16th at Bullecourt, a cross section of the Battalion

16th at Bullecourt, a cross section of the Battalion

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. This community attempts to reconstruct the battalion as it was on the day of the battle, starting with known casualties and survivors I am steadily checking service records of men of the 16th to identify the others who were wounded or captured, it will be interesting to see how many of the reported 817 who were in the attack I can identify. Those not in the attack, whether in the Battalion HQ or not with the Battalion (ie sick, wounded or training in England) will be listed in another community as I cross check. The deadline is upon us there is sadly not enough time to complete the cross checking so this community will remain an unfinished work.

Created by: , Fife3190

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  • Born 1890

    Australian Imperial Force 6358 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 20th Reinforcements

    Australian Imperial Force 6358 Corporal 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 20th Reinforcements

    Australian Imperial Force 6358 Acting Sergeant 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 20th Reinforcements

  • Profile picture for William Henry Milburn

    Born 1891

    Died 1917

    Australian Imperial Force 6295 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.

  • Born 1892

    Australian Imperial Force 6476 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 21st Reinforcements

    Australian Imperial Force 6476 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.

  • Profile picture for Alfred Christopher Daniel Sims

    Born 1895

    Died 1917

    Australian Imperial Force 5430 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.

  • Born 1885

    Died 1918

    Australian Imperial Force 4599 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 14th Reinforcements

    Australian Imperial Force 4599 Private (Stretcher Bearer) 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. "A" Company

    Australian Imperial Force 4599 Lance Corporal 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.

  • Profile picture for Reginald Dunderdale

    Born 1893

    Died 1917

    Australian Imperial Force 49 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.

  • Born 1893

    Australian Imperial Force W244042

    Australian Imperial Force Lieutenant 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 13th Reinforcements

    Australian Imperial Force Captain 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.

  • 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.

  • Profile picture for James Carter Potts

    Born 1891

    Died 1917

    Australian Imperial Force 6250 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.

  • Profile picture for Victor Jonathon Keer Stewart

    Born 1887

    Died 1917

    Australian Imperial Force 5974 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.

  • Born 1887

    Australian Imperial Force 6340 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 20th Reinforcements

    Australian Imperial Force 6340 Lance Corporal 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.

  • Profile picture for Alfred Shorten

    Born 1885

    Died 1917

    Australian Imperial Force 6096 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.

  • Profile picture for Richard Whitford

    Born 1893

    Died 1917

    Australian Imperial Force 2942 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.

  • Profile picture for Edward Joseph Dyer

    Born 1898

    Died 1917

    Australian Imperial Force 6255 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.

  • Born 1888

    Australian Imperial Force 5336 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 17th Reinforcements

    Australian Imperial Force 5336 Sergeant 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.

  • Profile picture for Roy Peters

    Born 1895

    Died 1917

    Australian Imperial Force 1202 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.

  • Profile picture for William Ernest Trenorden

    Born 1892

    Died 1917

    Australian Imperial Force 1044 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.

  • Born 1894

    Australian Imperial Force 6111 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 19th Reinforcements

    Australian Imperial Force 6111 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. "D" Company

    Australian Imperial Force 6111 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.

  • Profile picture for Harry Togomah Jenkins

    Born 1897

    Died 1917

    Australian Imperial Force 2488 Lance Corporal 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.

  • Profile picture for John Joseph Browne

    Born 1889

    Died 1917

    Australian Imperial Force 806A Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.