Gallipoli -the folly of war!
Outbreak of war enlistment history of Gallipoli Ballie's view why Gallipoli John Kane enlistment Broadmeadows John Kane 27th October 1914 John Kane 6th November 1914 Melbourne Cup 402,403,404 Nulan Port Melbourne John Kane 3rd March 1915 Cairo John Kane April 15th 1915 Cairo April 25 landing Leigh Ridgeway's Diary Gallipoli slang John Kane 14th June Walker's Ridge Walking tour 8th Light horse landing 30th July 1915 Ari Burnu The Nek R.T.A. Medals Gallipoli: then and now The last eyewitness interview Links Book on the 8th Light Horse HEIRLOOMS OF JOHN KANE
COLERAINE ALBION CUTTINGS ADDED OCTOBER 2013 WHERE TO FIND JOHN KANE'S GRAVE AND BRIAN PHOTOS FROM 1983
65 million men fought in World War 1 - (8 million of those men died. 9 million civilians died)
Anzac often means more to most Aussies than January 26th our National Day because it defined the Australian spirit and character. Per head of population, Gallipoli is the most frequented of any war cemetery in the world and many of these visitors are young backpackers. You only have to go to a dawn service on April 25th to understand the special feeling and respect people have for the service men and women who bravely gave their lives in the folly of war.
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The campaign took place between 25 April 1915 and 9 January 1916. The offensive's ultimate aim was to push through the Dardanelles straits and capture Constantinople, the Turkish capital. If a breakthrough had been achieved, the Turks, who were allied with the central powers (Austria and Germany), would have been unable to prevent Britain and France from joining the Russians in the war against Austria-Hungary and Turkey." |
"With stalemate prevailing on the Western Front, Winston Churchill proposed an attack on the Gallipoli Peninsula as a way of forcing Turkey out of the war, opening up a new front against Germany and Austria-Hungary and securing a warm-water supply route to Russia thus relieving pressure on her strained resources. After the failure of the naval operations in the Dardanelles Anzac and British troops landed at Anzac Cove and Cape Helles in April 1915 only to encounter difficult terrain and stubborn Turkish defence in well-prepared positions which dominated the beaches and subsequent trench systems. Thoughts of a rapid advance to Constantinople quickly evaporated as the troops became pinned down. Finally the Peninsula was evacuated and hopes of a new front abandoned.
"On the 5th August 1914, a few months after the outbreak of the First World War, Australia declared her involvement having already committed a 20,000 strong force. Recruitment began a few days later and on the 1st November the first transports carrying Australian and New Zealand forces sailed from King George Sound in Western Australian, bound for Egypt. "
Analysing how and why Gallipoli occurred never ever helps to relieve the pain of loosing soldiers who came from all walks of life like the rest of us. They weren't soldiers. When you scan the lists of those who left on the ships they were farmers, grocers, factory workers and labourers and most were aged from 18 to 23.
T"The object of the original landing at Gallipoli was to clear the Dardanelles Straits in Turkey, capture Constantinople and clear a shipping line from the Mediterranean to the Russian Black Sea ports."
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"After the early failure of April 15th, the first three Light Horse Brigades that had remained in Egypt were dismounted and sent to the Gallipoli Peninsula to fight as infantry." |
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"But at ANZAC sector, Victorians played a strong, often heroic part (five VCs), in the landing and protracted campaign at Gallipoli in 1915. Warfare in craggy, rough terrain provided new challenges for artillery, infantry and the soldiers of the Light Horse now stripped of their mounts and involved in the squalid life of the trenches." |
We lost Grandpa's brother John Kane at Gallipoli. John was the eldest and was a farmer, contractor and horse trainer. His brother James took over running the farm when he left. My brother John Kane asked my uncle Ballie why he thought people enlisted in the World Wars especially in the country areas. He replied:
"Well – a good question John! A very good question. Now what annoys me at this present time with the likes of that Ruxton (President of the RSL in Victoria) talking about fighting for flags and a queen and all this razzarmataz. All my mates and a lot of them are still over there in the desert or on the darn islands. Most of them. They never had a razoo, they had the arse out of their trousers and they did it more for adventure and to make sure they got three feeds a day and they were given free clothing and that. As far as thinking of a flag at that time, they never even knew it existed. "
(Michael said that 'in HSC for Australian History he studied a book by Professor Geoffrey Blainey which supported Ballies view. It argued that the Gallipoli campaign was a disaster and poorly commanded by the Brits ... and the Aussies for all their heroics were sacrificed for very little if any gain. The legend of Gallipoli grew in part to deflect from the ineptness of the pom command.)
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Here is another explanation of WHY Australian troops signed up for the War and the subsequent consequences: |
War is something that I despise
For it means destruction of innocent lives
For it means tears in thousands of mothers' eyes
When their sons go out to fight to give their lives
(War - by Strong, Whitfield and Star)
"Looking back with the advantage of hindsight it is easy to see why Australia became involved in WWI. The ties to Great Britain were still exceptionally strong, even though we had become a federation some 14 years previously. England was at this time still the world's only true "super power". Its command of the sea was still absolute and its far flung empire was still the envy of all who saw it. It would be many years before the break-up of the last great colonial empire began, but in 1914 she was still one of the most formidable military powers in the world. Therefore, when the call to arms came after the declaration of war it was with much gusto and fervour that so many young men stepped forward to answer the calling and only at the end of the war, with over 50,000 dead, 200,000 plus wounded and almost 10% of the country in service would the terrible cost be counted.
The First World War was nothing short of a bloodbath. Many of those who took part in it never really recovered and an entire generation was lost to the stupidity of it all. 'It's like 4 years of our lives simply gone and we can't tell a soul about it" and that tends to be reflected in the historical accounts as well. The military accounts of the day didn't differentiate the different countries involved on the British side and dispatches merely mentioned the victories and not who was involved. It was only the appointment of Sir John Monash as the commander of the Anzac forces that saw any small recognition given to the role of the diggers in the war at all, something that has blurred much of the history created by this relatively small group of men given the vast numbers involved throughout the conflict. "
When War was declared there was an enthusiastic meeting in the Mechanics Hall in August 1914. The meeting was chaired by Mr. J. Trangmar and there was a variety of guest speakers. Preston Younger was the first volunteer to sign up. (He did return after the War). Unlike most who signed up in World War 1 who were in their late teens or early twenties, John Kane was 43 years old when he enlisted on 1st September 1914 in Coleraine and signed up on 16th September in Coleraine.
He was the eldest son and worked as a farmer, contractor in and around Coleraine building bridges etc (like his father) and also as a horse trainer. The day he left the Coleraine Railway Station on the steam train for Melbourne he must have known there was a good chance he would not return because he was crying. Mrs Harrip 1993 remembers Bubby (Kane) Murtagh saying goodbye to John Kane at the Railway Station. She remembers him crying which was unusual for a man at that time.
| (the units in the war were Infantry Battalions, Mounted units, navy and flying corps |
| The mounted units were 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th Light Horse Brigades |
| The 3rd Light Horse Brigade consisted of 8th, 9th and 10th Light Horse regiment) |
| The 8th Light Horse Regiment were the Victorians and this was the subject of the film 'Gallipoli' and the climax was the assault to capture 'the Nek' on the 7th August which was located adjacent to 'Walker's ridge'. |
(Gallipoli
hat and lapel badge)
John joined the newly formed 8th Light Horse Regiment which was "formed at Broadmeadows camp on 23rd September 1914 as the 6th Light Horse Regiment firstly. But a reorganisation of the rapidly expanding AIF in early October resulted in the 6th being renumbered the 8th, and it became part of the 3rd Light Horse Brigade. "
"Two weeks and one day after the outbreak of the first world war the Australian Army established the Broadmeadows Military Camp in the open area between Broadmeadows and Campbellfield. Reticulated water was connected in five days, a project which the shire had been unable to persuade the Board of Works to undertake in seven years of negotiation. The camp and the surrounding areas were the venue of numerous bivouacs and military exercises."
