Individual Details
Ernest Henry Joseph "Ernie" MCCULLOCH
(Jul 1897 - 18 Dec 1950)
Address at time of death was 38 Cowper St, Canberra. He predeceased Matilda, Roy and Leslie but not Robert.
Regimental number 2272
Religion Presbyterian
Occupation Clerk
Address 'Clifton', Balaclava Road, Caulfield, Victoria
Marital status Single
Age at embarkation 19
Next of kin Father, Robert McCulloch, 'Clifton', Balaclava Road, Caulfield, Victoria
Enlistment date 31 May 1916
Date of enlistment from Nominal Roll 14 June 1916
Rank on enlistment Private
Unit name 39th Battalion, 4th Reinforcement
AWM Embarkation Roll number 23/56/2
Embarkation details Unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A17 Port Lincoln on 20 October 1916
Rank from Nominal Roll Private
Unit from Nominal Roll 39th Battalion
Fate Returned to Australia 4 July 1919
39th Battalion
The 39th Battalion was formed on 21 February 1916 at the Ballarat Showgrounds in Victoria and drew most of its recruits from the state's Western District. It became part of the 10th Brigade of the 3rd Australian Division. Sailing from Melbourne on 27 May, the battalion arrived in Britain on 18 July and commenced four months of training. It crossed to France in late November and moved into the trenches of the Western Front for the first time on 9 December, just in time for the onset of the terrible winter of 1916-17.
The 39th fought in its first major battle at Messines, in Belgium, between 7-9 June 1917. During its march to the start-line for this operation the battalion suffered heavily from a German gas bombardment and less than a third of the troops earmarked to attack actually did so. The battalion, however, captured all of its objectives. The 39th fought in another two major attacks in this sector - the carefully planned and executed battle of Broodseinde on 4 October, and the disastrous battle of Passchendaele on 12 October.
Belgium remained the focus of the 39th Battalion's activities for the next five months as it was rotated between service in the rear areas and the front line. When the German Army launched its last great offensive in the spring of 1918, the battalion was rushed south to France and played a role in turning the German drive aimed at the vital railway junction of Amiens.
The Allies launched their own offensive on 8 August 1918, but the 10th Brigade was the 3rd Division's reserve on this day so the 39th did not play an active role. It was involved, however, in an ill-conceived attack that failed to capture the village of Proyart on 10 August. Not daunted by this experience, the battalion continued to play an active role throughout August and early September in the 3rd Division's advance along the Somme Valley.
The 39th participated in its last major action of the war between 29 September and 2 October 1918 as part of the Australian-American operation that breached the formidable defences of the Hindenburg Line along the St Quentin Canal. Along with much of the AIF, the 39th was resting out of the line when the war ended in November. It was disbanded in March 1919.
Casualties
· 405 killed, 1637 wounded (including gassed)
Commanding Officers
· Rankine, Robert
· Paterson, Alexander Thomas
History of Harefield Australian Auxiliary Hospital 1
Three months after the outbreak of the First World War, Mr and Mrs Charles Billyard-Leake, a wealthy Australian couple living in Britain, offered the use of Harefield Park and its extensive grounds to the Minister of Defence in Melbourne. It was to be a convalescent home for wounded soldiers of the Australian Imperial Force (AIF). The Commonwealth Defence Department accepted the offer and the house was converted into an establishment fit to accommodate 50 convalescing soldiers in the winter, and up to 150 in the spring and summer.
Harefield was staffed by members of the Australian Army Medical Corps (AAMC), along with a strong contingent of volunteers from Mrs Billyard-Leake’s circle who organised the canteen, ran entertainment for recovering patients and offered the use of their cars for trips. It had two purposes: a rest home for officers and other ranks, and a depot for soldiers who were invalided and due to be sent back to Australia.
