LANCE-CORPORAL WALTER JAMES COURT
1447 – Aust Electrical & Mechanical Mining & Boring Company
Walter James Court was born about 1887 the son of Henry and Ellen Court in Crawley, Sussex, England. In 1891 at Ifield Street, Crawley residents of the family were Henry (35) painter, Ellen (38), Miriam (10), Ernest (9), Edith E. (7), Hannah (6), Walter (4), Frederick (1) and a lodger William O. Snelling (22) printing compositor.
Ten years later in 1901 the family were at High Street, Crawley and consisted of Henry (45) sign writer and decorator, Ellen (48), Miriam (20) shop assistant, Ernest (19) painter, Hannah (16) helper at home, Walter J. (14), Frederick (11) and William H. (5).
He married Rose Rebecca Rice and in 1911 they were living at 9 Albany Road, Crawley with Walter James (24) a plumber & journeyman and Rose (24) home duties. On September 29, 1911 their son Charles Walter Michael Court was born.
The young family left for Belgium early in 1912 to board the ship Cassel for the voyage to Australia. The ship’s register states that 138 male passengers and 2 females arrived in Fremantle on May 1, 1912. News of their arrival appeared in:
He continued with his trade as a plumber settling at 82 Richmond Street, Leederville, W.A.
At the Recruiting Office in Perth, W.A. on January 3, 1916 at twenty-nine years of age he applied to enlist for active service abroad. Details taken when passing the medical examination show he was married and 165cms (5ft 5ins) tall with a chest measurement of 90cms (35½ins). Declared fit for service his application was accepted by the Recruiting Officer.
Attestation Forms add further information that he weighed 60kgs (132lbs) and chest expansion was 84-90cms (33½-35½ins). Complexion was fair with blue eyes and had light brown hair. Distinctive marks were four vaccination scars on his left arm and mark right ear. Baptist was his religion. Next-of-kin nominated was his wife Mrs Rose Rebecca Court of 82 Richmond Street, Leederville and later changed to 11 Bruce Street. He signed and took the ‘Oath on Enlistment’ on January 31, 1916.
Basic training commenced with the 48th Depot Battalion then was assigned to 2nd Reinforcement to the 51st Battalion the same day but later changed on February 29 to the Engineer’s Reinforcements training at Blackboy Hill. At Helena Vale camp he was allocated to the 1st Reinforcements, Mining Corps with the regimental number 1447 in the rank of Sapper.
Meanwhile in Sydney, NSW at a civic parade in the Domain 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.
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 including Sapper Court were to be 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’.
On May 22, 1916 he was detached for duty in the field with the 177th Tunnelling Company, Royal Engineers. His civil career of a plumber was important to the work of the A.E.M.M.B.C. in their workshop therefore was taken on strength with them on October 7, 1916.
He was promoted to be Lance Corporal on October 25, 1916 and was attached temporarily with the 1/2nd Cornwall Army Troops Company, R.E. in the 2nd Army Workshop at Bailleul on November 12, 1916.
On June 30, 1917 Base Records updated his wife’s address to 139 Richmond Street, Leederville, W.A.
Temporary duty in the field commenced with the 2nd Casualty Clearing Station on August 25, 1917 and on October 6 was to be Provisional Temporary Corporal.
For twelve months service abroad he was issued with Blue Chevrons to wear on his uniform.
His wife wrote to Base Records that her address had changed to 356 Vincent Street, Leederville on April 5, 1917 and acknowledgement by printed card was returned and new details entered on his records on October 23, 1917.
He reverted to Lance Corporal on the return of Temporary Sergeant Quince on December 25, 1917.
Service continued without incident and he was counted in an audit of the company conducted on October 1, 1918 and still serving with his unit when Peace was declared. The company remained on the front continuing to supply electricity, engines and pumps for those assisting with rehabilitation on the country.
Lance Corporal Court was temporarily attached to the 578th Sussex Works Coy from November 21, 1918.
Leave was granted from the Furlough Department from December 5 to December 19, 1918. He rejoined his unit on March 23, 1919.
Three days later orders were received to prepare for demobilisation and report to the Aust Infantry Base Depot in Havre for return to England on April 2, 1919. Crossing the English Channel the next day marched into the No. 3 Group camp at Codford to await his transport home.
On June 1, 1919 the H.T. Somali sailed for Australia with Lance Corporal Court on board. Base Records advised his wife on June 23, 1919 that he had left for home. The ship arrived on July 8, 1919 at Fremantle, W.A. (5th M.D.) His name was listed in the additional list printed in:
At the 8th Aust General Hospital on July 8, 1919 he went before the Medical Board and the Medical Officer’s Report states:
Any Wounds of InjuryNo
Any Illness on ServiceNo
Soldier’s Statement on Present Condition“Good”
(sgd) W.J. Court
OrgansNormal
RecommendationFit
A Dental Check-up was also done the same day and approved.
Approval for Discharge given July 12, 1919
Military Discharge was issued in Perth (5th M.D.) on August 22, 1919 on termination of his period of enlistment.
On September 26, 1919 his form A.F.B.103 was loaned to the D.F.O. (5th M.D.)
The British War Medal (8093) and the Victory Medal (8060) were issued to Lance Corporal 1447 Walter James Court, Aust Electrical & Mechanical Mining & Boring Company for serving his country.
Their residence in 1925 was Campsie Street, West Subiaco with his occupation as a plumber and they remained at this address.
He was a member of the R.S.L. Memorial Band and one of their activities was reported in:
Walter James Court passed away on January 15, 1939 aged 52 years. Family arrangements were printed in:
A small obituary and description of the funeral and the mourners was reported in:
Four photos of the funeral are held by the State Library of Western Australia.
A tribute from a member of the same company during the war was published in the:
Finalisation of his Will a few months later was printed in the:
The location of his grave is in the Wesleyan BA Section of the Karrakatta Cemetery at gravesite no. 751.
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL CHARLES WALTER MICHAEL COURT
His son Charles Court was a noted West Australian. As well as a musician and bandmaster he also enlisted for active serving during World War II with the Australian Army. While residing at Nedlands he applied to enlist at Claremont, W.A. on February 18, 1942 leaving his wife Rita (nee Steffanoni) as next-of-kin. He rose from service number WX11125 to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and served with Headquarters 3rd Australian Division.
He received the Order of the British Empire (OBE) on March 6, 1947 with the citation ‘Australian Army service in the South Pacific’. Discharge was issued on January 3, 1949. In 1953 he began his political career when he won the seat of Nedlands as a member of Liberal Party and continued to become the twenty-first Premier of Western Australia from 1974 until 1982.
He was recognised again on June 3, 1972 receiving the Knight Bachelor, the citation stating ‘for service to the Government of Western Australia.’ The Order of St Michael and St George was issued in January 1, 1979 and a Knight Commander as ‘Premier of Western Australia.’
On June 14, 1982 he became the Knight of the Order of Australia ‘in recognition of service to politics and local government.’ And to commemorate Federation of Australia he received the Centenary Medal on January 1, 2001.
Charles and Rita had five sons Victor, Barry, Ken, Richard and Geoffrey Court. Mrs Court died and he married again. Richard Court would continue in politics.
At 96 years of age on December 22, 2007 Sir Charles Court passed away at Nedlands.