"The men slept in a
bell tent with a mixed lot of chaps. They did the usual guard duties,
parades and practiced the quick and effective way of handling guns.
Below is the 303 bolt action gun used by the soldiers. 
Then after having a few weeks wearing camp clothes of overalls, they were
issued with uniforms and sensed that they would soon be sent over seas.
They were issued with a clothing outfit of underclothes, socks, two pairs of
boots, shirts and kit bags.
The
uniform was a tunic with big pockets, cord trousers tight to the bottom, below
the knee woollen stockings to meet them, heavy boots and puttees wound from the
boots to the knees. A big felt hat up one side with the Rising Sun badge on the
side."
Dear Mag,
"A few lines to know how you are all getting on up there. I have been going to write this last fortnight but I kept putting it off. You know how I hate writing but I heard all the news from there. Jo Younger is writing to all Coleraine I think. They have great fun with him running after letters. Well Mag we are getting a solid doing here from six till five. It's left right left and double up. We are getting our uniforms next week. I will send you a photo when I get it taken. We got the hats now. Young Tom was out on Sunday; he looks thin. Charlie Mc Kebery was out one night last week. He enjoyed it. There is good fun here for a new comer but it soon gets stale. The Maroneys (lived near the dam at Paddy Moyles) were here one Sunday and brought me a bonza cake. It was a ....? from Paddy Heenan. (lived near the Wannon River). They wanted me to go in for a weekend but I did not go. I have not been out of camp since I came here. I can get a week country leave any time now. I might be up for the show. If not, the week after. I'll send you word. If you see Dot Braitwaite (Melbourne friends of the Kanes) , tell her there are a lot of Minyip boys here. Well Mag the first contingent are all gone. There was a great weeping? here last Saturday week the night before they went. The camp was crowded with their friends. We were all very lonely when they were going. They reckon we will be leaving the first week in December. A long time to put in yet. Henry is a great infantry soldier now. I see Mick (Mahoney?) sometimes. They are camped from us. We are the leading Light Horse regiment here now. Eric Gardiner (returned soldier) is full of it. He will soon ........ it I think. I suppose Jimmy is finished shearing now. I see crossbred wool is bringing a good price now. It must be bad up there now (dry?) How is Tom getting on for water? Well Mag it is dark and getting near the end of the paper. Remember me to Jim, Tom and Ned. I hope you are all well. Be sure and write soon. "
C Squadron C Troop Broadmeadows.
Your affectionate brother
Private J. Kane
On leave from the Broadmeadows training barracks, John Kane went to his first Melbourne Cup in November of 1914. The race was won by the rank chestnut outsider - 'Kingsbury'. There were 28 starters and this horse was number 28 carrying the light weight of 6 st. 12 lbs.
"Dear Mag,
I got your letter alright and one from Doll and Bubb. Very glad you are all well. I got a bonza job today. Nothing to do but to sit down with my rifle and watch the quarter masters tent. So I am going to write three letters. I went to the Cup on Tuesday and never backed a winner. The crowd was very thick. I was on the hill. I was disappointed with Flemington - I thought it was a grander place than it is. I saw Jim Gorman. He was the only one I met from up there. But I saw the 'Spider' in Swanston St. that night. He has been out here twice. He brings me something to eat both times. He likes his job well. Younger and Kelso are taking a trip home tomorrow for five days. I will wait a few days longer. We might get our uniform by then. If I went now I would have to buy boots and a hat and shirts. What I came down in are all done. We have the Light Horse hat and boots but they look a bit off with a private suit, but I will send you word. I suppose Jim is very proud of Bots foal. I would like to see it. Ought to be a good one. Is the grey mare got a foal yet. Tell me how Tom's crop on the flat is. There are some good ones here and some bad ones. We are having a good time this last three days going to Williamstown ranges rifle range for practice. Henry told me he would not go to Coleraine anymore. He is more touchy than ever. Mick is a Military Policeman in the depot. He had to get his teeth fixed up. I saw J. Fitzgerald, J. Bradley, Rangie Hutchins, Plunket Richardson - a fine stamp of a man now. His brother is here too. I saw McPhee a couple of times. Poor old Donoughe had to go to the camp hospital this morning with measles. He gets on well with everybody here. He is very amusing. He and Reeves Halahan are great mates. Reeves would like to see Jimmie. He is always talking about him. Tell Jimmy not to come down before I come home. Well Mag, these letter cards do no hold much. I must soon stop. I am sending you a card. A man does them here. They are pretty. I can't think of anymore now but I will tell you a lot when I go up. Remember me to Jim, Tom and Ned, Cameron and the Evestons.
I remain your affectionate brother"
J. Kane
He completed his limited military training at Broadmeadows and prepared for the unknown time ahead. Unfortunately, during this period, he broke his leg and it was far from healed when he left Australia. He teamed up with three 'cobbers' - Michael (Mick) John Mahoney (aged 39), William Kane (aged 30) from Nullan a tiny farming area north of Horsham and David Kelso (aged 20) from Coleraine who must have seen Mick and John as a father figures. They were issued with the dog tag numbers 13 (Mick), 402 (David), 403 (John) and 404 (William). (It is interesting to ask why John was friendly with William Kane - was it because he discovered that they had the same name or were they related. I was able to contact his relatives in 2004. Their family also came from County Limerick so it is a fair guess to say John and William were cousins. Williams father Michael was married at St. Mary's Geelong in 1863. For more information use this link).
The next of kin are listed below, Religion, date of joining and payment of 5 pound per day.
Also on the same ship were the following from the Coleraine area:
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#115 John Leslie Connor, Corporal aged 20, mining engineer Coleraine. His father was Dr. S. Connor. (He became a sergeant but died in this War - his name is on the memorial beside the Post Office in Coleraine). |
Corporal John Leslie CONNOR, a 29?? year old Mining Engineer from Coleraine, Victoria. He enlisted on 7 November 1914; and subsequently was Killed in Action, 7 August 1915.
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#208 John Henry Baker, aged 29, farmer, Nareen, Coleraine. (He became a Lance Corporal but died in this War - his name is on the memorial beside the Post Office in Coleraine). |
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#480 Preston Maitland Younger, aged 23, stock dealer, Coleraine, brother of W. Broughton in Hamilton. He returned to Coleraine after the war and his wife was a friend of Norah Kane (Grandma Kane). Preston was involved in the setting up the Soldier Settlements in the local area. (source: Ballie June 2004). He was wounded at Gallipoli on 7th August 1915. |
(Below is a present reference to Michael Kane a likely descendant of William Kane in 2002)
John Kane, Dave Kelso and William Kane were in the 8th Light horse and they joined the contingent from the 3rd Light Horse Brigade.
