JAMIESON father & son

SERGEANT WILLIAM GEORGE JAMIESON

1046 – 3rd Tunnelling Company

William George Jamieson was born in Majorca, Victoria on August 13, 1975 the son of William George and Jannet (nee Lindsay) Jamieson. He married on February 13, 1898 to Ann Eliza Masterton at Matlock, Victoria and in 1903 they were at Victor’s Quartz, Ross Creek, Gippsland, Vic.

By 1910 they were in the West Australian goldfields in Kalgoorlie and two years later resided 106 Hall Street, Kalgoorlie with the occupation of miner.

At the recruiting depot in Laverton, W.A. on December 8, 1915 the forty-year-old miner applied to enlist for active service abroad passing the medical examination. Attestation forms describe him as 164cms (5ft 4½ins) tall, weighing 72.7kgs (160lbs) with a chest expansion of 92-99cms (36-39ins). Complexion was fair with blue eyes and brown hair and distinctive marks were noted as three small moles on his chest, one on the right shoulder and one on the left groin. Religion was Presbyterian. Next-of-kin nominated was his wife Ann Eliza Jamieson of Ida H. Gold Mine, Laverton, W.A. Swearing in took place at Blackboy Hill camp, near Perth on December 13, 1915.

Recruiting for the Miners’ Corps had officially begun on December 1st, 1915 therefore Private Jamieson was placed for basic training at the Helena Vale camp at Blackboy Hill, W.A. on December 13 with the newly forming Corps. The Unit’s title was the No. 3 Company with a major portion of No. 3 Company recruited by 2nd Lt. L.J. Coulter, A.I.F. who was sent from N.S.W. to W.A. for that purpose. They were made up to strength with 1 Officer and 274 Other Ranks and embarked from Fremantle, W.A.

On December 18, 1915 the company sailed for Sydney, NSW on board the troopship SS Indarra. His name appears on the passenger list which was published in:

On Boxing Day (Dec 26th), 1915 the Unit arrived in Sydney and marched into Casula Camp, near Liverpool, NSW. They were joined by the 4th Section of the Tasmanian Miners, bringing the establishment strength up to 15 officers and 349 Other Ranks under the command of 2nd Lieutenant L.J. Coulter.

Mining Corps Units from all Military districts came together at Casula camp, near Liverpool, NSW to complete training as a Corps. Jamieson was assigned the regimental number 1046 and promoted in rank to Corporal on December 29, 1915 and remained in No. 3 Company.

At a civic parade in the Domain, Sydney on Saturday February 19, 1916, a large crowd of relations and friends of the departing Miners lined the four sides of the parade ground. Sixty police and 100 Garrison Military Police were on hand to keep the crowds within bounds. The scene was an inspiriting one. On the extreme right flank, facing the saluting base, were companies of the Rifle Club School; next came a detachment of the 4th King’s Shropshire Light Infantry, then the bands of the Light Horse, Liverpool Depot, and the Miners’ on the left, rank upon rank, the Miners’ Battalion.

The Corps boarded HMAT A38 Ulysses in Sydney, NSW on February 20 and sailed for the European theatre. Arriving in Melbourne, Victoria on February 22 the Miners camped at Broadmeadows for a stay of 7 days while further cargo was loaded. He was to be Sergeant on February 24, 1916.

Another parade was held at the Broadmeadows camp on March 1, the Miners’ Corps being inspected by the Governor-General, as Commander-in-Chief of the Commonwealth military forces.

Leaving Melbourne on March 1, Ulysses arrived at Fremantle, Western Australia on March 7 where a further 53 members were taken on board.

On Wednesday March 8, 1916 the whole force, with their band and equipment, paraded at Fremantle prior to leaving Victoria Quay at 9.30 o’clock.

The ship hit a reef when leaving Fremantle harbour, stripping the plates for 40 feet and, although there was a gap in the outside plate, the inner bilge plates were not punctured. The men on board nicknamed her ‘Useless’. The Miners were off-loaded and sent to the Blackboy Hill Camp where further training was conducted.

The Mining Corps comprised 1303 members at the time they embarked with a Headquarters of 40; No.1 Company – 390; No.2 Company – 380; No.3 Company – 392, and 101 members of the 1st Reinforcements.

