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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 1893
Died 1917
Australian Imperial Force 3548 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
More about David Samson -
Born 1898
Australian Imperial Force 6487 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 21st Reinforcements
Australian Imperial Force 6487 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
More about Ronald Allen Burrows -
Born 1891
Australian Imperial Force 2478 Private 11th Btn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 7th Reinforcements
Australian Imperial Force 2478 Private 51st Btn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F
Australian Imperial Force 2478 Lance Corporal 51st Btn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F
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More about Frederick Mitchel Culverwell -
Born 1876
Australian Imperial Force 5141 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 16th Reinforcements
Australian Imperial Force 5141 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
More about Robert Mcdonald -
Born 1878
Died 1917
Australian Imperial Force 6304 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
More about Peter Maclean -
Born 1893
Australian Imperial Force 5371 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 17th Reinforcements
Australian Imperial Force 5371 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. "D" Company
Australian Imperial Force 5371 Lance Corporal 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
More about Stephen Mervyn Longbottom -
Born 1895
Australian Imperial Force 2310 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 6th Reinforcements
Australian Imperial Force 2310 Sergeant 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. "D" Company
Australian Imperial Force 2310 Serjeant 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
More about Henry Charles Thompson -
Born 1877
Died 1917
Australian Imperial Force 170
Australian Imperial Force Major 16th Battalion Australian Infantry, AIF
Australian Imperial Force 170 Lance Corporal Australian Infantry, AIF 16th Australian Infantry Battalion (South Australian, West Australia)
More about Percy Charles Herbert Black -
Born 1892
Australian Imperial Force 1713 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 4th Reinforcements
Australian Imperial Force 1713 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. "D" Company
Australian Imperial Force 1713 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
More about Charles Dyer -
Born 1880
Died 1917
Australian Imperial Force 6243 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
More about Michael Chipper -
Born 1891
Australian Imperial Force 5779 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 18th Reinforcements
Australian Imperial Force 5779 Corporal 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
More about Cecil Henry Johnson Robin -
Born 1892
Died 1917
Australian Imperial Force 2
Australian Imperial Force 1984 Lance Corporal 16th Battalion Australian Infantry, AIF
Australian Imperial Force 1984 Corporal 16th Battalion Australian Infantry, AIF
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More about Leslie Boully -
Born 1878
Died 1918
Australian Imperial Force 4937 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 15th Reinforcements
Australian Imperial Force 4937 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
More about John Bryce Weir -
Born 1888
Australian Imperial Force 1114 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. "F" Company
Australian Imperial Force 1114 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. "D" Company
Australian Imperial Force 1114 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
More about George Young -
Born 1895
Died 1917
Australian Imperial Force 5706 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
More about Burban Frederick Divall -
Born 1892
Died 1917
Australian Imperial Force 1362 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
Australian Imperial Force 1362 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 3rd Reinforcements
More about Herbert Henry Freeman -
Born 1894
Died 1976
Australian Imperial Force 4543 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 14th Reinforcements
Australian Imperial Force 4543 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
More about Roger Pimlott Brown -
Born 1885
Died 1983
Australian Imperial Force Second Lieutenant 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 15th Reinforcements
Australian Imperial Force Captain 16th Australian Infantry Battalion
More about Daniel Sidney Aarons -
Born 1894
Died 1917
Australian Imperial Force 3456 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
More about William Basil Ecclestone -
Born 1883
Australian Imperial Force 6590 Private 16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 21st Reinforcements
More about Thomas John Uff