They went by train to Spencer Street and marched down to Port Melbourne where they embarked on the ship "Star of Victoria" (later renamed Port Melbourne - 9152 tons, 13.5 knots, Commonwealth & Dominion Line Ltd London) on 25th February 1915 and arrived in Alexandria, Egypt on 14th March 1915. Examining the Nominal rolls for the troops on the ship only a small handful of men were aged in their forties. Of the 500 troops on the ship only 3 were older than John Kane. The 'Star of Victoria' was the third boat to leave Melbourne for Gallipoli. The first troops sailed 2 weeks earlier on the 8th February.
The 'Star of Victoria' leaving the Australian troops
After a short stop over in Albany Western Australia they took the long journey to Alexandria Egypt which they used as a base.
Albany March 3 1915 (other side)
Dear Mag,
"A few lines to let you know that we are having a good trip. We just landed here. Some of the boys got very sick but it never effected me a bit. A good job too. The leg is bad enough, but in another week I'll be alright again. We will not be allowed to go ashore as we got a couple of cases of diptheria. We have all the eight light horse on board. We lost one horse yesterday. They are standing it very well so far. It was pretty rough coming through the Bight. The r.... is with us with 2000 reinforcements on board. Among them is Sright (McMahon). I am writing this on the off chance of getting it posted in Albany. If you write on board you can't close your letter like they read it. You can't put any date or say where you are or where you think you are going. I believe we are going to Egypt. Some say Marsellas and others say England but I suppose we will find out soon enough. Mick is here enjoying it alright and Kelso ...... Younger is a bit crook. We get splendid food and any amount of it. I will get quite fat. Nothing to do only. Well Mag what do you think of the group photo. I meant to tell you to give one to Dan Tunna got passed out at the last. A case of cold feet. Lizzie Barry was out the camp the Sunday before we left but I was in the hospital and did not see her. Mick was talking to her. Buso Douall went away with the (9th) regiment a week before we sailed. George Mahon paid a visit when he was in town he said it's awful up at Coleraine. (Severe drought). Well Mag I can't think of anymore to say. Tell Jimmie Fontana wishes to be remembered to him. Well Mag, I will say goodbye till we get to Columbia. I will try and send a post card from there. We might know then where we are going. Hurroo Mag. Remember me to Jim, Tom and Ned from your Bro.
No 403 J. Kane C Troop C squad
8 Light Horse, 3rd Light Horse Brigade
A.T.F. England
A Brilliant Address "
8th light horse 3rd L. Horse Brigade. No. 403
"On their arrival in Egypt, the
regiment was housed in the Lighthorse camp at Heliopolis a few miles out of
Cairo.
It was here that they were to knuckle down to serious training.
In Cairo, the merchants welcomed the young troopers – or should we say their
money – with open arms."
"A few lines to let you know we arrived last Sunday. We had a splendid trip over - very calm but a bit monotonous. The same old thing every day. I wrote to you from Albany but I don't know whether it arrived or not because they censor them all. Well Mag this is a queer place - nothing but donkeys and mules and men and women dressed alike. I don't know how long we will have to stop here but it's awful up to your knees in sand. There are a lot of Australian troops here but what they are going to do with us I don't know. I haven't seen Henry Rogers, he is about 15 miles from here. I seen a good few from Hamilton. We were all let ashore at Colombo for four hours. We had great fun riding in the Rickshaws with a nigger pulling it. They were a terrible lot of cadgers. We went to have a look at the market. They try always to get a cent out of you. One native woman had her baby there. She wanted a cent from us to let us kiss it but it wasn't good enough. From Columbo we went to Suez and disembarked and there it rained. There are a great sight to be seen here the principal ones are the pyramids. They are 470 feet high and cover about 7 acres. We go there and we ..... guide and he takes us through them. They are supposed to be over 3000 years ago. But how they carried the great stones weighing tons, I don't know or where they got them from. There are places here to be seen where Napolean built his fort and even some of the shells he used. There are a lot of other things I could write about but it would take me a week. We were 5 weeks coming over. I never got sick, but my leg was bad all the time. It is nearly alright now. Mick is here looking well also Kelso and Younger (the first person in Coleraine to volunteer) getting plenty of letters but no news of any rain from there. Well Mag, I hope you are all well and if I ever see Australia again it will do me. So I will say goodbye. Remember me to all
from brother Jack
I will write again next Sunday"
J. Kane No 403
Card from Cairo by John Kane
In Egypt they were not told that they told about the Gallipoli campaign until they reached there.
On 25 April two landings were made; the main force of 35,000 men under Lieutenant General Hunter Weston landed at Cape Helles.
This was supported by a smaller force of 17,000 men from the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (Anzacs) under General Sir William Birdwood. This force landed at what became known as Anzac cove, a mile north of their intended destination and surrounded by deep cliffs.
The Anzacs were to move inland and seize the Sari Bari heights but soon met with a Turkish counter attack, commanded by Mustapha Kemal, the future president of the Turkish Republic.
By nightfall the Anzacs had suffered 2,000 casualties and were fighting to stay on the beach.
The force at Cape Helles had also made little progress and come under attack from the Turks. For two weeks allies remained on the beaches losing one third of their force.
Much of the failure has been attributed to poor coordination and leadership from the British General Sir Ian Hamilton, who chose to command the whole operation from aboard a ship.
Another 25,000 men were landed near Anzac Cove and more at Cape Helles in August. The allies made another thrust, but to no avail. Deadlock on the beaches persisted.
(This picture shows Anzac Cove looking North)
After the initial landing on April 25th, more troop reinforcements were brought in including John Kane. He embarked from Alexandria Egypt on HMT "Menominee" on the 16th May 1915 for service at Gallipoli. (He was killed 10 weeks later.) Also on that ship were the other Coleraine boys including his cobber Mick Mahoney
"The light horse were considered unsuitable for the initial operations at Gallipoli, but were subsequently deployed without their horses. The 3rd Light Horse Brigade (this included the 8th Light Horse Regiment) landed on the 16th May 1915 and was attached to the New Zealand and Australian Division. (Embarked at Alexandria for the Gallipoli Peninsula on 16th May 1915). The 8th formed the first two waves for the Brigade’s disastrous attack on the Nek on 7 August and suffered heavily. Exhausted and under-strength, the regiment then played a defensive role until it finally left the peninsula on 20 December 1915."
May 15 card 1915 Letter June 1915 envelope June June cover letter cover
Dear Ted, (uncle Ned)
"A few lines to let you know that we are in Turkey. Those four weeks in the trenches the colonials made a great name for themselves in the landing of their troops. Here all the Coleraine boys are alive and kicking, yet I don't know how long it will be as the schrapnell is murder. Paper is awful scarce and matches and tobacco. Hoping you are all well at home.
A little wet home in the Trench
(Parody) "My little grey home in the West"
I've a little wet home in a trench
Where the rainstorms continually drence
There's dead Turks all round
All polluting the ground -
Oh! they give off a beautiful stench.
Underneath in the place of a floor
There's a mass of wet mud and straw
And the 'Jess Willards' hear
Through the rain-sodden air
O'er my little wet home in the trench
There are snipers who keep on the go
So you must keep your napper down low
and their star shells at night
Make a deuce of a light
Which causes the language to flow
Then biscuits and bully we chew.
