SAPPER DOUGLAS BARRY KILBURN
1365 – Mining Corps / Aust Electrical & Mechanical Mining & Boring Company
Douglas Barry Kilburn was born on February 17, 1890 at Bondi, Sydney, New South Wales the son of Douglas Charles and Elizabeth Amy (nee Barry) Kilburn. In 1915 he was residing at Mudgee, NSW.
At the recruiting depot in Sydney, NSW on September 14, 1915 the twenty-five year old labourer applied to enlist for active service abroad and passed the medical examination. At Holdsworthy camp on October 6, 1915 Attestation Forms were completed which reveal personal details that he was 149cms (4ft 10½ins) tall, weighed 50.9kgs (112lbs) with a chest measurement of 88cms (34½ins). Dark was his complexion with brown eyes that passed the eye test with good vision, and had brown hair. Church of England was his religion. Next-of-kin was his father D.C. Kilburn of Burnie, Cooyal, via Mudgee, NSW. He was sworn in the same day.
He was crossed off the Nominal Roll and transferred to the 2nd Military District Depot and given Home Service as a Bugler with the 8th Reinforcement to the 18th Battalion until January 15, 1916. The following day he was allotted to the Mining Corps who were in the last stages of their establishment and was assigned to the 1st Reinforcements at Casula camp on February 12, 1916. His rank was Sapper and regimental number 1365.
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’.
Sapper was detached for duty in the field on May 28, 1916 with the 177th Tunnelling Company, Royal Engineers.
He went sick on August 31, 1916 to the 2nd Casualty Clearing Station and sent on A.T.14 to the 1st Convalescent Depot in Boulogne the next day. A day later was transferred to the 18th General Hospital at Camiers for treatment of a Social Disease. After 17 days curative care was sent on September 16 to the 1st Aust Divisional Base Depot at Etaples remaining until November 24, 1916 when he was attached to the Aust Electrical & Mechanical Mining & Boring Company and joined the Company two days later.
On January 19, 1917 was admitted to the 15th Casualty Clearing Station with P.U.O. (Pyrexia - fever uncertain origin) and was discharged to his unit on February 2, 1917.
Sapper was taken on strength with the company on April 4, 1917.
Service continued until November 6, 1917 when he went to the New Zealand Stationary Hospital at Hazebrouck then sent to the 15th C.C.S. with dental caries and returned to the Company three days later.
Blue Chevrons were issued to wear on his uniform for serving twelve months service abroad.
In an audit of the company he was noted to be with his unit on October 1, 1918 and was there when Peace was declared. The company remained on the front continuing to generate electricity and supply and service small engines and pumps for water supplies for those assisting with the rehabilitation of their districts.
Leave was granted to England from November 12, 1918 but was admitted to the 1st Aust Auxiliary Hospital at Harefield with Bronchitis the same day. Discharged on November 16 the balance of his leave was taken and returned to his unit on November 25.
Orders were received on March 8, 1919 to prepare for demobilisation and report to the A.I.B.D. and they marched out on March 17 crossing the English Channel from France arriving at the No. 2 Training Brigade camp at Codford the next day.
After demobilisation Sapper Kilburn departed England for Australia on May 12, 1919 on board the H.T. Zealandia for discharge. Next-of-kin were advised by Base Records on June 10, 1919 that he was coming home. The ship docked in Melbourne, Vic (3rd M.D.) on June 28, 1916. Their arrival was reported in:
Reporting back for his final medical examination on June 30 his Statement of Case reads:
No serious illness No serious wounds He feels quite well O.E. N.A.D “A” Class
(sgd) V.E. NIHILL Major
R.N. ….. Lt Col
Military Discharge was issued in Melbourne, Vic (3rd M.D.) on August 22, 1919 on termination of his period of enlistment. He is listed at The Grange, Mornington Road, Frankston with the occupation of farmer later that year and continued to reside there up to 1937.
For service for his country Sapper 1365 Douglas Barry Kilburn, Aust Electrical & Mechanical Mining &
Boring Company was issued with the British War Medal (35396) and the Victory Medal (35040).
These medals were not collected at the designated barracks and were returned to Base Records on May 10, 1923. A letter was sent care of his father on August 29, 1923 and the ex-member of the A.I.F. collected his medals over the counter at Base Records on November 22, 1923.
Snippets appeared in the newspapers:
During World War II he enlisted with the Australian Army from Frankston, Vic giving his birth as February 12, 1896 at Bondi, NSW and next-of-kin as Janet Kilburn. Service number was VX18171 and served as a craftsman with the 341 Light Aid Detachment until discharged on August 30, 1945.
In 1949 he is listed at Anfield, Pt Nepean Road, Frankston with nil occupation. Later that year he is at Heatherton Road, Springvale and was still living at 899 Heatherton Road in 1980.
Douglas Barry Kilburn passed away about 28 March, 1984 aged 94 years.
Cremation took place at Springvale Botanical Crematorium on March 29, 1984 and his cremated remains were noted to have been scattered. Janet Kilburn was cremated on January 27, 1966 aged 81 with her ashes also scattered.
© Donna Baldey 2013