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World War 1, Europe, 166 BARLOW, 44 Battalion, 1916
1916Subcollections
Overview
Studio portrait of 166 Private Thomas BARLOW Killed in Action 4 June 1917
Historical information
The 44th Battalion was established in February 1916 in Claremont, Western Australia, as part of the 11th Brigade of the 3rd Australian Division. Commanded initially by Lieutenant Colonel William Mansbridge, it earned the nickname "Old Bill's Thousand." The battalion left Australia on 6 June, arrived in Britain for additional training, and reached France in late November. It saw its first frontline action on the Western Front on 29 December.
Throughout the winter of 1916-17, the 44th Battalion alternated between frontline duties and work in rear areas, interrupted only by a major raid on 13 March 1917. Its first significant battle was at Messines in Belgium from 7 to 10 June. Following this, the battalion was actively engaged in the Ypres sector, participating in the battle for Broodseinde Ridge and enduring severe losses. Of the 992 men involved, only 158 returned unscathed by the time the battalion was relieved on 21 October.
For the next five months, the 44th Battalion rotated between rear and front lines in Belgium. When Germany launched its last major offensive in March 1918, the battalion was quickly deployed to France, helping halt the advance on Amiens. As the Allies prepared their own offensive, the 44th took part in the battle at Hamel on 4 July and was involved in the major Allied push starting on 8 August. The battalion's final action was breaching the Hindenburg Line at the St Quentin Canal in late September. Severely depleted by then, it was relieved from the front before the war's end and disbanded in May 1919.
Details
Details
Registration number
cwa-org-32-P1978.322.1a
Item type
Year
Geotag
-31.842111963892, 115.98940136017
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Nearest geotagged records:
- Old kiln at Midland Brick, Middle Swan. (3.45km away)
- Aerial images of Midland Brick, Middle Swan. (3.46km away)
- World War 1, Europe, WOODS VC, 48 Battalion, 1918 (3.84km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, 2233 McRAE, 10 Light Horse (3.97km away)
- Swan District Hospital after closure. (4.1km away)
- Telstra building, cnr Toodyay Road and Great Northern Highway, Middle Swan. (4.13km away)
- Lynwood, 18 Great Northern Highway, Midland. (4.39km away)
- Lynwood, 18 Great Northern Highway, Midland. (4.39km away)
- World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, 2887 McAULLAY, 10 Light Horse (4.67km away)
- 19 Frederic Street, Midland. (4.8km away)
View all geotagged records »
Australian Army Museum of Western Australia
Australian Army Museum of Western Australia
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