For it's days since we tasted a stew
But with shells here and there
Theres no place to compare
With my little wet home in the trench."
J. Kane
From the diary of Leigh Ridgeway (K.I.A.) 6th Light Horse
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Gallipoli slang |
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Walkers Ridge:
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This picture shows the 3rd Brigade landing in late May which included the 8th Light Horse Regiment.
John Kane landed in Gallipoli on 16th May as
part of the 3rd Brigade a month after the initial landing on April 25th.
He was positioned on Walker's Ridge which was located very close to 'the Nek'.
(This picture is Walker's Ridge looking back down on Ari Burnu and North Beach. To the left is the distinctive outline of the sphinx)
This picture show Mules at Mule Gully. Walker's Ridge is to the right.
They were preparing for the disastrous assault on 'the Nek', on the 7th August as portrayed so graphically in the film 'Gallipoli'. The 8th Light Horse formed the first two waves of the attack and suffered very heavy casualties. Walker's Ridge was first captured by the New Zealanders and was named after their commanding officer.
This picture shows an Aussie carrying a wounded mate near Walker's Ridge.
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1. The Sphinx and Russell's Top.
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2. The Sphinx from below. As close as can
be managed to get under the Sphinx to view it from below. |
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3. Walker's Ridge. Walker's Ridge is
the far slope straight ahead. It rises up to the right, to Russell's Top.
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 Go back to Animals at Gallipoli 4. The entrance to Mule Gully and the Razorback Ridge. Looking south
back toward the Sphinx as the climb up Walker's Ridge begins. |
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5. Russell's Top and Mule Gully. Halfway up
Walker's Ridge. |
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6. Plugge's Plateau and Ari Burnu Point. The Sphinx is on
the left and the Razorback Ridge joins on to Plugge's Plateau straight
ahead. |
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10. Tents on the terraces beneath Walker's Ridge in 1915.
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(Alexander Turnbull Library, PA Coll 3051, G9373) 11. Walker's
Ridge in 1915. |
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12. Landing cutter. One of the
landing boats seen on North
Beach in the above photo. |
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13. Inside the cutter. The inside of one of the recovered landing boats, now in the Australian War Museum, Canberra. |
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John Kane was killed by a sniper on Walker's Ridge on 30th July 1915. It was only a week later that the 8th Light Horse lost so many casualties in the tragic 'Nek' assault - the subject of the 'Gallipoli movie'). John Kane is buried in a neat cemetery by the sea shore. (Gallipoli 29. Ari Burnu Cemetery Anzac - grave memorial reference E. 10).
There is also a cemetery located at the 'Nek' mostly of soldiers from the 3rd Brigade who suffered such heavy casualties on the 7th August and a cemetery at Walker's Ridge.
Buried by the Rev. E. Makeham.
On Thursday last there were quiet whisperings that Private John Kane had paid his greatest of all prices in fighting for this country, but his relatives not having learned of such an issue, except by the unauthorised transpirings of rumour, we were compelled to remain silent, as press reports of soldiers' deaths are forbidden except they appear in the official lists, or authoritatively come from the surviving members of the family. On the next day, however, the sad grim news was brought to the deceased next-of-kin by the Rev. Father McGowan, and the heraldings of the previous day were confirmed.
So far as we are aware, Private Kane was the first Colerain native to fight and die on the Gallipolean Peninsular. In him and his comrades from this centre we have fine evidence of response to the call of duty, that splendid British quality which has suffered no weakening by transplantation to those Austral lands. It is hardly a year ago since he, with others, was given an official send-off in taking up military duty, and pride as the knowledge of him is the sorrow that so brave a chap has been lost. Private Kane was born in the Church Street house (now occupied by his brother Daniel), on the 15th August, 1870, (Suggest informant error - should be born 1871) and his life (except the year as a soldier) was spent in this district. He was the first son of the late Daniel Kane. His business association was with Municipal contracts, where he was a faithful worker, while in his private life he was as popular as he was kind-hearted. It is understood that he fell on the 29th July, but whether suddenly or after lingering from wounds we do not know. May the memory of him ever be a stimulus to fight - even unto death - for the sacred cause of justice and righteousness.
Colerain Albion newspaper 23rd August 1915
| Cemetery: | ARI BURNU CEMETERY, ANZAC |
| Country: | Turkey |
| Location Information: | Ari Burnu Cemetery lies between the beach and the cliff under Plugge's Plateau, about 1 kilometre north-north-west of Lone Pine Cemetery and Memorial. |
| Historical Information: | The eight month campaign in Gallipoli was fought by Commonwealth and French forces in an attempt to force Turkey out of the war, to relieve the deadlock of the Western Front in France and Belgium, and to open a supply route to Russia through the Dardanelles and the Black Sea. The Allies landed on the peninsula on 25-26 April 1915; the 29th Division at Cape Helles in the south and the Australian and New Zealand Corps north of Gaba Tepe on the west coast, an area soon known as Anzac. Ari Burnu Cemetery, named from the Cape at the North end of Anzac Cove, was made in 1915. In 1926 and 1927, graves were brought into it from Kilid Bahr Anglo-French Cemetery and Gallipoli Consular Cemetery. There are now 252 Commonwealth servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated in this cemetery. 42 of the burials are unidentified but special memorials commemorate five casualties believed to be buried among them. Other memorials record the names of three Indian soldiers who were buried at Kilid Bahr. |
| No. of Identified Casualties: | 211 |
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| FROM WALKERS RIDGE | THE LANDING PLACE AT GALLIPOLI |
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| JOHN KANE GRAVE AT GALLIPOLI FRONT THIRD FROM LEFT (PHOTO BRIAN KANE) | JOHN KANE TOMBSTONE AT GALLIPOLI - (PHOTO BRIAN KANE) |
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| 403 TROPPER J. KANE 8TH LIGHT HORSE 30TH JULY 1915 (PHOTO BRIAN KANE 1983) | LOOKING TOWARDS WALKERS RIDGE FROM THE LANDING SPOT -PHOTO TAKEN BY BRIAN KANE 1983 |
WALKING DOWN TO VIEW JOHN KANE'S GRAVE AT GALLIPOLI 1983
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4"16,809 Australians enlisted in the Great War, including forty per cent of all men between the ages of eighteen and forty-five years. |
| During the 10 months the allied forces had been pinned down by the Turks, more than 90,000 had become sick with dysentery and frostbite. |
| The Gallipoli campaign also cost the lives of more than 100,000 allied and Turkish soldiers with another quarter of a million wounded. |
| Altogether 27,000 men are commemorated on the Memorials to the Missing at Helles, Lone Pine, Twelve Tree Copse, Hill 60 and Chunuk Bair. 16,809 Australians enlisted in the Great War, including forty per cent of all men between the ages of eighteen and forty-five years. " |
| After 10 months of fighting and the landing of 480,000 troops, no more land was taken than what was captured during the first three days. The campaign was considered a disaster and the invading armies withdrew. |
| Although numbers seem to vary, it has been reported that 480,000 allied troops were landed. The British suffered 205,000 casualties with 43,000 killed. The French had 47,000 casualties with 5,000 killed. New Zealand had 5,000 casualties with 2,500 killed. The defending Turkish force had 300,000 casualties with 65,000 killed. Australia suffered 19,000 casualties with 7,600 killed. |
| When you consider Australia's 1914 population at about 5 million, the sacrifice of the 400,000 who participated in WW1 is remarkable. In fact, Australia suffered more casualties based on the size of its nation than any other country during WW1. |
I don't believe that my generation can really understand the effect of loosing 53 men, mostly in their early twenties in the First World War from a small country town like Coleraine. And this loss was reflected right across Australia. (see Coleraine War Memorial)
John Kane's 'cobbers' survived the war. David Kelso (known as Les Kelso in Coleraine) was R.T.A'd (returned to Australia) on 3rd September 1915 (possibly due to sickness or injury) and William Kane was R.T.A'd as L/CpL on the 21st May 1917.
