CAMPAIGN GROUPS AND PAIRS
624
Three: Sergeant J. Rodgers, 9th Battalion, Australian Imperial Force
1914-15 STAR (1635 Pte., 9/Bn. A.I.F.); BRITISH WAR AND VICTORY MEDALS (1635 Sjt., 9/Bn. A.I.F.), generally very fine (3)
£150-200
John Rodgers, a labourer from Cairns, Queensland, had seen active service during the Boer War as a Private in the Royal West Kents,
prior to enlisting in the Australian Imperial Force in January 1915. Embarked with the 9th Battalion in H.M.A.T. Seang Choon in the
following month, he witnessed active service in Gallipoli from May until December, although on one occasion evacuated to Mudros
for a few days as a result of sickness.
Rodgers was transferred to a new post at Tel-el-Kebir on landing in Egypt in early 1916, was embarked for France in March, where he
served at Etaples that summer, prior to removing to the 49th Battalion in October. A brief appointment in the Miner’s Corps having
followed in early 1917, he was posted to a training unit in England, from whence he was evacuated back home in December of the
same year, where he was discharged at Brisbane in March 1918, suffering from senility and rheumatism.
625
Three: Private P. O. Davies, 25th Battalion, Australian Imperial Force, who was subjected to brutal treatment as a P.
O.W., the subject of an official report on his return home after the War
1914-15 STAR (1909 Pte., 25/Bn. A.I.F.); BRITISH WAR AND VICTORY MEDALS (1909 Pte., 25 Bn. A.I.F.), together with a
“Returned Badge”, the reverse numbered ‘139139’, and a gilt and enamelled Masonic neck badge, good very fine (5)
£250-300
Phillip Oswald Davies, a miner from Many Peaks, Gladstone, Queensland, enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in June 1915 and
was embarked with the 25th Battalion in H.M.A.T. Kyarra in that August. Having then seen brief service in Gallipoli in December, he
was embarked for France - via Egypt - in early 1916. And it was here, in heavy fighting at Pozieres in late July, that he was taken
prisoner, his account of the action stating:
‘At midnight on 29 July 1916, we launched an attack with artillery preparation. We met heavy machine-gun resistance. There were
only small openings in the German wire and these were covered by machine-gun fire. When we reached the wire we were forced to
take cover in a shell-hole. The night was dark and misty. We were surrounded by a large number of Germans and were attacked and
overpowered by them from our rear ... ’
Thus commenced his time as a P.O.W., originally at Gefangenenlager, Wahn, Germany, a chapter that led to him submitting a full
report to the authorities on his repatriation, from which the following extract had been taken:
‘On one occasion, when they tried to force me to do more than my physical strength would allow (by assaulting me), I returned one of
the blows with my fist. A German, named Link, had me arrested and taken to a guard room where I was given a severe thrashing with
the butt end of a rifle. When they broke the rifle they made me black and blue from blows with the barrel. Later, a court of enquiry was
held at the instigation of the Controller. The finding of the court was three weeks in close confinement at Limburg. I have in my
possession a copy of the evidence taken at that court on 2 May 1917. Four months later, when working in the same mines, I was again
very brutally treated for refusing to work without food ... ’
626
Three: Serjeant E. J. Williams, 19th Battalion, Australian Imperial Forces, killed in action, 21 September 1917, killed in
action, Battle of Menin Road, 21 September 1917
1914-15 STAR (1344 Pte., 19/Bn. A.I.F.); BRITISH WAR AND VICTORY MEDALS (1344 Sjt., 19 Bn. A.I.F.) mounted court style for
wear, nearly extremely fine (3) £400-450
Edward John Williams, a Labourer from 53 Lower Fort Street, Sydney, N.S.W., enlisted on 22 February 1915. Joining the 19th Battalion,
he embarked from Melbourne aboard H.M.A.T. Ceramic on 25 June 1915. After landing and further training in Egypt, the battalion was
posted to Gallipoli, arriving there in August 1915. At Gallipoli the battalion participated in the attack on Hill 60. After being withdrawn
from the peninsula, the battalion proceeded to Egypt and thence to France. There the battalion was heavily involved in the offensive at
Pozieres, July-August 1916 and Flers, 14-16 November 1916. In 1917 the battalion took part in the Second Battle of Bullecourt, in
France, 3-4 May, and the Battle of the Menin Road, in Belgium, 20-22 September. Serjeant Williams was killed in action at the Battle of
Menin Road, on 21 September 1917, aged 33 years. Having no known grave, his name is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate)
Memorial. He was the son of Edward John and Gertrude Williams and the husband of Beatrice Ethel Williams, of 8 Albert Terrace,
Portland, Dorset, England. With copied research.
627
Three: Private J. Taylor, Cheshire Regiment, who was killed in action on the Somme in July 1916
1914-15 STAR (16868 Pte. J. Taylor, Ches. R.); BRITISH WAR AND VICTORY MEDALS (16868 Pte. J. Taylor, Ches. R.), good very
fine (3) £160-180
John Taylor, who was born in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, and enlisted at Wallasey, was killed in action on 3 July 1916, while serving in
the 11th Battalion, Cheshire Regiment, on which date his unit was decimated in an attack south of Thiepval - ‘line after line of troops
were mowed down’ after the Battalion was halted by heavy machine-gun fire some 50 yards from the German front line. Of the 20
officers and 657 other ranks who participated in the attack, just six officers and 357 men returned to our lines that night. Taylor is
buried in Lonsdale Cemetery on the Somme.
628
Three: Private T. Taylor, Cheshire Regiment, who was killed in action on the Somme in July 1916
1914-15 STAR (24325 Pte. T. Taylor, Ches. R.); BRITISH WAR AND VICTORY MEDALS (24325 Pte. T. Taylor, Ches. R), good very
fine (3) £160-180
Thomas Taylor, who was born in Dudley, Worcestershire, and enlisted at Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, was killed in action on 3 July 1916,
while serving in the 11th Battalion, Cheshire Regiment, on which date his unit was decimated in an attack south of Thiepval - ‘line after
line of troops were mowed down’ after the Battalion was halted by heavy machine-gun fire some 50 yards from the German front line.
Of the 20 officers and 657 other ranks who participated in the attack, just six officers and 357 men returned to our lines that night.
Taylor has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.
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