Sapper David Adkin

SAPPER DAVID ADKIN

909 – 3rd Tunnelling Company

Islington, London, England was the birthplace of David Adkin in 1888, one of twelve children born to John W. and Ellen M. Adkin. In 1901 family members residing 4 Ellcott Place, Islington were John Whitby (57) printer’s labourer, wife and children Ellen M. (54), John (24) labourer, David (16) van boy, Elizabeth (14) and Buddah (8).

By 1911 family members were living in a three roomed tenement at 5 Poole Street, Hoxden and were Ellen (62) widow, sons John (33) and David (26) furniture porters, Clara (22) paper sorter and Robert (18) furrier nailer.

At the same time a young lady named Phoebe Score (23) feather quill worker was living 22A Pickering Street Buildings with her sister Alice and brother-in-law Henry Pope and family. She was the daughter of William (tinsmith) and Anne Score and was born in Clerkenwell, London.

At the Registry Office, Islington on August 7, 1911 David Adkin (25) married Phoebe Score (23) before the Registrar, G.F. Faulkner. David’s residence was 47 Gillespie Road, Highbury and he was a locksmith. David departed London dock on October 27, 1911 aboard the Orient steamship liner Osterley for Australia under Master of the Ship, Captain D.R.W. Parsons and arrived in Fremantle port, Western Australia on November 28. The ship’s arrival was announced in the:

At the recruiting depot in Perth, W.A. on November 11, 1915 the thirty year old labourer applied to enlist for active service abroad and passed the preliminary medical examination. Personal particulars taken show his residence as 15 Moore Street, East Perth, was married and stood 165cms (5ft 6ins) with a chest measurement of 94cms (37ins). Declared fit for service his application was accepted by the recruiting officer.

Forms of Attestation were completed adding further details that he weighed 61.8kgs (136lbs) with a chest expansion of 89-94cms (35-37ins) and had a fresh complexion with blue eyes and light brown hair. Distinctive marks were two vaccination scars on his right arm, a scar on thumb and fore finger and a scar near his throat. Church of England was his religion. Next-of-kin was his wife Phoebe Adkin of 11 Rowstone Street, Clerken Well, London S.E., England and allotted three-fifths of his pay in support of her. He signed and took the ‘Enlistment Oath’ the same day.

Basic training commenced with the 36th Depot Battalion at Blackboy Hill on November 18 until transferred to the Mining Corps on November 25.

Recruiting for the Miners’ Corps began on December 1st, 1915 therefore Private Adkin was placed for basic training at the Helena Vale camp at Blackboy Hill, W.A. with the newly forming Corps.

The Unit’s title was the No.3 Company with a major portion of this 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. David Adkin was assigned the regimental number 909 in the rank of Sapper 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.

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. These four sections re-combined to relieve the 255th Coy, Royal Engineers in the mining sector that included existing mine systems of Red Lamp; Winchester; Colvin; Ducks Bill and Sign Post Lane.

On October 10, 1916 the Company again relieved the 257th Coy R.E. in the Winchester Sector. Sapper Adkins was transferred to the 3rd Tunnelling Company on December 18, 1916.

Three Blue Chevrons were issued to wear on his uniform for serving twelve months overseas service.

His service continued without incident, wounding or accident. In the War Diary for the 3rd Tunnelling Company the following is the first part of the list of members of the Company Headquarters which shows Sapper Adkin as a Batman.

Unit Diary Extract March, 1917:

10/3/17

COMPANY HEADQUARTERS – OTHER RANKS

ESTABLISHMENT NO & NAME RANK

C.S.M. 1146 Robertson, F. McK. W.O.

Q.M.S. 1070 Loggie, A.B. Q.M.S.

H.Q. SGT 1193 Uren, A.N. SGT

ORD CPL 1106 Fordham, W.H. SGT

2ND CPL 4274 Bickford, W 2nd CPL

BATMAN 908 Adkin, D. [typed as per original list] SAPPER

BATMAN 1083 Munday, W.G. SAPPER

BATMAN 4338 Gillow, A.G. SAPPER

His wife advised Records Section on December 4, 1917 that her address had changed to 139 Summer Road, Peckham, London, England.