After the devastating failure at Gallipoli troops such as William Kane had to continue in various other battles including Egypt, Palestine and France. He must have been very lucky to come home and extremely battle weary from 2 years of War. William returned to Australia with a wooden leg and never married. He died in the 1940's of a stroke.
(Brian has the bulk of information in his possession including all the letters John Kane wrote, his dog tag 403, prayer book, medals and ribbons and the Anzac Medal applied for and received by Jack Kane)
Abbott's medals very similar to John Kane's medals
Abbott's medals on the reverse side
Museum
INTERVIEW WITH THE LAST SURVIVING AUSTRALIAN SOLDIER WHO LANDED AT GALLIPOLI ON APRIL 25, 1915
Ted Matthews, the last survivor of the Gallipoli landing on 25 April 1915, provides Jonathan King on April 25, 1977, with an eye witness account:
See full article at: www.theage.com.au/news/970425/anzac3.txt.htm
AUSTRALIA'S last survivor of the 25 April 1915 landing at Gallipoli, Corporal Ted Matthews, 100, who commemorated his 82nd Anzac Day today, believes he is here for a reason.
Nearly 9000 Australians died on that dreadful beach, but Ted Matthews, who was an 18-year-old carpenter when he enlisted, is the only soldier still alive who landed on that first fateful day. There are other Gallipoli survivors but they all arrived later as reinforcements.
"They say I'm the only one left,'' the old digger said sadly, "but you know why I've survived? Because somebody has got to tell young Australians what a terrible mistake Gallipoli was. Now I'm the only one who knows what really happened that day,'' Mr Matthews said from his wheelchair at the Sydney War Veterans' Home.
"But if you've got a good enough reason to live, you just don't die. And I want to say the whole point of Anzac Day has been lost. It's not for old diggers to remember, it's for survivors to warn young people against romanticising war.''
Mr Matthews' iron-willed determination to bear witness helps explain why he has defied death for so long. He still has the fighting spirit of the 18-year-old digger and a mind as clear and critical as it was the day he jumped on to that fateful shore.
As the last survivor, he also knows he has the authority to command respect, especially on Anzac Day. "And I've tried to use every Anzac Day to tell the truth. It's no use glorifying war. It is a stupid business.''
"The British knew nothing about the Turkish coastline,'' Mr Matthews said. "Churchill may have had the right idea but his generals mucked it up. After they picked us up from our training camps in Egypt, they landed us a mile north of Gaba Tepe where we were meant to land - at the wrong beach! Instead of the wide open spaces we needed for regrouping, the British dumped us at a narrow beach with steep hills.
"We did not have a hope. The water was so deep off this beach some blokes did not even make it ashore as they were told to get off the stern instead of the bow of the landing boats and with 250 rounds of ammunition, knapsack, .303 rifle, bayonet, all their gear, they just sunk like a stone.
"Those of us that got ashore didn't have much of a chance, either. We were sitting ducks. I jumped off the bow but as soon as I got ashore a piece of shrapnel struck me right here in the chest,'' he said, thumping the spot vigorously, "but I had this thick book in my pocket and that saved my life.
"Once it got light, we were just target practice for Johnnie Turk. There was no cover. Nobody knew what was going on. Blokes were shot all around me. They were screaming out. Blood was spurting out everywhere. It was terrible.''
Mr Matthews dodged shrapnel for eight months, staying right to the end in "that terrible place'', where two of his best mates in the same dugout were hit at the same time either side of him. "I was lucky - but we were good fighters,'' the old corporal said. "In fact, the Australian infantry was the best in the world - Germans were only frightened of two types of soldiers: Australians and Scots.
"Our blokes were best because they wanted to fight - they were all volunteers. I joined up to teach the Germans a lesson for what they did to poor little Belgium. I was a Sydney carpenter at the time but I would not stand for that kind of behavior. We all went in for different reasons, but ours was the only army without conscripts - and that includes New Zealand. Did you know that?'' he challenged. "Well, don't you forget it!
"The British never had a clue. None of their generals ever came to the front line like our General Birdwood did; and I saw him come right up to the front line - the very front trench. The British officer-in-charge, General Ian Hamilton, never even came ashore; in nine months, he never left his ship.
"When some British soldiers landed at another beach, Cape Helles I think it was, they thought they were going on a picnic. They had lunch on the beach, went for a swim and played soccer before setting off for the cliffs. But the Turks massacred them before they got off the beach. We lasted for eight months on a much worse beach.
"But I reckon if an Australian had been in charge, we would have won the battle at Gallipoli. It would never have been a failure. We would have landed at the right beach with General Birdwood in charge, succeeded in taking out the enemy positions and moved up through southern Turkey until we met our Russian allies who were invading Turkey from the north - and defeated the Turks once and for all.
"But as we were on the wrong beach, all we could do was dig ourselves in. That is how we got the name diggers. I was handling the signals as I knew Morse code and when they heard we were under constant fire, the British generals sent a message through to dig in. `The deeper you dig,' the British said, `the safer you will be. So dig deep'.
"So we are not soldiers anymore," one of my mates said, "we're bloody diggers now."
"That's how it started and the term 'diggers' has got nothing to do with the gold rushes. That's a lot of rot.
"Gallipoli was a terrible place to live for eight months. There was nothing there that we had not brought ourselves.
"I remember sitting down eating my biscuits looking at the stinking bodies of dead Turks just in front of our trenches. They were half-decayed and rotting so they really stank, but we could not risk getting out of the trench to bury them. The wounded would just die alongside them. We just put up with it. I remember Simpson and his donkey carrying our wounded back down Shrapnel Gully on a donkey he pinched from a Turkish farm, which was easier than two men carrying a stretcher, but then he was shot.
"Without room to regroup and charge as a united force, we just stayed in our trenches until we could creep up the hill, digging new trenches as we went. I dug a trench to sleep in under the Turks' firing line and that was my bed for months. I hardly changed my clothes.
"Eventually, I got through to the front line but I only ever shot one Turk and he was running away from me. I don't know if I killed him. I've thought about it a lot since and I hope I missed the poor bugger.
"But we never had the men or weapons to beat the Turks, so eventually we withdrew on 19 December 1915. An Australian general organised the retreat and that was the best thing abut Gallipoli. It worked like clockwork. We never lost a man. With rifles rigged up to fire automatically even after we retreated, the Turks thought we were still there.'' Mr. Matthews laughed. "An Australian general should have been in charge of Gallipoli from the start.''
| A great personal website on Gallipoli: http://www.mindspring.com/~johnaust/Gallipoli.htm |
John Kane was born on Aug 15th 1871 the eldest son of Daniel Kane.
