40th Battalion First AIF

[Jim]

I am currently researching Tasmanian soldiers in the Great War.

As part of this research I'm in the process of building a database and website commemorating soldiers who enlisted in Tasmania’s 40th Battalion. This battalion was raised in 1916, it was unique within the AIF in that it was raised solely within a single state.

The battalion embarked for the Western Front in July 1916 and by December was serving in the trenches in France. The 40th Battalion spent 1917 bogged in bloody trench warfare in Flanders. The battalion spent much of 1918 fighting in the Somme valley.

Over 3000 men served in the battalion, almost 70% of them were wounded, around 17% were killed in action or died of wounds.

I'm keen to hear from anyone whose ancestors were soldiers in the 40th Battalion or other units in the First World War.
I can be contacted by phone on mobile: 0423974479  phn: (03) 64911607 or by leaving a message through this forum.

[doug]

Hi Jim
As this is a very old post which I have only just come across, you may have completed your project.
However, my father served with the 1st 40th.  I think he enlisted 3rd April 1916 having been rejected at an earlier try.
He served in France until wounded (Gassed).
I am not sure exactly where they were fighting at the time as the records seem to show two trips to hospital and then a return to the battallion.  Rouen and Trouvilles are mentioned in the archive records. Also Rouelles.
The records show he was returned to Australia 28 October 1918.
He died after a car accident on 19th July 1960 when I was 11 years old, (also my mother died as result of the same car crash), and as he never talked about the war, I never found out many details of where they fought.

His details: No. 3279  BOOTE  Clarence Vernon
Rank: Private
Carpenter born Smithton Tas 1898
Enlisted Claremont

Hope this is still of interest.  If you have any details of the actual sites that the 1st 40th would have fought, especially around March 1918 when he was gassed, I would very much appreciate it if you could pass it on to me.

Thanks and regards,

Doug Boote
Mackay Qld

[WebMan]

Hi Doug,

I doubt the project will ever be completed!
Great to hear from you, I just recently launched the website associated with the project at www.40th-bn.org
I've still got a lot more to add to it.
I have some diaries & other information that may interest you, I'll send you what I can find out about the action in which he was gassed.

Regards

Jim Rouse

[ash]

Sorry for adding to this thread so long after the initial post, however, I thought I should add to it.

My grandfathers, Keith Thomas, was quite ambiguous, nobody knew much about him and he died long before my birth.

Trying to dig up some information on him I found his enlistment form here
http://naa12.naa.gov.au/Scripts/Imagine.asp?B=3002027&SE=1&I=1 (100% certain it is him, departure locale and next of kin match)

Came across this forum when trying to find out more information about the 40th battalion.

[RTanner]

Hi Jim
A personal thanks for your very interesting talk at THFS hobart Branch the other night.  It inspired mr to check my database for 40th-ers.  Here are relatives of mine who might fit your researches.

104 ALLANBY, John Roy  40 Infantry Battalion 1 July 1916
5329 ALLANBY, Norman Wolseley  7 Infantry Battalion 4 April 1916
2725 SPAULDING, Bertram James MM 12 Infantry Battalion 10 September 1915
7325 SPAULDING, Cecil Francis  12 Infantry Battalion 10 February 1917
2391 SPAULDING, Douglas Edgar  40 Infantry Battalion 21 October 1916
38211 SPAULDING, George Thomas  Field Artillery Brigade 9 November 1917
7802 SPAULDING, Milford  12 Infantry Battalion 4 August 1917
2916 TANNER, Harold James 26 Infantry Battalion 27 October 1915

I have more information on all of these, so let me know if you want stories, details, etc on any of them.

Robert Tanner

[caroline]

My grand father was a 40th battalion member.  His name was Clarence Thomas Fleming from Bothwell region.  He enlisted 18/3/1916.  He was wounded and hospitalised in England.  I have photos of him and his medals.  He served 3years and 6 months.  He died in 1962 of cancer I think.  He had  schapnel still in healed wounds. I was 2 years old when he died, so I cant really remeber him. I am interested in finding out more about this battalion. Can you help?

[WebMan]

Hi Caroline

I can certainly help you, but what do you want to know?
If you check out www.40th-bn.org you'll find quite a bit of info on the battalion and if you search the forum you'll discover a link to a chapter of the battalion history.
Let me know what exactly you want & I'll help you as best as I can

Regards

Jim

[darrell]

I am writing in to make enquires about my father who served in the 40 th battalion. I think he joined up in 1916 aged 16years 9 months. I think his number was 258 or 358. He was born in Penguin on the NW coast. After he came back from active service he joined the Tasmanian Police Force & married my mother, Emelia Donath in 1920.  They had 6 children. Dad died 10-12-82 Mother died 18-3-83. I can remember Dad saying if we wanted to know anything to start asking questions, but this was not done. I hope this information can be of some use to you, Darrell.

     

[WebMan]

Hi Darrell
I guess your father was  #258 Pte. Robert Lyth REVELL ?
He also served in WW2 as you'll know, but I've been unable to find any details of his second term of service.
Do you have any photos of him in uniform?
I have one of A company at the end of the war, he may be in it.

Jim

[RTanner]

Hi Jim
You might like to add this one to your list of links.

www.aif.adfa.edu.au:8080

I found it accidentally whilst googling for something else!  Of course, you may already know of it.