0who was always smiling. Harry’s Mum, Janet, never recovered from the death of her boy. She changed forever. Her Grandkids remember her as a very stern, moody\u00a0woman, always angry, without joy. Harry’s photo was always\u00a0on the mantelpiece\u00a0but his name was only whispered for fear of upsetting Janet.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Unbeknown to the German troops\u00a0throwing Harry’s body\u00a0into the pit, a prize souvenir, Harry’s enamelled copper good-luck medallion,\u00a0dropped unseen from Harry’s pocket and onto the ground where it was eventually, unknowingly trodden into the earth as the work of burial continued. 91 years later it was that same little copper medallion that turned up in a metal detector sweep, finally linking a known Australian soldier to an anonymous field in front of Pheasant Wood. It was Lambis Englezos’s work that brought the metal detectorist there and it was Harry Willis that confirmed they were in the right place.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Photo: <\/strong>Harry’s original good-luck charm alongside a similar one in near original condition. [Tim Whitford]<\/p>\n

Harry was a good boy who always smiled. He disappeared from\u00a0sight in 1916, but not from memory. Down through the years and through the generations, the descendants of his brothers and sisters have always carried his torch. He’s never been forgotten, we just never knew where he was. \u00a0<\/p>\n

Now we know.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Lest we forget Harry Willis.<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

As a result of viewing the pits Tim, a former combat-arms soldier himself, is adamant that the Fromelles lads receive a dignified re-burial and an attempt at identification.<\/em><\/p>\n

Rue Petillon Cemetery, near Fleurbaix, is the final resting place for many of Private Willis’ fallen 31st<\/sup> Battalion comrades from the Battle of Fromelles. These men earnt the dignity of individual headstones in recognition of their sacrifice. The Diggers lying in the pits at Pheasant Wood deserve the same recognition.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\"\"<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Photo: <\/strong>Entrance to Rue Petillon Cemetery<\/p>\n

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Photo: <\/strong>31st <\/sup>Battalion Headstones at Rue Petillon Cemetery with Alexandra and Elizabeth Whitford [Tim Whitford] <\/strong><\/p>\n

FFFAIF Policy Statement<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Families and Friends of the First AIF believes that the Australian Government through the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs should commit the to re-burial of the “missing of Fromelles” with individual graves and headstones in a new Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery at Pheasant Wood after DNA testing.<\/p>\n

FROMELLES<\/strong> IS NOT HONOURED ON THE NATIONAL OR ANY STATE MEMORIAL IN AUSTRALIA.<\/span><\/p>\n

FFFAIF<\/strong> SUPPORTS ALL EFFORTS TO RECOGNISE FROMELLES<\/strong> ON OR AT THE NATIONAL AND ALL STATE MEMORIALS THAT PRESENTLY LIST BATTLES BY NAME.<\/span><\/p>\n

Call\u00a0back tomorrow for MORE UPDATES<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The 5th Australian Division units involved in the Battle of Fromelles on 19 July were (from north to south): 8th Brigade: Assaulting battalions 32nd (WA) and 31st (Qld, Vic) with Reserve battalions 29th (Vic) and 30th (NSW) 14th Brigade (NSW): … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[71,74],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-519","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-diggers-of-first-aif","category-top-posts"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fffaif.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/519","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fffaif.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fffaif.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fffaif.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fffaif.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=519"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/fffaif.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/519\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fffaif.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=519"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fffaif.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=519"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fffaif.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=519"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}