Photo : 'Zoom' Chronicle 14/10/1918

Photo : Angela Conroy

Photo : Angela Conroy

Roy's IRC POW Record

17th General Hospital Alexandria

The headstone reads:-

In Loving Memory of John
Beloved Husband of
Margaret Gill
who died August 3rd 1922
late station master, Cullercoats
also the above
Margaret Gill
died Dec. 10th 1932, Aged 80 years
also
Roy Neville White
who died December 8th 1918.

Roy Neville White was born in Richmond, Victoria on the 6th June 1890 and was the son of Walter Herbert and Elizabeth Frances White, of "Elesley", 20 Alison Street, St. Leonards, Glenelg, South Australia.

Roy attested on the 19th August 1914, at Morphettville, and was 24 years and 2 months old, 5 feet 8 and half inches tall, weighed 148lbs, dark complexion, brown eyes black hair. He was a Clerk with the South Australian Railways. Roy was a member of the Holdfast Bay Lacrosse team and also a member of St Peters' Church in Glenelg. He passed his medical on the 26th August 1914 and was appointed as a private to 'G' Company, 10th Infantry Battalion, his service nu was 364. He was moved into 'F' Company on the 1st September 1914.

The 10th Battalion was among the first infantry units raised for the AIF during the First World War. The battalion was recruited in South Australia, and together with the 9th, 11th and 12th Battalions, formed the 3rd Brigade. The battalion was raised within weeks of the declaration of war in August 1914 and embarked for overseas just two months later. With an establishment of 31 officers and 974 other ranks spread across eight companies, the battalion's personnel received a short period of individual basic training, culminating in the presentation of the regimental colours on the 17th September and a march past the state Parliament House on the 21st September. The following month, collective training at company and battalion level took place at Belair National Park and at Glenelg, South Australia. Roy embarked with his battalion, [was the first South Australian infantry unit to leave Australia during the war] from Australia on the 20th October, on the ex-passenger liner, HMAT Ascanius, bound for the Middle East, after a brief stop in Albany, Western Australia, where its convoy was delayed due to concerns over the presence of German warships en route, he disembarked at Alexandria on the 8th December 1914.

Initially, the plan had been for the battalion to continue on the United Kingdom from where it would subsequently move to the Western Front. Poor conditions and overcrowding in training camps in the United Kingdom resulted in the decision to disembark the Australians in Alexandria instead. Arriving there on the 4th December 1914, the battalion was sent into camp at Mena, near Cairo The 10th Battalion underwent desert training in January and February 1915, during which time it was reorganised around the four-company structure that had been adopted by the British. Designated 'A' to 'D', each company consisted of 228 men that were spread across four platoons. In late February, the 3rd Brigade received orders that it was being committed to an operation in the Dardanelles and, after moving by rail to Alexandria, boarded Ionian, a Greek steamer, on the 1st March. After reaching Lemnos, a shortage of fresh water on the island meant that the battalion was housed on the ship for the next seven weeks, although this was spent ashore conducting exercises and mounting guard duty. Planning for a landing on the Gallipoli Peninsula began in early April, while this proceeded, on the 15th April the battalion was issued its distinctive blue and purple unit colour patch.

On the 24th April 1915, the 10th Battalion embarked for Gallipoli. Two companies and the battalion headquarters were allocated to the battleship HMS Prince of Wales, while the other two companies embarked on two destroyers, Scourge and Foxhound. At approximately 4:30 am on the 25th April 1915, the 10th Battalion was one of the first units to come ashore at Anzac Cove as part of the covering force – drawn from Colonel Ewen Sinclair-Maclagan's 3rd Brigade – for the main Anzac landing. Troops from the battalion landed near the centre of the cove and, ascending the Ariburnu Ridge, attempted to push inland towards the Sari Bair Range. According to the Australian War Memorial they are "believed to have penetrated further inland" than any other Australian unit. Casualties in the first weeks of the campaign were heavy, with the battalion losing 397 men killed or wounded between the 25th April and the 9th May.

Roy Neville White was wounded in 'H' Company, with a gun shot wound to his hand, between the 25th and 29th April. He was then evacuated to the 17th General Hospital at Alexandria on the 2nd May. The Hospital was then located at the Victoria College, Alexandria, Egypt.
In the first 10 days of the Gallipoli campaign 16.000 cases of wounded were sent to the 15th and 17th General Hospitals, this resulted in the 17th Hospital increasing its beds to 2460 beds. A third Hospital was commandeered on the 19th and further hospitals arrived soon after.

Roy Neville White is transferred to the UK from Akexandria aboard the Nevasa to the 2nd Western General Hospital, at Manchester on the 29th May 1915.

He spent about four months recovering before he returned to his battalion on the 29th September 1915, still at the Gallipoli Peninsula.

There is a letter from his brother Leslie W. White dated the 26th May 1915, enquiring about his brother's condition. He had received a telegram dated the 17th informing him that his brother had been wounded.