His name appeared as a receiver of Comfort Funds from Kalgoorlie Ladies Committee the list being printed in the:

Sapper was counted in an audit conducted of the Company and noted as ‘With Unit’ on April 26, 1918.

He was paid in France on June 30, 1918.

When Peace was declared he was with his unit and the Tunnelling Companies remained on the front as part of the Army of Occupation assisting with rehabilitation of their areas by clearing roads and bridges and defusing booby traps left by the enemy.

Orders were received to prepare for demobilisation and return to Base on February 5, 1919. The men departed the Aust General Base Depot on February 21 and crossed the English Channel from France and arrived the next day at the Reserve Brigade Aust Artillery camp in Heytesbury.

On March 17, 1919 the following received disciplinary action:

Offence: Heytesbury 12/3/19 AWL from 2359hrs 12/3/19 to 2000hrs 13/3/19

Award: Forfeits three day’s pay by Major W. Rogers 17/3/19

Total forfeiture: 3 day’s pay

He marched out on March 19, 1919 to the 2nd Training Brigade – No. 3 Group camp at Codford then left on March 27 for the 1st Training Brigade camp at Sutton Veny. On April 13 arrived at the No. 2 Group camp at Sutton Veny then later moved on to the No. 1 Convalescent Depot.

On July 12, 1919 accompanied by his wife, Sapper Adkin boarded the transport Indarra for the voyage home to Australia.

His name appeared in the list of returning soldiers published in the:

The ship docked on August 29, 1919 in Fremantle, W.A. News of their arrival was announced in the:

A copy of his Will was sent for filing at the Deputy Adjutant Generals Office in Perth, W.A. on January 17, 1920.

Military Discharge was issued in Perth (5th Military District) on October 21, 1919 on termination of his period of enlistment.

For serving his country Sapper 909 David Adkin, 3rd Tunnelling Company received the British War Medal (8054) and the Victory Medal (8022).

In 1924 an inquiry was received by Base Records from the District Finance Officer, 5th Military District in regards to the former soldier’s address. It was given as 20 Salvado Row, East Perth. Their residence in 1925 was Kitchener Road, Bayswater and his occupation was horse-driver.

A Statement of Service was requested by the Perth Branch of the Repatriation Department from Base Records and forwarded on February 15, 1929. The previous day Base Records received a letter from David at Traylen Road, Bayswater asking when he could receive his Victory Medal. He had written to Victoria Barracks, Melbourne some time back and would be pleased for them to send it to his address. This was forwarded on February 15, 1929 by registered post no. 5348.

In 1931 their address was Wells & Traylen Road, Bayswater and his occupation was motor driver. The same year their ten year old daughter died and family arrangements were published in the:

Home in 1936 was 20 Sherwood Street, Guildford, Maylands and he worked as a labourer. The following year they lived at 183 Eighth Avenue, Guildford with the same occupation.

David Adkin passed away on April 19, 1945 aged 59 years. Family notices appeared in the:

His grave is located in the Anglican portion of Karrakatta Cemetery, Perth within section UC in site no. 353. This is the same grave as his daughter Doris Mary was interred in 1931.

Mrs D. Adkin wrote to Base Records early in May, 1946 asking if her husband earned any decorations in the Great War. Base Records replied to her undated letter on May 8, 1946 at her address 7 Hubert Street, Guildford, W.A. stating that there was no record of her husband being awarded any decoration while serving in the A.I.F. during 1914-1918 War.

Mrs Phoebe Adkin died at Guildford, W.A. on October 12, 1964 aged 76 years. Her ashes were scattered over a garden in the Karrakatta cemetery.

Their son John Whitby Adkin (born 2/3/1920 in Perth) enlisted in the Australian Army from Riverdale, W.A. at Claremont, W.A. on July 21, 1941. Next-of-kin nominated was his mother Phoebe Adkin. He served was a Private and on discharge was serving with the 2/5 Australian Infantry Battalion and discharged on March 1, 1946.