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Personal effects, two, three, four, his dog tag worn when he died | ||
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Two swords crossed crown medal inscribed on the back: J.Kane #403 | ||
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War diaries: Cairo, April, June, trench letter | ||
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Pip, Squeak and Wilfred
Pip, Squeak and Wilfred are the affectionate names given to the three WW1 campaign medals — The 1914 Star or 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal respectively. These medals were primarily awarded to the Old Contemptibles (B.E.F.). and by convention all three medals are worn together and in the same order from left to right when viewed from the front. The set of three medals or at least the British War Medal and the Victory Medal are the most likely medals to be found among family |
John Kane went away with his cobber Mick Mahoney. Mick was killed in action at Gaza Palestine on Thursday 19th April aged 42. He was a labourer and stockman and enlisted on 24th September 1914. He left on the "Victoria Star" with John Kane on 25th February 1915. He also left Egypt for Gallipoli with John Kane on the"Menominee" on 16th May 1915. He served at Gallipoli until the evacuation and then returned to Egypt. He was admitted to hospital on three occasions with pleurisy and pneumonia. He was sent to Palestine on 9th September 1916 until his death at Gaza.
15th September 2013 additional information:
Some more updated info and a lot of new info thanks to Michael's web links
Also reported in the same issue of the Coleraine Albion - Germany invades France.
So for months previous the Albion published local social and sporting activities and now suddenly the world has gone crazy.
THE FIRST SIX VOLUNTEERS FROM COLERAINE
Daniel Kane was married in Hamilton in August 1870 and on 15th August 1871, John Kane was born. The death notice in the Coleraine Albion stated that he was born in 1870 which is incorrect - information probably given by his brother James.
The informant was also incorrect in the report in the Coleraine Albion on 16th August - John Kane would have turned 44 on 15th August 1915 had he lived and not 45 as stated.
16th August Coleraine Albion below
Attached is a photo (2013 folder of family history web site) of the 8th Light Horsemen Marching Along Collins Street, Melbourne, 20 January 1915. John Kane would have been on one of those horses. He left on the "Star of India" one month later for Gallipoli.
Michael has sent a fantastic link from the War Memorial which I've never seen and has 34 digitised pages of John Kane's service record:
Included is new information for me:
| John Kane was 5 feet 11 inches tall, blue eyes and dark grey hair. He had "an oblique scar above his left eyebrow". |
| His weight was 11 stone 7lbs. |
| John Kane was buried on the same day that he died on 30th July by Rev. E Makeham |
| John Kane embarked for Gallipoli from Alexandria on 16th May 1915 one month after the initial landing on April 15th - ANZAC |
| John Kane was at Gallipoli on the 14th June as his letter shows, however from the link Michael has supplied, it seems that he was later admitted to hospital Gezira (Minneseaska) on 20th June 1915 with deafness, no doubt caused by the continual bombardment around him. Gezira Hospital was on the outskirts of Cairo. |
Subsequently, I'd guess he was reassigned to Walkers Ridge and was killed by a sniper on 30th July 1915 one month later. I've visited the site of his death and it is high up on the escarpment above Gallipoli Cove.
Interesting that James Kane signed his name 'Jas Kane' which could have been his nick name.
34 PAGES OF HIS SERVICE RECORD BELOW HELD IN THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES
http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/Imagine.asp?B=7361822
8th Australian Light Horse - C Squadron C Troop
Michael's link is quite fascinating for the ship he left on - "The Star of India" which I also have on my family history web site.
I haven't seen this list before and it is very interesting to note that as well as a farmer and Contractor (the same as his father - building bridges etc) he was also a horse trainer (not much use for horses where they landed next to a vertical cliff at Gallipoli.)
This entry puts his age at 41 which was in fact 43
403 Private John KANE, a 41 year old Horse trainer from Coleraine, Victoria. He enlisted on 1 September 1914; and subsequently was Killed in Action, 30 July 1915.
In the same unit was Private Elion Smith from Tahara
666 Private Elion Lindsay SMITH, a 23 year old Overseer from Tahara, Victoria. He enlisted on 16 January 1915; and subsequently was Killed in Action, 27 June 1915.
The only other soldier in C squadron from Coleraine was Preston Younger who was the first to sign up in Coleraine.
480 Private Preston Maitland YOUNGER, a 27 year old Stock dealer from Coleraine, Victoria. He enlisted on 11 September 1914; He was wounded at Gallipoli on 7th August 1915 (Coleraine Albion report 19th August 1915) and subsequently Returned to Australia, 23 August 1916. .
C Squadron had 160 soldiers on this boat and subsequently 48 were killed in action or died from wounds or disease which was 30% or 1 out of every three soldiers. Interested that 1 soldier deserted.
Embarkation of the 8th Light Horse Regiment was accomplished in two groups using both the HMAT A16 Star of Victoria and HMAT A25 Anglo-Egyptian from Melbourne, Victoria.
Gallipoli
As mounted troops, the Light Horse was considered to be unsuitable for work in Gallipoli. The mounted troops volunteered to operate as infantry and thus were sent to Gallipoli with the 8th Light Horse Regiment landing on 20 May 1915. The Regiment was deployed on primarily defensive activities at Russel's Top and Rhododendron Spur throughout the stay at Gallipoli. The 8th Light Horse Regiment participated in the ill fated charge at the Nek on 7 August 1915 where most of the Regiment was either killed or wounded. The 8th Light Horse Regiment left the peninsula on 20 December 1915.
In A Squadron 8th Light horse Corporal John Connor also enlisted from Coleraine.
15 Corporal John Leslie CONNOR, a 29 year old Mining Engineer from Coleraine, Victoria. He enlisted on 7 November 1914; and subsequently was Killed in Action, 7 August 1915.
Also in that unit were 3 soldiers from Ringwood: (one example below)
96 Private William JOHNSTON, a 26 year old Grocer from Ringwood, Victoria. He enlisted on 10 September 1914; and subsequently Returned to Australia, 12 May 1918.
Below 12th August 1915 Coleraine Albion
The informant below stated 45 years of age which was in fact 43
Coleraine Albion 30th August 1915 below - 2 missing soldiers on 7th August (Private C. McAnally had written and had his letter published in the Coleraine Albion on 12th August (see above)
2 more deaths reported 2nd September 1915 Coleraine Albion
Coleraine Albion Australian casualties to date 2nd Sept 1915 (below)
The casualty list had grown from 232 killed on 2nd Sept to 3834 on 13th Sept 1015
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John Kane embarked for Gallipoli from Alexandria on 16th May 1915 one
month after the initial landing on April 15th - ANZAC
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John Kane wrote a letter and a parody poem based on a well known song, as
well as a brief card confirming his well being from Gallipoli on the 14th
June , however he was later taken back to Cairo and admitted to hospital
Gezira, which was on the outskirts of the city, on 20th June 1915 with
deafness, no doubt caused by the continual bombardment around him. He
referred to the 'shrapnel which was murder' on the card which he send
from the trenches of Gallipoli.
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Subsequently, he was taken back to Gallipoli by ship and reassigned to
Walkers Ridge where he was killed by a sniper on 30th July 1915. He was
43 years and 11 months old.
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Preston Younger was the first volunteer to sign up for military service in
Coleraine on 11th September 1914. He was a stock dealer and was 27 years
of age. He was lucky enought to return to Australia on 23rd August 1916.