The 10th Battalion was now heavily involved in establishing and defending the front line of the ANZAC position, and served there until the evacuation in December. The advance stalled as Turkish resistance grew, and the Turks launched a heavy counter-attack on the 19th May. By this time, the 3rd Brigade was located around Bolton's Ridge, with the brigade's four battalions occupying the line abreast, the 10th Battalion occupying a position south of Lone Pine, overlooking a wheat field through which the Turkish attack came. Caught in heavy crossfire, the attack was turned back with heavy losses. Following this, as both sides dug in, the campaign ground to a stalemate, and the battalion undertook mainly defensive duties along the perimeter around Anzac Cove. On the 8th July, the remnants of the battalion, which now consisted of just over 500 personnel, was withdrawn to Imbros Island for a brief rest period out of the line, before returning to Anzac on the 11th July, after this, the 10th Battalion relieved the 11th, occupying a position around Silt Spur, opposite Lone Pine.

In early August, the Allies attempted to break out from the beach, launching an offensive around Suvla, Cape Helles and Anzac, the 10th Battalion played a support role during the offensive, providing reinforcement parties and machine gun crews to support the 1st Brigade during the Battle of Lone Pine. The offensive was a costly failure and afterwards stalemate returned to the battlefield. As winter approached, conditions on the peninsula grew harsher and a large number of personnel had to be evacuated sick as a wave of dysentery swept through the battalion. In September, the 2nd Division arrived as reinforcements. In mid-November, as the Allied commanders debated the future of the campaign, the 3rd Brigade received orders to pull back from the frontline, so that it could be withdrawn to Lemnos Island for rest. On the 16th November, the 10th Battalion took up reserve positions on the beach, before embarking upon the transport Princess Ena. It landed at Mudros, and spent the rest of November and December there. Meanwhile, the main Allied force was evacuated from the peninsula, with the last Australian troops withdrawing on the 20th December. On Boxing Day 1915, the 10th Battalion sailed for Egypt, arriving in Alexandria just before New Years. Losses on Gallipoli had been heavy – 711 casualties were reported in the battalion between April and September 1915, and the AIF underwent a period of reorganisation as it was expanded in preparation for its deployment to the European battlefield. As a part of this process, the 10th Battalion provided a cadre of experienced personnel to the newly raised 50th Battalion, which was assigned to the 13th Brigade, 4th Division, and was brought up to strength with fresh recruits from Australia.

On the 12th October 1915, Roy was promoted to Lance-Corporal. His battalion was then evacuated from the Gallipoli Peninsular aboard the Seang Bee and disembarked at Alexandria in Egypt on the 29th December 1915.

After the withdrawal from Gallipoli, the 10th Battalion returned to Egypt.

On the 27th March, aboard the Saxonia, Roy with his battalion embark for Marseilles, from Alexandria to join the B.E.F., for France and the Western Front arriving on the 3rd April 1916. Roy gets promoted now to a Corporal on the 10th April 1916, and the battalion is now located at Staselle.

The 10th Battalion is now assigned to the 1st Australian Division within the 3rd Brigade.

From then until 1918, the battalion took part in bitter trench warfare. The battalion's first major action in France was at Pozieres in the Somme valley in July. It was here that Roy was wounded, again with a gun shot wound to his hand, he was admitted to the 1/1st SWD casualty clearing Station.

He returned to duty on the 28th July 1916 and was made a temporary Sergeant from the 16th August, on the 22nd August 1916 he is reported as being killed in action.

The Somme Day by Day entry reads :
The 1st Australian Division attacked at 6 p.m. with the 10th (S Australian) Battalion on the right thrusting into Fabeck Graben, but was forced by machine-gun fire to retire to a line south of Mouquet [Mucky] Farm-Courcelette Track. The 12th Battalion met little opposition and got a party into Mouquet Farm, but they were forced to withdraw to the track.

On the 11th October 1916, he was reported to be a prisoner of War in Germany at Gefangenenlager, Dulmen 1, Westf., Germany. He was in Company 37 Group 3. He was captured on the 22nd August 1916. He originally was in Soltau Z [Soltau Camp (Lager Soltau), the largest German prisoner-of-war camp of the First World War was built in 1914], camp but was transferred to Dulmen on the 22nd July 1918.

After Pozieres the battalion fought at Ypres in Flanders before returning to the Somme for winter. In 1917, the battalion returned to Belgium to take part in the major British offensive of that year - the Third Battle of Ypres. In March and April 1918 the 10th Battalion helped stop the German spring offensive and was then involved in the operations leading up to the Allied counter-stroke. In June, during an attack near Merris in France.

The battalion participated in the great allied offensive of 1918, fighting near Amiens on the 8th August 1918. This advance by British and empire troops was the greatest success in a single day on the Western Front, one that German General Erich Ludendorff described as "the black day of the German Army in this war". The battalion continued operations until late September 1918. At 11 am on the 11th November 1918, the guns fell silent. In November 1918, members of the AIF began returning to Australia. At 8 am on the 5th September 1919, the final detachment of the 10th Battalion arrived at Adelaide, aboard the transport 'Takada'.