Finally departing Fremantle on April 1, Ulysses voyaged via Suez, Port Said and Alexandria in Egypt. The Captain of the shipwas reluctantto take Ulysses out of the Suez Canal because he felt the weight of the ship made it impossible to manoeuvre in the situation of a submarine attack. The troops were transhipped to HM Transport B.1 Ansonia, then on to Valetta, Malta before disembarking at Marseilles, France on May 5, 1916. As a unit they entrained at Marseilles on May 7 and detrained on May 11 at Hazebrouck.

A ‘Mining Corps’ did not fit in the British Expeditionary Force, and the Corps was disbanded and three Australian Tunnelling Companies were formed. The Technical Staff of the Corps Headquarters, plus some technically qualified men from the individual companies, was formed into the entirely new Australian Electrical and Mechanical Mining and Boring Company (AEMMBC), better known as the ‘Alphabetical Company’.

Four sections of the No. 3 Company were dispersed to various sectors for instructional training. The No. 3 Company was officially transferred to the 3rd Tunnelling Company in the field on December 18, 1916. This was also the date when his son No. 63 William Thomas Jamieson was transferred in to the 3rd Tunnelling Company and taken on strength from the 11th Battalion on December 30, 1916.

His service continued without incident until September 5, 1917 when he was wounded in action from a gas shell and taken to the 16th Field Ambulance then moved to the 1st Casualty Clearing Station with gas poisoning.

From there was transferred to a barge on September 7 and conveyed to the 7th General Hospital at St Omer entering the next day.

The following is the extract from the Unit Diary of the 3rd Tunnelling Company noting the incident:

“On 5.9.17 the following were gassed at Nizam Trench, Hill 70: -

1046 Sgt Jamieson, W.G. 998 Spr Fisher, H.

991 Spr Eddison, J.J. 2409 “ Springfield, C.E.

1129 “ Porter, H. 1281 “ Hoy, H.

4360 “ Howe, C. 4458 “ Richards, W.

1314 “ Fowler, A.G. 1101 “ McIndoe, S.W.

5009 “ McKiernan, W. 6813 “ Edwards, A.E.

1297 “ Tester, A.P.M. 1292 “ Vidacovich, G.A.

6776 “ Warren, L.A. 4315 “ Duffy, J.

5793 “ McLean, W.”

He was discharged to Base Details on September 14, 1917 and rejoined his unit the following day. Base Records advised his wife the same day of his wounding and this was reported in the:

He was also listed in the Casualty List published in the:

On October 8, 1917 was sent to the 16th Field Ambulance with ICT (inflammation of connective tissues) of Tympani (tiny muscle middle ear which helps protect inner from noise damage) leaving two days later for the 18th Field Ambulance. He rejoined his unit on October 21.

Sergeant entered the 34th Field Ambulance on November 29, 1917 for treatment of Dental Caries and was transferred to the 1st Casualty Clearing Station. On December 1 was moved to the 58th C.C.S. and returned to his unit on December 9.

Three Blue Chevrons were issued to wear on his uniform on February 20, 1918 for serving two years abroad.

In late June, 1918 his son Sapper W.T. Jamieson wrote a letter to the Australian Prime Minister, Mr William M. Hughes on behalf of his ill father for assistance to have his father returned to Australia. It reads:

A.I.F. Headquarters received a copy of his son’s letter forwarding it on to the 3rd Tunnelling Company on August 6, 1918. The writer noted that Mr Hughes had been informed that the matter was being forwarded to the Officer in Charge and he particularly desired that no detrimental action be taken for sending a letter to the Prime Minister.

Sergeant Jamieson made application on September 10, 1918 for six months furlough to Australia stating that he was forty-five years of age with a clear record of three years’ service and been in the front line continuously for the last twenty-eight months. He went on to say he had been severely gassed on two occasions which had completely broken his health and with a wife and family to attend to and wished to regain his broken health.

Headquarters, London gave approval to the O.C. 3rd Tunnelling Company’s request of September 11, 1918 for the return to Australia of the N.C.O. for discharge and to send him to A.I.F. Headquarters, London.

On September 25, 1918 Sergeant was advised to report to A.I.F. Headquarters in London for return to Australia. He reported to ‘A Branch’ as ordered then marched in to the No. 2 Command Depot in Weymouth on October 7, 1918. A week later went sick to hospital and returned on October 24, 1918. He was at the Command Depot when Peace was declared.

Sergeant Jamieson embarked for Australia for discharge on December 7, 1918 on the H.T. Somerset. Base Records advised his wife on December 20 that he was returning home. His name was in the list of soldiers returning published in the:

The ship docked in Melbourne (3rd M.D.) on January 8, 1919. News of their arrival was published in the:

Sergeant Jamieson returned to Perth, W.A. on the Great Western Railway on January 25, 1919. He had a medical assessment at No. 8 Aust General Hospital on February 5, 1919.

