SAPPER JOSEPH Mcmaster

SAPPER JOSEPH McMASTER

215 – 1st Tunnelling Company

Joseph McMaster stated he was born in Glasgow, Scotland in 1873 the son of Joseph and Annie McMaster. He came to Australia.

At the recruiting depot at the Sydney Town Hall on September 11, 1915 the thirty-two year old labourer applied to enlist for active service abroad and passed the medical examination. At Holdsworthy camp on September 20, 1915 Attestation forms were completed which describe him as 168cms (5ft 6ins) tall, weighing 70kgs (154lbs) with a chest expansion of 92-99cms (36-39ins). Complexion was fresh with brown eyes that tested to good vision and had black hair. Presbyterian was his religious faith. Next-of-kin nominated was firstly his mother Annie Caldwells but later changed to his sister Maggie Brooks of Hicksborough via Wonthaggi, Victoria. He was sworn in the same day.

He was allotted to the No.1 Company of the Mining Corps for training at Casula camp, near Liverpool, New South Wales. His rank was Sapper with the regimental number 215.

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’.

He was transferred to the 1st Tunnelling Company on December 24, 1916.

On June 7, 1917 was wounded in action receiving a gunshot wound to his face and taken to the 97th Field Ambulance then to the 3rd Canadian Casualty Clearing Station before being transferred on A.T.18 to the 11th General Hospital at Camiers a day later. Base Records advised his sister on June 17, 1917 that he had been wounded in action.

He was invalided to England on June 22, 1917 on the hospital ship Stad Antwerpen entering the 1st London General Hospital, Camberwell. He remained a patient until July 9 when discharged to furlough and was to report to the Overseas Training Camp on July 21. Base Records advised on July 16 that he was admitted to hospital in England.

Leaving the Overseas Training Camp on August 22, 1917 from Southampton proceeded to France and arrived at the Aust General Base Depot at Rouelles the next day and rejoined his unit on September 2.

It appears that he may have been on temporary duty with the VI Corps when he met with an accident on October 25, 1917. He was taken to the 8th Aust Field Ambulance with a fractured rib and conveyed on the Ambulance Train to the 10th General Hospital being admitted with a contused right side received accidentally.

He left the hospital for England on November 6, 1917 on the hospital ship Esequibo arriving at the Winchester Central Military Hospital the next day. On December 3 he was moved to the 1st Aust Auxiliary Hospital at Harefield then discharged to furlough three days later and to report to Sutton Veny on December 20, 1917.

The following disciplinary action was taken for the following:

Offence: AWL from 3.30p.m. 20/12/17 till 5 p.m. 21/12/17

Award: Admonished and forfeited 2 day’s pay under RW

On Christmas Eve, 1917 he marched into the Overseas Training Brigade at Deverill and proceeded to France from Southampton on January 12, 1918.

The next day he returned to the A.G.B.D. in Rouelles and left to return to his unit two days later rejoining on January 17, 1918.

His section of the No. 1 Tunnelling Company was working at Dranoutre and the following are the Unit Diary entries for March 19 and 20, 1918:

March 19th Gas shells stopped work 8 hrs during night at Crater North No. 2 doors prove efficient, also at Wattle House for 1 hrs almost continuous gas shelling around here during night.

The C.O. Major E.A. Anderson returns from leave.

20th Duplicating all gas doors on Kit Kat system. Work retarded here owing to shortage of

men. Crater N lost 3 hrs here owing to H.E. and gas shelling.

On March 20, 1918 Sapper McMaster was wounded in action (2nd occasion) by gas and taken to the 14th Aust Field Ambulance progressing to the 8th Aust Field Ambulance then to the 2nd Casualty Clearing Station. On March 21 he was transported on A.T.19 to the 54th General Hospital until March 29 when transferred to the 1st Convalescent Depot, Boulogne. Two days later he was moved to the 10th Convalescent Depot at Ecault. He was discharged to Rest Camp on April 5, 1918.

