Lives of the First World War
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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 1891
Died 1953
Australian Imperial Force 6504 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
Australian Imperial Force 6504 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 21st Reinforcements
More about Norman James Evans -
Born 1877
Australian Imperial Force 6502 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 21st Reinforcements
Australian Imperial Force 6502 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
More about David Nelson Donaldson -
Born 1895
Died 1917
Australian Imperial Force 6517 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 21st Reinforcements
Australian Imperial Force 6517 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
More about Percy Robert Grover -
Born 1893
Australian Imperial Force 6569 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 21st Reinforcements
Australian Imperial Force 6569 Private 63 Depot
Australian Imperial Force 6569 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. "A" Company
More about John Edmond Rhodes -
Born 1882
Died 1917
Australian Imperial Force 6457 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 21st Reinforcements
Australian Imperial Force 6457 Sergeant 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
More about Arthur Thompson -
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 1879
Australian Imperial Force 6511 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 21st Reinforcements
Australian Imperial Force 6511 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
More about Franz Oscar Fredrikson -
Born 1879
Australian Imperial Force 6542 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 21st Reinforcements
Australian Imperial Force 6542 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
More about George Morrish -
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 -
Born 1879
Australian Imperial Force 6522 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 21st Reinforcements
Australian Imperial Force 6522 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
More about James William Hobson -
Born 1891
Australian Imperial Force 1784 Private 32nd Battalion Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
Australian Imperial Force 1784 Private 4th Light Trench Mortar Battery, AIF
Australian Imperial Force 1784 Lance Corporal 16th Battalion Australian Infantry, AIF
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More about George Douglas Mclean -
Born 1895
Australian Imperial Force 6518 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 21st Reinforcements
Australian Imperial Force 6518 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
More about Victor Mainwaring Green -
Born 1897
Australian Imperial Force 881 Private 28th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
Australian Imperial Force 881 Lance Corporal 28th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
Australian Imperial Force Second Lieutenant
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More about Keith Johnson -
Born 1890
Australian Imperial Force 677 Private 16th Btn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. "B" Company
Australian Imperial Force 677 Corporal 16th Btn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
Australian Imperial Force 677 Sergeant 16th Btn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
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More about Horace Stanley Hummerston -
Born 1887
Died 1917
Australian Imperial Force 300 Private 16th Btn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. "D" Company
Australian Imperial Force 300 Lance Corporal 16th Btn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
Australian Imperial Force 300 Sergeant 16th Btn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
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More about Stanley Brown Smith -
Born 1889
Died 1917
Australian Imperial Force 6492 Private 28th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 16th Reinforcements
Australian Imperial Force 6492 Private 63 Depot
Australian Imperial Force 6492 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 21st Reinforcements
More about William Fleming Campbell -
Born 1895
Died 1918
Australian Imperial Force 6581 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 21st Reinforcements
More about John Walter Slight -
Born 1889
Australian Imperial Force 6556 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 21st Reinforcements
More about Cecil Lindley -
Born 1895
Australian Imperial Force 6600 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 21st Reinforcements
More about George Wareing -
Born 1875
Australian Imperial Force 6554 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 21st Reinforcements
More about William Mccann