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John checked out the memorial in Coleraine and found that Private Charles
McAnally died soon after he wrote the letter which was published in the
Coleraine Albion on August 12 1915 (see attached) along with his two
brothers - Trooper A McAnally and Sgt. G. McAnally. The three McAnally
brothers have their names etched on the monument located next to the Post
Office in Coleraine.
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CONSCRIPTION DEBATE WORLD WAR 1
Under Labor prime minister Billy Hughes, full conscription was attempted during WWI through two referenda.
The first
plebiscite was held on 28 October
1916 and narrowly rejected conscription with a margin of 49% for and 51%
against.[2] The
plebiscite of 28 October 1916 asked Australians:
Are you in favour of the Government having, in this
grave emergency, the same compulsory powers over citizens in regard to requiring
their military service, for the term of this War, outside the Commonwealth, as
it now has in regard to military service within the Commonwealth?
A second
plebiscite was held on 20
December 1917, and was defeated by a greater margin. The question put to
Australians was:
"Are you in favour of the proposal of the Commonwealth
Government for reinforcing the Commonwealth Forces overseas?"
After the failure of the first plebiscite, Billy Hughes left the Australian Labor Party parliamentary caucus, taking with him most of the Parliamentary party's talent.[3] He promptly crossed the floor with about half of the parliamentary party, creating a new National Labor Party and surviving as Prime Minister by forming a conservative Nationalist government dependent for support on the Commonwealth Liberal Party.[4]The remainder of the Labor Party, under their new leader Frank Tudor, then expelled Hughes and all who had followed him.[5] Following the split, Labor stayed out of office for ten years.
· John Kane drove the buggy to the racecourse for a picnic for the school girls before the War. What a contrast to what lay before him at Gallipoli!
According to military historians including Professor Peter Stanley of the University of NSW, one of the most persistent myths about the Anzac landing at Gallipoli is that the troops came ashore at the wrong spot.
Professor Stanley says the journalist and historian Charles Bean helped generate this myth by quoting a naval officer, Commander Dix, as saying, "the damn fools have landed us in the wrong place!"
Professor Stanley says this is "not correct". "For decades people have tried to explain the failure at Gallipoli by blaming it on the Royal Navy, but the Royal Navy did land the troops in approximately the right spot. It was what happened after the landing where things went wrong," he says.
The head of military history at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, Ashley Ekins, agrees. "It's a common misconception," he says. "In fact, the Anzacs landed pretty well right in the centre of the originally selected landing zone."
Professor Stanley says there wasn't ever a precise landing spot, just a range of about a kilometre or two, and as it happened, putting the troops ashore around Anzac Cove was probably beneficial, because it was not heavily defended.
Mr Ekins, who is the author of the book Gallipoli; A Ridge Too Far, says there were incorrect claims at the time that currents drew the landing boats away from their intended target. "There are no currents in that area," he says.
Another myth is that British generals were to blame for the failure of the Gallipoli campaign.
Wrong again, says Professor Stanley. "The first landing was opposed by only about 80 Turks, and the defenders were soon massively out-numbered, but the invaders failed to advance inland as they had been ordered," he says.
He says the Australians' orders were to push on and capture a hill called Maltepe, seven kilometres inland. But the Australian brigadiers got nervous and told their men to dig in on the second ridge, and that's where they stayed for the rest of the eight-month campaign.
Professor Stanley says Australians wanted to blame somebody else for a failure that was basically a failure of Australian command.
Mr Ekins says the then Australian prime minister, Billy Hughes, was among the first to point the finger at the British. In fact, Mr Ekins says, there are multiple reasons for why the campaign failed. "The objectives in the first place, the conception of the whole campaign, was flawed," he says.
Wartime inquiries found the entire campaign had been misconceived from the start and was poorly carried out, resulting in the useless deaths of tens of thousands of allied soldiers.
A 1917 British parliamentary report concluded: "The failure at Anzac was due mainly to the difficulties of the country and the strength of the enemy."
However it also noted that had the British been successful at nearby Suvla, they may have lessened Turkish resistance at Anzac Cove.
Geoffrey Blainey the pre eminent Aust historian believes that the celebration of the ANZAC legend of selfless bravery has evolved to provide us with purpose in coming to grips with and justifying the military defeat inflicted by the Turks and the senseless slaughter of Aust youth through such an ill conceived and misguided campaign at Gallipoli .....far away from Aust shores. He says the campaign was without strategic purpose and was an avoidable national tragedy....Blainey even says that the ANZAC legend was initially developed to camouflage the true understanding by the nation of how and why our soldiers were sacrificed at Gallipoli particularly because in the aftermath it could have potentially threatened the Aust connection with the british empire.
From a Gallipoli diary of James Mann from WA:
“After training in Egypt on May 16th 1915 sailed for the front. ‘We were all jammed in like sardines in a tin but we were of good cheer for we were off to help our brave comrades.
May 19th – “We could see the flash of shellfire, hear the booming of guns, our pulses slightly quicken.
May 20th – “We are smack in the valley of death. Laying about are the graves of our brave comrades who paid their life to force a landing
May 29th – “The Anzacs and the Turks threw bombs and grenades into each other’s trenches. For an hour and half it was hell itself, you could hear yourself speak. The brave ambulance men were doing their noble work bringing in the wounded.
The next day a bullet struck my ammunition belt which I am keeping. It was lucky for me it didn’t go a little higher or lower.
As the days drag on the awful smell from the dead bodies and the constant bombing was dreadful on the nerves.
(John Kane was in Egypt in April and sailed for Gallipoli around the same time in May)
On into June he noted the cruelly misguided rumours that the end of the war was close.
The light horsemen were also finding the battle in the trenches trying.
June 10th- “You’ll be pleased to see our horses again – do not care for this trench fighting.”
June 30th: Mann was sounding desperate: “Life getting very hard. Feel it is hardly worthwhile living. Dysentery is very prevalent amongst us all. Weather is hot as hell, water very tainted. The long hours in the trenches, little sleep is beginning to tell on all of us.”
(John Kane died on 30th July at Walkers Ridge from a snipers bullet. If he had survived this, the next charge was the Nek of which the movie ‘Gallipoli’ was based on.)
August 7th came the tragedy of the infamous charge from trenches into lines of murderous Turkish fire at the Nek of which Mann wrote: “Stood to arms at 3am then took up our respective positions for attacking. A gun of ours commenced bombardment of the Turk trench in front of ours but did little good.”
“Dawn about to break 8th Light Horse (John Kane’s regiment) have charged Turk machine gun fire – dreadful. Turks giving our support hell. Word passed around that the 8th down and most of the beggars dead. 10th then charged, heavy causalities, the sight very sickening. Withdraw fro the trenches at 9am our losses very heavy. Everyone downhearted, tears shed by many.
The next day he as struck down with dysentery and evacuated to Egypt. Mann was back at Gallipoli in October but his diary was discontinued.
In November 1916 he was on his way home.
In 1920 he took up a farm at Beverley WA under the soldier settlement scheme.
He was elected as an MP in 1930 and retired in 1962 after 32 years in Parliament.
He died in 1965
Coleraine soldiers remembered on a disastrous day - 7 th August 1915
7 th August: Pte John Lambard 24 yrs. 14 th Batt. Received gun shot wounds at Lone Pine. Died five days later – buried at sea. Commemorated at Lone Pine Memorial. The four Lampard brothers served with 14 th Batt at Gallipoli.