His sister advised Base Records on March 26, 1918 that her address had changed to 20 Palmer Street, Fitzroy, Melbourne, Vic.

Returning to the A.G.B.D. in Rouelles two days later he was able to rejoin his unit in the field on April 14, 1918.

Leave was granted from October 15 until November 2, 1918 and was with his unit when Peace was declared.

The Tunnelling Companies remained on the front as part of the Army of Occupation rehabilitating areas by clearing roads and defusing booby traps left by the enemy.

He was in trouble again for the following:

Offence: W.O.A.S. [while on active service] AWL from 9.30 p.m. 7/1/19 to

9.30 p.m. 9/1/19

Award: 6 day’s F.P. No. 2. [Field Punishment] by C.O. 1st Tun Coy 12/1/19

Orders were received to prepare for demobilisation and to return to the Base Depot on January 29, 1919. The English Channel was crossed and he marched in to Weymouth Depot. On February 3 was moved to the Overseas Training Brigade at Sutton Veny and on February 28 to the 1st Training Brigade camp.

On April 10, 1919 he was granted Special Leave for Non-Military Employment (NME) with pay and subsistence, subject to conditions in a letter by his employer to learn carting of materials with J. Robertson & Co., 46 Brownlow Street, Glasgow. He was taken on strength with Headquarters A.I.F.

After leave expired on July 10, 1919 he was re-transferred to the 1st Tunnelling Company and to report to Headquarters A.I.F. on July 23, 1919 after furlough. He reported to No. 2 Group camp as ordered to await his return home.

After demobilisation Sapper McMaster embarked for Australia on August 23, 1919 on board H.T. Anchises. During leave granted at Cape Town, South Africa he failed to return to the ship on time and missed re-embarkation. He reported to the AIF Depot “The Castle” at 1730 hours on September 12, 1919. He was charged and remanded the following day and entrained a day later for Durban at his own expense and requested to rejoin the ship. Entraining on September 14 at 2015 hours disciplinary action would be taken by the Officer Commanding Troops on the ship and rejoined at Durban at about 2200 hours in open arrest on H.T. Anchises.

Military discipline was issued for his actions as follows:

Offence: (1) Conduct to the prejudice of good order and military discipline

in that he failed to be on board his ship “Anchises” at 1500 when she

sailed for Durban, leave having expired at 1300 on 12/9/19

(2) AWL from 1300 on 12/9/19 till he reported to A.I.F. Depot about 1730

12/9/19 at Cape Town

Award: 168 hours detention 22/9/19

Base Records had advised his sister on September 13, 1919 that he was on his way home. The ship docked in Sydney, NSW on October 13, 1919.

Military Discharge was issued in Sydney (2nd M.D.) on December 5, 1919 on termination of his period of enlistment.

The British War Medal (32526) and the Victory Medal (32841) were issued to Sapper 215 Joseph McMaster, 1st Tunnelling Company for serving his country.

In 1930 his address was 243 King Street, Camperdown, NSW with the occupation of labourer. In 1933 he and Helenor McMaster were residing at 26 Station Street, Newtown and from 1943 on were at 14 Nithsdale Street, East Sydney working as a labourer.

A Statement of Service was requested from the Sydney Branch of the Repatriation Department from Base Records which was forwarded on May 21, 1953.

Joseph McMaster died on May 25, 1962 aged about 89 years of age with his death registered at Manly, NSW. Family announcements were published in the:

REUNIONS

Former members of the (Alphabet Company) Aust Electrical & Mechanical Mining & Boring Company and Tunnellers’ in Sydney would meet to march in the Anzac Day parade then attend their annual luncheon. Roll Registers for newsletters of this annual event were kept and his name appears as follows:

1928 J. McMaster No.1 Co 16 Station Street, Newtown

1934 J. McMaster 1TC 16 Station Street, Newtown changed to 14 Nithsdale Street, City

1960-68 McMaster, J. No. 1 Coy 22 Stewart Street, Collaroy wife phoned 1967 deceased about 1963