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16th at Bullecourt, the POWs
16th at Bullecourt, the POWs
On the 11th of April 1917, Australian forces attacked a sector of the Hindenberg line between Bullecourt and Queant. The 16th Battalion A.I.F. was one of four Battalions of the 4th Brigade involved in the attack. The initial advance was successful with the Brigade taking it's 1st and 2nd objectives into the 2nd line German trenches albeit with many casualties. However the hold was tenuous, enfilading machine gun fire made resupply impossible and the attackers soon began to run out of ammunition. A succession of fierce counterattacks eventually drove the Australians back to their own lines, by this time 75% of the 16th were either wounded or dead. The 16th went into the fight with 20 officers and 797 other ranks, the battalion lost in this one day's fighting 17 officers and 623 other ranks, dead, wounded and prisoners of war. The losses in the 4th Brigade as a whole were similarly high, 79 officers and 2,260 other ranks. A large proportion of the 16th were captured at their objective Reincourt. This community highlights some of them.
Created by: , Fife3190
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Born 1875
Australian Imperial Force 6465 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 21st Reinforcements
Australian Imperial Force 6465 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
More about William Arthur Bradbury -
Born 1878
Australian Imperial Force 6498 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 21st Reinforcements
Australian Imperial Force 6498 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
More about Christopher Davidson -
Born 1898
Australian Imperial Force 6553 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 21st Reinforcements
More about Claude Robert Marsh -
Born 1886
Died 1917
Australian Imperial Force 6525 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 21st Reinforcements
Australian Imperial Force 6525 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
More about William Joseph Harrington -
Born 1881
Died 1917
Australian Imperial Force 6616 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 21st Reinforcements
More about James Mcnamee -
Born 1886
Australian Imperial Force 6620 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 21st Reinforcements
More about Frederick Charles Symes -
Born 1884
Australian Imperial Force 6513 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
Australian Imperial Force 185 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. "A" Company
Australian Imperial Force 6513 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 21st Reinforcements
More about John Augustine Flynn -
Born 1891
Australian Imperial Force 6586 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 21st Reinforcements
More about Joseph Thomas -
Born 1887
Australian Imperial Force 6543 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 21st Reinforcements
Australian Imperial Force 6543 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
More about John Blaney Murphy -
Born 1895
Australian Imperial Force 6600 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 21st Reinforcements
More about George Wareing -
Born 1895
Australian Imperial Force 6519 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 21st Reinforcements
Australian Imperial Force 6519 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
More about Horatio Ganson -
Born 1882
Australian Imperial Force 6601 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 21st Reinforcements
More about Ernest Wood -
Born 1876
Australian Imperial Force 6458 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 21st Reinforcements
More about Alexander Burns Gloster -
Born 1881
Australian Imperial Force 6520 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 21st Reinforcements
Australian Imperial Force 6520 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
More about Duncan Grant -
Born 1888
Australian Imperial Force 2
Australian Imperial Force 419 Private 16th Btn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
Australian Imperial Force 419 Corporal 16th Btn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
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More about Michael Walton -
Australian Imperial Force 6479 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 21st Reinforcements
More about Sydney Young Burnett -
Born 1884
Australian Imperial Force 337 Lance Corporal 16th Btn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. "D" Company
Australian Imperial Force Second Lieutenant 16th Btn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
More about Redmond Harry Owen Cumming -
Born 1889
Australian Imperial Force 6545 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 21st Reinforcements
Australian Imperial Force 6545 Lance Corporal 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
More about Bernard Neil Mcilwraith -
Born 1888
Australian Imperial Force 6538 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 21st Reinforcements
Australian Imperial Force 6538 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
More about Douglas Lund -
Born 1888
Died 1918
Australian Imperial Force 6557 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 21st Reinforcements
Australian Imperial Force 6557 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
More about Joseph John Mcmahon