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• This is just a small sample of what is on display at the museum ....
• Major Duncan Chapman
According to Charles Bean, the Australian Army official war historian, Lieutenant Duncan Chapman was the first man ashore at Gallipoli.
On the morning of 25th April 1915, the Queensland 9th Battalion were the first troops to reach the shore. It was reported by Mr. Kemp, the battalion scout, that there was
already a boat ashore before the shooting really started, but that several men in the boat had been wounded. He reported that Lieutenant Chapman was the first man
ashore. The official war records of the battle confirm this.
On the 26th April he was promoted to Captain in the 9th Battalion and later wrote a letter from Gaba Tepe to his brother about the horrors of war.
Duncan Chapman fought throughout the Gallipoli Campaign, being reported missing once, but was eventually repatriated with the rest of the troops to Egypt. Like many
troops he had caught influenza and was transferred to hospital in Cairo.
On the 4th January 1916, Duncan Chapman was promoted to Temp Major while waiting at Serapeum to embark for Marseilles. The troops proceeded to Bailleul and he
was again promoted to Major in the 45th Battalion on the 24th June 1916. His troops moved to the front near Pozieres, France, where on the 6th August 1916, he was
killed in action.
Major Duncam Chapman is especially remembered by the Maryborough Military and Colonial Museum, as he was born in the city on the 15th May 1888 and educated at
local schools.
A life size sculpture in timber, forms part of the Duncan Chapman display. You can read poignant letters sent to the Australian Army by Duncan's father when he was
missing in action and later when he was killed.
Example of letter.
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• Corporal George Julian Howell VC
The Maryborough Military and Colonial Museum holds the Victoria Cross and medal group of Corporal 'Snowy' Howell. The medal group includes the Victoria Cross, the
Military Medal, Coronation medals for King GeorgeVI and Queen Elizabeth II, Australian WWII service medals and two American Merchant Navy medals.
During the fierce battle along the Hindenburg Line on 6th May 1917, the 23 year old Howell saw the enemy was set to outflank his battalion.
The citation (the certificate that is read out before the King on the presentation of the medal) says 'For conspicuous bravery. Seeing a party of the enemy who were likely
to outflank his battalion, Corporal Howell, on his own initiative, single-handed and exposed to heavy bomb and rifle fire, climbed on top of the parapet and proceeded to
bomb the enemy, pressing them back along the beach.
Having exhausted his stock of bombs, he continued to attack the enemy with his bayonet. He was then severely wounded. The prompt action and gallant conduct of this
non-commissioned officer in the face of superior numbers was witnessed by the whole battalion and greatly inspired them in the subsequent successful counter-attack.'
Born in Sydney, New South Wales on 19th November 1893, Howell was a bricklayer and a builder before enlisting and joining the 1st Battalion at Gallipoli. He
was wounded at Pozieres in 1916 and awarded the Military Medal the following year for leading part of the attack in the capture of the village of Demicourt.
He spent months in hospital after the Victoria Cross action, later working in newspaper advertising. Howell signed up again for World War II, first as an army staff sergeant
in Sydney, before transferring to the United States Sea Transport Service. He was thus able to participate at the start of the Philippines campaign.
He survived the war and died in a Perth hospital in 1964.
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• Lieutenant Herbert James VC (click on image to see larger view)
Citations
For the award of the Victoria Cross:
"For most conspicuous bravery during the operations in the Southern Zone of the Gallipoli Peninsula.
On the 28th June 1915, when a portion of a Regiment had been checked owing to all the Officers being put out of action, Second Lieutenant James, who belonged to a
neighbouring unit, entirely on his own initiative gathered together a body of men and led them forward under heavy shell and rifle fire. He then returned, organised a
second party, and again advanced. His gallant example put fresh life into the attack.
On the 3rd July, in the same locality, Second Lieutenant James headed a party of bomb throwers up a Turkish communication trench, and, after nearly all his bomb
throwers had been killed or wounded, he remained alone at the head of the trench and kept back the enemy single-handed till a barrier had been built behind him and
the trench secured. He was throughout exposed to a murderous fire."
Herbert James was invested with his Victoria Cross by King George V at Buckingham Palace on the 15th January 1916.
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Click on images on left
to see larger view.
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Medals: Victoria Cross; Military Cross; 1914/15 Star; British War Medal; Victory Medal with Mentioned in Dispatches emblem;
Coronation Medal GVI - 1937; Coronation Medal EIIR - 1953; French Croix de Guerre with palm; Panama Medal De La Solidaridad 1917
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For the award of the Military Cross:
Lieutenant ( T / Captain ) Herbert James, 1st Bn, Worcestershire Regiment
"During an attack, he rode forward when the situation was obscure under heavy fire, and brought back most valuable information. He then reorganised and led
forward parties of men from other units and skilfully formed a defensive flank where a gap had occurred, exposing himself for many hours to a very heavy fire. By his
gallantry, coolness, and utter disregard of personal safety, he set a splendid example to all ranks."
By the mid-1950s James was separated from his second wife and renting a back room flat at Brunswick Gardens, Kensington, apparently making a living as a fine art
dealer. It was here in August 1958 that he was found by his landlord lying unconcious - it appeared that he had a seizure but remained undiscovered for six days. None
of his fellow residents had any idea he was a Victoria Cross winner, for James lived a very reclusive life, had no visitors or took no telephone calls.
It was only when the landlord returned to James' room, after the ambulance had departed, that he picked up a book of a complete list of VC recipients open to the page
against Major James' name, under which was a pencil line. That was the first he new that Herbert James was the holder of the Victoria Cross.
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• Private Joe Loth rescued a Red Cross flag after the tent was hit by Turkish gunfire at Gallipoli.
Joe was hit by the same shell and returned wounded to Australia. He later became a baker at Biggenden.
See the bloodstained flag and many items which he used at Biggenden. It includes a breadknife with his business name which was given to customers at Christmas,
his medals and needlework, by both his mother and his wife.
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A bit of history ....
The story of the Anzacs, born in the flames of war, was firmly forged on April 25th, 1915, with the landing of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps at Gallipoli, in
what is now known as Turkey.
All in all, more than 8,700 Australians and more than 2,700 New Zealanders were killed in the ill-conceived Gallipoli Campaign. In relation to the two countries' population
at the time, this was a horrendously massive loss of lives.
Out of the chaos and tragedy of the Gallipoli campaign emerged the legend of the Anzacs: a story of steadfast courage under impossible odds and the forging of the
spirit of mateship that somehow saw triumph in disastrous defeat.
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