Over the following months, Harefield House developed into No. 1 Australian Auxiliary Hospital. After opening in June 1915 and receiving patients from Gallipoli, it became clear that the accommodation at the hospital would have to be expanded to accommodate increasing numbers of sick and wounded Australian servicemen. By the end of the first month, there were 170 patients and extra huts had to be built. Two months later there were 362 patients, and by November 1916 the hospital was functioning as a general hospital with an operating theatre, an X-ray department and specialists in eye, ear, nose and throat conditions. By now there were 1,000 beds and the hospital occupied nearly 50 buildings around the estate, including ward huts, garages, recreation rooms and a mortuary.
Of some 50,000 patients treated at Harefield, 112 did not recover. These men, and one female nurse, were buried here in the parish churchyard. Francis Newdegate, a local MP whose family had long connections in the village and who was later knighted and appointed Governor of Tasmania, offered a plot of land next to the churchyard to extend the cemetery. He also covered the funeral expenses for all the burials. The village school lent its Union Flag for these occasions.
After the war the flag was presented to the last C.O. of the Australian Hospital and was laid up in Adelaide High School. The Australian Children’s Patriotic League presented in return a new Union Flag and an Australian Flag to Harefield school. The Australian flag hangs in the Breakspear Chapel, which was rededicated as the Australian Chapel in 1951.
In 1921 began the annual ceremony in which the children from the school put flowers on every grave in the cemetery.
The headstones, which are of a design unique among Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) cemeteries, were chosen by the staff and patients at the hospital. They were created before the end of the war, thus predating the standard CWGC design used from the 1920s to the present day.
An obelisk that stands among the headstones was donated by Sir Francis Newdegate and Mr Billyard-Leake in honour of those Australians who died at Harefield.
Regimental number 2272
Religion Presbyterian
Occupation Clerk
Address 'Clifton', Balaclava Road, Caulfield, Victoria
Marital status Single
Age at embarkation 19
Next of kin Father, Robert McCulloch, 'Clifton', Balaclava Road, Caulfield, Victoria
Enlistment date 31 May 1916
Date of enlistment from Nominal Roll 14 June 1916
Rank on enlistment Private
Unit name 39th Battalion, 4th Reinforcement
AWM Embarkation Roll number 23/56/2
Embarkation details Unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A17 Port Lincoln on 20 October 1916
Rank from Nominal Roll Private
Unit from Nominal Roll 39th Battalion
Fate Returned to Australia 4 July 1919
39th Battalion
The 39th Battalion was formed on 21 February 1916 at the Ballarat Showgrounds in Victoria and drew most of its recruits from the state's Western District. It became part of the 10th Brigade of the 3rd Australian Division. Sailing from Melbourne on 27 May, the battalion arrived in Britain on 18 July and commenced four months of training. It crossed to France in late November and moved into the trenches of the Western Front for the first time on 9 December, just in time for the onset of the terrible winter of 1916-17.
The 39th fought in its first major battle at Messines, in Belgium, between 7-9 June 1917. During its march to the start-line for this operation the battalion suffered heavily from a German gas bombardment and less than a third of the troops earmarked to attack actually did so. The battalion, however, captured all of its objectives. The 39th fought in another two major attacks in this sector - the carefully planned and executed battle of Broodseinde on 4 October, and the disastrous battle of Passchendaele on 12 October.
Belgium remained the focus of the 39th Battalion's activities for the next five months as it was rotated between service in the rear areas and the front line. When the German Army launched its last great offensive in the spring of 1918, the battalion was rushed south to France and played a role in turning the German drive aimed at the vital railway junction of Amiens.
The Allies launched their own offensive on 8 August 1918, but the 10th Brigade was the 3rd Division's reserve on this day so the 39th did not play an active role. It was involved, however, in an ill-conceived attack that failed to capture the village of Proyart on 10 August. Not daunted by this experience, the battalion continued to play an active role throughout August and early September in the 3rd Division's advance along the Somme Valley.
The 39th participated in its last major action of the war between 29 September and 2 October 1918 as part of the Australian-American operation that breached the formidable defences of the Hindenburg Line along the St Quentin Canal. Along with much of the AIF, the 39th was resting out of the line when the war ended in November. It was disbanded in March 1919.