7 th August: Trooper Charles McAnally 26 years. 8 th Light Horse. K.I.A. at Walkers Ridge Gallipoli. Commemorated Lone Pine Memorial. The four McAnally sons died as a result of the War – 2 in France and one in Coleraine as a result of war injuries 1919.
7 th August: Trooper Ernest Shearsmith 25 years. 8 th Light Horse. K.I.A. Commemorated Lone Pine Memorial. Identity disc found at Walker 's Ridge by Captain Bignither NZ EF. Later sent to parents in England .
7 th August: Trooper Ernest Nicklin 25 yrs. Reinforced the 5 th Batt. at Gallipoli 9 th July at Shrapnel Gully. Died 7 th August. Buried at Shrapnel Gully Cemetry.
7 th August: Cpl John Baker 27 yrs. 8 th Light Horse – wounded 7 th August at Walkers Ridge Gallipoli. Had his left leg and right foot amputated. Died on the hospital ship 11 th August. Buried at Alexandria Military & War Memorial Cemetery .
7 th August: Sgt. Les Connor 30 yrs. 8 th Light Horse. Killed at Walkers Ridge N.K.G. commemorated at Lone Pine Memorial.
2015 Anniversary
The end of the 'Turkey Feud' Anzac Day 2015
Kane v McAnally
COLERAINE ALBION ( PAGE 3) 27 TH JUNE 1890
At the Coleraine Police Court on Tuesday, before Mr. Johns PM, a peculiar “turkey” case came on for settlement.
The plaintiff was Mrs. Kane, wife of the well-known contractor, and was represented by Mr. E. Silvester; while the defendant, Mrs. C.A. McAnally, a neighbour of plaintiff, had Mr. Samuel on her behalf.
Mr. Silvester said the facts of the case were that Mrs. McAnally's children were seen urging a dog to attack a flock of turkeys belonging to plaintiff. She was afterwards interviewed, and admitted that some turkeys had been killed by a dog urged on by her children.
The witnesses to the case were ordered out of the court until called upon.
Mr. Silvester argued that only trespassing geese could be destroyed under the Impounding Act.
Mary Jane Kane disposed: I am the plaintiff in this case, and I owned 13 turkeys prior to June 14. Consequent on information received by me, I went to Mrs. McAnally's place on that date. She has 9½ acres joining us. I asked her if she had been killing my turkeys, and in reply she said she had and would kill more yet.
I told her if she did I would make them dear turkeys for her, and she defied me, telling me with bad language, to do my best.
Mrs. McAnally told me that she could kill them, but must not touch them.
I went towards the potato patch and saw one turkey dead under a wood heap.
It appeared to have died a violent death, found another between defendant's fence and ours – which was also dead. I took them home, and we ate what was edible of them.
By Mr. Samuel: I have never quarrelled with Mrs. McAnally. I have impounded horses of theirs. I did not take down any fencing recently. I am not a boundary rider. (Laughter) The turkeys were tough when stewed. (Laughter)
Margaret Kane, a little girl, prior to giving evidence, stated, in reply to questions from the Bench, that she was 12 years of age, and that she went to Sunday School and knew the nature of an oath, and that she would be punished if told a falsehood.
The witness then disposed: The last witness is my step-mother. I recollect June 14. I was at our house and heard a dog barking, and the young Moyles sooling a dog after turkeys with sticks and stones.
The dog was called “Friday.” I went home and reported this to my mother. I saw the remains of some turkeys brought home by my mother afterwards.
By Mr. Samuel: The boys called out to the dog, “sool them Friday.” I did not see the turkeys killed. I saw the boys and the dog running turkeys towards the house.
Mr. Silvester recalled Mrs. Kane.
Mr. Samuel objected to the witness being asked any questions, as the object of ordering witnesses out of court was to prevent them corroborating one another.
Mr. Silvester said he simply wished to question the witness as to the appearance of the turkeys, so that the court could form an opinion as to how long they had been dead.
The witness then entered the box, and deposed: The turkeys appeared warm and were bleeding when found by me.
Mr. Silvester said this was the case for the prosecution.
Mr. Samuel suggested that, as there was another action in connection with the turkeys, the Bench should not adjudicate until the evidence in both cases had been heard – the two depending on the same facts. The second action was to recover 10 shillings, the value of the turkeys.
Mr. Johns expressed his intention of suspending his decision until he had heard both cases.
Mr. Samuel said the defendant's sons stated that they did not sool on a dog, but had drove the turkeys off with a stick, and, in doing so, killed some. The plaintiff annoyed defendant with turkeys and pigs, and it was very annoying to have turkeys trespassing on a grass paddock.
Kane v McAnally : Claim for 10 shillings, damage done to poultry by a dog.
Mr. Silvester for complainant, and Mr. Samuel for the defence.
Caroline Ann McAnally deposed: I recollect June 14. Between 2 and 3 o'clock that say I was sitting with my baby by the fire when I heard a noise of turkeys. I went down the road a little distance, and when I came back I saw the children in a shed with some turkeys. Mrs. Kane came down afterwards, and asked if her turkeys were there. I said they were not, but believed some had been killed. Gave her permission to come on the premises to get them. The turkeys were damaging the crop by coming on the ground.
By Mr. Silvester: I have no animosity against Mrs. Kane. I put an advertisement in the paper cautioning the Kanes' not to trespass on my ground. I did this because I had 2 bags of potatoes in a paddock which their pigs had destroyed.
I never passed any remarks to Kane until the 16 th when she was driving her buggy along the road, and she stopped it and jumped off to drive my cow off the road. I got it off first. I register my cow on the common same as you do. (Laughter) I said to Kane “Well Mary Ann Cook, you're not smart enough this time.” (Laughter)
It's false that I said I would kill all the turkeys I could. My wood heap is on the main road, and the dead turkeys were not in it. One was at the back of my shed, and the other was kicking between my pig stye and Doulls fence when I left it.
The one that Mrs. Kane took from the back of the shed was bleeding. There were no feathers from the turkeys unless from where she was. All that are in the court can search my paddock and they won't find feathers unless Mrs. Kane put them there. (Laughter)
Mrs. Kane had both the feathers and the flesh of they turkeys. I brought the stick with which they were killed into court, but not the dog. I was sorry the children killed the turkeys. Mrs. Kane declared was when she took the turkeys.
By Mr. Samuel: I did not interfere in any earthly way. I saw the bodies after the turkeys were dead.
Mr. Samuel wished to examine the little boys who were stated to have killed the turkeys, but as Mr. Johns thought it was unnecessary, they were not placed in the box.
The Bench said that under common law, poultry were liable to be killed if trespassing. The only question was if they were destroyed with unnecessary cruelty. He would, however, like to impress upon the parties in cases of this description that it was the duty of owners to keep poultry on their own premises, and not their neighbours duty to keep them out.
The cases were dismissed, with each side to pay their own costs.
"The
Gallipoli campaign was a disaster from beginning to end. The mission was
ineptly commanded and poorly equipped. After nine months of deadlock and
the loss of more than 100,000 lives the allies eventually withdrew their
attack on the peninsula. 
John
Kane was killed at Walker's Ridge 30th July 1915
The Military Medal for Bravery
