TEDDER Septimus Claude 12759

DRIVER SEPTIMUS CLAUDE TEDDER

12759 – 1st Tunnelling Company

18 year old Claude Tedder, an apprentice Electrical Engineer with the Sydney Water Board, enlisted in the AIF 12th May 1916 in Sydney NSW, where he had been born. He named his mother, Mary Jane Tedder of Lakemba, Sydney, as his Next of Kin, his father and brothers all being on active service.

He embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on 15th December 1916 per HMAT A44 Vestalia. Disembarking in Suez 19th January 1917 he was absorbed into the Isolation Unit, AASC, before marching in to the Depot Unit of Supply at Moascar on 16th February. On 8th March 1917 he transferred to the 4th light Horse Brigade, Supply Section, Ferry Post.

Claude embarked from Alexandria, Egypt, 3rd June 1917 for Marseilles per the Saxon, but disembarked in England on 16th June and was attached to the AASC Training Depot, Parkhouse.

Proceeding overseas to France 31st May 1918, he was taken on strength of 2nd Aust Tunnelling Coy on 8th June, but transferred to the 3rd Aust Tunnelling Coy on 15th June.

In his book, Captain Oliver Woodward says of the drivers: -

“Consider a town with a population of from 10,000 to 12,000 – the approximate number of men in a division. All supplies for this town, food, building materials, etc. etc., must be conveyed over a single road. In this town the population lives from hand to mouth and carries no reserve supply of food nor of the various supplies necessary to maintain the town in its daily activity. Try and picture the whole of the Transport Activity, necessary to carry forward the supplies, confined to a period of a few hours. As night approaches all vehicles begin to assemble in single file on the road leading into the town. The head of the column halts at a point distant from 1 to 2 miles from the outskirts of the town until darkness sets in. When night falls the column awakens and sets off for the town, each driver striving to get to his destination with all speed, deliver his load and again leave town. Soon there is a line of inward and outward traffic. The streets and vehicles are not lighted and the roads may be filled with holes. Then imagine that on occasions the whole of the inhabitants of the town are called upon to depart and have their places taken by a fresh population. The roads are soon packed with human traffic in addition to vehicular. Then if to this congestion there is added the disabilities arising from the vagaries of the weather and enemy bombardment, you may form some idea of the nightly task of the men of the Transportation Section.”

Septimus Claude Tedder returned to Australia per the Medic, disembarking in Sydney 10th April 1919. He was discharged 9th July 1919, entitled to wear the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

Lt Col James George Tedder1st Div TrainRTA 15-Sept-1918 (served Boer War and Gallipoli)

Capt Oscar James Tedder2nd BattalionRTA 20-Oct-1918 (served WW2)

Lt Alma Reginald TedderAASCDied of Disease 23-Feb-1919

611 Dvr Frank Clive TedderAASCRTA 9-Dec-1918

1620 Dvr Harold Guy Tedder27th Coy ASCRTA 14-Dec-1918 (cousin/nephew to above, served WW2)

18983Spr Marwood Frank Tedder3rd Rwy Coy.RTA 20-July-1919

Oscar, Marwood and Septimus all had ‘O’Neill’ as a fourth name, but it was not always recorded on their Military documents.