Casualties
· 405 killed, 1637 wounded (including gassed)
Commanding Officers
· Rankine, Robert
· Paterson, Alexander Thomas
History of Harefield Australian Auxiliary Hospital 1
Three months after the outbreak of the First World War, Mr and Mrs Charles Billyard-Leake, a wealthy Australian couple living in Britain, offered the use of Harefield Park and its extensive grounds to the Minister of Defence in Melbourne. It was to be a convalescent home for wounded soldiers of the Australian Imperial Force (AIF). The Commonwealth Defence Department accepted the offer and the house was converted into an establishment fit to accommodate 50 convalescing soldiers in the winter, and up to 150 in the spring and summer.
Harefield was staffed by members of the Australian Army Medical Corps (AAMC), along with a strong contingent of volunteers from Mrs Billyard-Leake’s circle who organised the canteen, ran entertainment for recovering patients and offered the use of their cars for trips. It had two purposes: a rest home for officers and other ranks, and a depot for soldiers who were invalided and due to be sent back to Australia.
Over the following months, Harefield House developed into No. 1 Australian Auxiliary Hospital. After opening in June 1915 and receiving patients from Gallipoli, it became clear that the accommodation at the hospital would have to be expanded to accommodate increasing numbers of sick and wounded Australian servicemen. By the end of the first month, there were 170 patients and extra huts had to be built. Two months later there were 362 patients, and by November 1916 the hospital was functioning as a general hospital with an operating theatre, an X-ray department and specialists in eye, ear, nose and throat conditions. By now there were 1,000 beds and the hospital occupied nearly 50 buildings around the estate, including ward huts, garages, recreation rooms and a mortuary.
Of some 50,000 patients treated at Harefield, 112 did not recover. These men, and one female nurse, were buried here in the parish churchyard. Francis Newdegate, a local MP whose family had long connections in the village and who was later knighted and appointed Governor of Tasmania, offered a plot of land next to the churchyard to extend the cemetery. He also covered the funeral expenses for all the burials. The village school lent its Union Flag for these occasions.
After the war the flag was presented to the last C.O. of the Australian Hospital and was laid up in Adelaide High School. The Australian Children’s Patriotic League presented in return a new Union Flag and an Australian Flag to Harefield school. The Australian flag hangs in the Breakspear Chapel, which was rededicated as the Australian Chapel in 1951.
In 1921 began the annual ceremony in which the children from the school put flowers on every grave in the cemetery.
The headstones, which are of a design unique among Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) cemeteries, were chosen by the staff and patients at the hospital. They were created before the end of the war, thus predating the standard CWGC design used from the 1920s to the present day.
An obelisk that stands among the headstones was donated by Sir Francis Newdegate and Mr Billyard-Leake in honour of those Australians who died at Harefield.
Events
| Birth | Jul 1897 | Maryborough, Victoria, Australia |  | ||
| Military | 14 Jun 1916 | Enlisted in Great War - Prahran, Victoria, Australia | |||
| Marriage | 1923 | Victoria, Australia - Ida Myrtle POCKNEE | |||
| Death | 18 Dec 1950 | Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia |
Families
| Spouse | Ida Myrtle POCKNEE (1904 - 1956) |
| Child | Living |
| Child | Living |
| Child | Ernest Leslie MCCULLOCH (1925 - 1994) |
| Child | Jessie Myrtle MCCULLOCH (1930 - 2011) |
| Child | Raymond Keith MCCULLOCH (1933 - 2000) |
| Child | Robyn Lesley MCCULLOCH (1945 - 2016) |
| Father | Robert MCCULLOCH J.P. (1869 - 1933) |
| Mother | Matilda "Tilley" PERRYMAN (1871 - 1960) |
| Sibling | Robert Granville Roy "Roy" MCCULLOCH (1896 - 1987) |
| Sibling | William Charles Leslie "Les" MCCULLOCH (1904 - 1975) |
Endnotes
1. Historical Index Detailed Results, Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, Victoria.
2. Historical Index Detailed Results, Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, Victoria.