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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 1881
Australian Imperial Force 3137 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 10th Reinforcements
Australian Imperial Force 3137 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
More about Robert Mcnee -
Born 1896
Died 1917
Australian Imperial Force 6493 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
More about Donald Goldie Clark -
Born 1896
Australian Imperial Force 2389 Corporal 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
Australian Imperial Force 2389 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 7th Reinforcements
Australian Imperial Force 2389 Sergeant 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
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More about Ernest England -
Born 1889
Died 1917
Australian Imperial Force 2562 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
More about Michael Francis Hanrahan -
Born 1894
Australian Imperial Force 1317 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. "H" Company
Australian Imperial Force 1317 Lance Corporal 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
More about Ernest George Palmer -
Born 1893
Australian Imperial Force 209 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. "A" Company
Australian Imperial Force 209 Corporal 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
Australian Imperial Force 209 Temporary Serjeant 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
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More about Andrew Mackie -
Born 1896
Died 1917
Australian Imperial Force 5424 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
More about Harold Francis Spruce -
Born 1889
Died 1917
Australian Imperial Force 5756 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
More about James Mccann -
Born 1887
Died 1917
Australian Imperial Force 6491 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 21st Reinforcements
More about Rupert Henry Cox -
Born 1871
Died 1917
Australian Imperial Force 6090 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
More about Henry Charles Stephen -
Born 1873
Australian Imperial Force 6597 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 21st Reinforcements
More about Harry Whittingham -
Born 1884
Australian Imperial Force 6528 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 21st Reinforcements
Australian Imperial Force 6528 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
More about Frederick Hehir -
Born 1892
Died 1917
Australian Imperial Force 1680 Sergeant 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
More about John Charles Touzel -
Born 1897
Died 1917
Australian Imperial Force 2491 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
More about Llewellyn Frank Jacob -
Born 1899
Died 1917
Australian Imperial Force 6121 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
More about William Henry Watson -
Born 1895
Died 1917
Australian Imperial Force 2078 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
More about Joshua Radway -
Born 1881
Australian Imperial Force 6550 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 21st Reinforcements
More about William Marshall -
Born 1895
Died 1918
Australian Imperial Force 6581 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 21st Reinforcements
More about John Walter Slight -
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.
More about Cyril Arthur Woodland -
Born 1892
Died 1917
Australian Imperial Force 1044 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
More about William Ernest Trenorden