There was a letter sent to Mrs E. White, dated the 10th April 1917, stating that her son was now officially a prisoner of War in Germany. The contact details were to the Base Records Office at Victoria Barracks, Melbourne. In October 1916 after she received official notification of his death, a letter dated 23rd October 1916 was sent to her confirming that Roy was alive, and is reported to have been a POW.

In September 1916 Sergeant R. N. White had sent a copy letter from the prisoner of war camp where he was incarcerated describing what happened to him.

Sept, 20th 1916.
The Commandant
Australian Administrative Office.
130 Horseferry Road
London
On the morning of the 22nd August, I, with other members of my Battalion, was taken prisoner after an attack made by us, and the previous evening took Identity discs and pay books from the following deceased soldiers, who were killed during the attack on the 21st. August : -
3807. Private Meriton J. 10th Battalion.
3515B. Private Hatch H.J. 10th Battalion
2588B Private Bell W.S. 10th Battalion
3484B Private Fergusson J.N. 10th Battalion
79 La/Cpl Cade H.F. 10th Battalion
1880B Sergt. Badger D.G. 10th Battalion
The following soldier was also killed, but I have neither paybook nor disc.
Private Coward 10th Battalion
Will you please advise the 10th Battalion of the above.
Yours faithfully
R. W. White. Sergt. No 364 (No 364)
10th Battn.A.I.F.
Group 3. 37th Coy.
Gefangenenlager
Dulmen I Westf.
Germany
Note the use of the letter B at the end of the service number

Dulmen was a small town with a population of 7,500 inhabitants. There was a castle there surrounded by estates owned by the Duke of Croy‑Dulmen. The area was the centre of numerous working commandos and a large assembly camp was located on high ground five miles from the town. It held many prisoners taken during the Somme battles of 1916 - who worked a 12-hour day felling trees. The camp was under the control of 7th Army Corps.

Roy was repatriated through Holland and arrived back in the UK on the 18th November 1918 he was given one month's leave until the 20th December and was staying with the Gill family at 7 Gladstone Avenue, Monkseaton, Northumberland. On the 9th December 1918 a telegram was sent the Australian London office advising them that Sergt Roy Neville White had passed away.

Telegram was sent 11.52am and said :
Regret to inform you Sergt Roy Neville White tenth BN Infantry AIF OFFICIAL NUMBER 364 repatriated prisoner of war on Furlough 20th Nov until 20th December died at this address from septic pneumonia on 6th Dec arrangements have been made for interment on eleventh Dec with Military Honours. Gill 7 Gladstone Aven Monkseaton Northd.

Temporary Sergeant Roy Neville White died on the 6th December 1918 of septic pneumonia at 7 Gladstone Avenue, Monkseaton. He was interned on the 11th December in section C No 979. The undertaker was the Hall Brothers at Catherine Place, Whitley Bay. He was given a full military funeral, Firing Party, Bugler and Pall bearers being in attendance. The Oak coffin was draped with the Union Jack and surmounted by several wreaths. The 'Last Post' was sounded at the grave side, and the Reverend H. Griffiths officiated.

Mrs White received from Base Records Victoria Barracks Melbourne a package of her husband's effects which consisted of Mittens, Money Belt, Handkerchiefs 3 and 2 collars, on the 30th March 1918.

Evening Chronicle Monday, 09/12/1918.

White. At 7 Gladstone Av., Monkseaton, on Dec. 6th, of pneumonia, Roy Neville, Sergt. Australian Imperial Force, beloved son of Mr. and Mrs. W. H. White, Glenelg South Australia. Interment Whitley New Cemetery, with military honours, at 11.30 a.m. Dec. 11. Deeply mourned.'

Whitley Seaside Chronicle & Visitors' Gazette 15/11/1946:

'Lone Australian Not Forgotten'
From 1918 to the present day, a wreath has been placed every year on the grave of the only Colonial soldier buried in Whitley Bay Cemetery. The grave is that of Private Roy Neville White of the 10th Australian Light Infantry, who died at Whitley in 1918. A service has been held beside his grave every Armistice Day, and last Sunday he was not forgotten. "... we shall remember them ..."

This remembrance has been mainly the work of the Seaton Women's section of the Seaton Sluice branch of the British Legion, for shortly after the last 1914-1918 war, the section was asked by the War Graves Commission to look after any graves of Colonial men buried in the Whitley Cemetery. Private White's was the only grave. On the formation of a local Women's section, Whitley was asked to co-operate in this duty of remembrance and they have done so ever since.The service at the graveside was conducted last Saturday by the Rev. Jackson of the Congregational Church, Whitley. Mrs Smith, chairman of the women's section of the Whitley Bay British Legion laid a wreath of poppies on the grave.The Rev. Jackson also offered prayers at the graveside for all the other service personnel buried in the cemetery.'

Research: Michael White/Angela Conroy/James Pasby

He is not remembered on a North East War Memorial.

WW1 POW Postcards
10th Battalion Australian Infantry Battalion
The CWGC entry for Sergeant White