Military Discharge was issued in Perth (5th M.D.) on March 22, 1919 as medically unfit.

On April 23, 1919 the 5th Military District wrote to Base Records requesting the reason for discharge and to forward any Medical Board proceedings they may have. Records replied that he returned by rail to W.A. and they noted for future action reason for discharge. A copy of Board proceedings was sent the next day. Further correspondence was shared to attach to his file on July 15, 1919.

The British War Medal (8135) and the Victory Medal (8101) were issued to Sergeant 1040 William George Jamieson, 3rd Tunnelling Company for serving his country.

It is possible he was a soldier-settler taking up land at Yalup Brook, W.A. This property went out to Tender which was advertised in the:

His Victory Medal was unclaimed from the designated barracks and returned to Base Records on September 30, 1924. A letter addressed to him was sent to his next-of-kin’s last known address at 8 Avenue, Maylands on October 17, 1924 but returned unclaimed. He applied for his medal on March 2, 1925 which was forwarded to him by registered post (no.2925) on March 14, 1925 to his address at Churchman’s Brook, Armadale, W.A.

A Statement of Service was requested by the Perth Branch of the Repatriation Commission and forwarded by Base Records on June 14, 1927. Another Statement of Service was required and posted on June 7, 1933.

Change-over of registration for his car was published in 1934 in the:

In 1935 he became a company manager of the Gambier Lass Gold Mining Co, Mt Leonora and his appointment was announced in the:

His address was Mt Leonora in 1936 and 1937. In 1943 it was 104 Wittenoom Street, East Perth and in 1949 was retired to 68 Adrian Street, East Fremantle.

William George Jamieson passed away in hospital on December 18, 1952 aged 77 years. The announcement was published in the:

Mrs Ann Eliza Jamieson died on October 25, 1953 aged 78 years late of East Perth. They are memorialised in the Crematorium Niche Wall in section WH with W.G. Jamieson located at No. 22 and his wife at No. 30. His ashes were placed in the Crematorium Rose Garden and hers scattered to the winds.

His only son also served:

PRIVATE / SAPPER WILLIAM THOMAS JAMIESON

63 – 11th Battalion / 63A – 3rd Tunnelling Company

William Thomas (Tom) Jamieson was born at Woods Point, Gippsland, Victoria in 1894 the son of William George and Ann Eliza (nee Masterton). His final years of schooling were at the Perth Boys School.

Military experience was gained from two years with the G.I.R. and A.I.F. until he left and it disbanded. In 1913 he sat for the Public Service Examinations with results published in the:

At the announcement that War was declared the young twenty year old civil servant applied to enlist for active service abroad at Blackboy Hill camp, near Perth, W.A. on August 15, 1914 and passed the medical examination.

Attestation forms were completed and describe him as 168cms (5ft 6ins) tall, weighing 57kgs (126lbs) with a chest expansion of 81-89cms (32-35ins). There were no distinctive marks. Complexion was fair with blue eyes and fair hair. Religion was Church of England. Next-of-kin nominated was his father W.G. Jamieson of Ida H Gold Mine, Laverton, W.A. He took the ‘Oath of Allegiance’ at Helena Vale camp on August 26, 1914.

Basic training commenced with the 11th Infantry Battalion and on October 6, 1914 was assigned to “A” Company as a bugler with the regimental number 63. The Battalion embarked from Fremantle Harbour, W.A. on October 31, 1914 on H.M.A.T. A7 Medic sailing for the Suez two days later on November 2. The troops left to join the M.E.F. at Gallipoli Peninsula from Alexandria on March 2, 1915 on H.M.T. Suffolk.

Private Jamieson stated he was one of the 1500 Australians who landed on April 25, 1915 with the original 11th Battalion, 3rd Aust. Brigade. After five months on duty he was wounded in action on July 31, 1915 in Lean’s Trench suffering wounds to the head, face and knee from a bomb. Taken to the 1st Casualty Clearing Station then transferred to a hospital ship the next day for Lemnos Island arriving at the No. 1 Aust General Hospital on August 3. After about ten days was moved to the No. 24 C.C.S. at Mudros East on August 12. On September 1st was sent to the No.1 Field Ambulance, Anzac for a day due to Otitis (inflammation of ear) then discharged to duty at Gallipoli.