Person:Walter Gillett (2)

From Service History: Private Walter Robert GILLETT - No. 2292 - B Company - 46th Battalion - A.I.F.; (Pay Book No. 46310. Enlisted No. 3 Military District.); AGE ON ENLISTMENT - 19 years; DATE OF ENLISTMENT - 6 March 1916; DATE OF EMBARKATION - 16 August 1916; NEXT OF KIN - Father - Robert Gillett; ADDRESS - Shelford P.O., Victoria; ALLOTEE - Mother (Not Dependant) - Emily Gillett.

1916-1919 - Letter sent after end of WW1 that was put together from letters written but not sent earlier:

"We sailed from Port Melbourne at half past three on the 16th of August 1916 on the "Orontes" with 1700 troops on board and a few 1st class passengers. The boat looked very nice when leaving, with all kind of different coloured streamers flying and a great crowd on board. We arrived at Port Adelaide, where we were off the boat for a couple of hours but there was nothing to see, only sand, the city of Adelaide was about 2 miles from where we embarked. After we left there we sailed for Fremantle which was much better than Adelaide. We were able to buy any thing we wanted especially fruit. We had about five hours here and then we sailed for Durban which is the best place I have seen since I left home. We were given everything free - the zoo, trams, baths, theatres. The people all had some of us with them while we were there. We had two days there and then we sailed for Cape Town which is a very pretty place whilst sailing through the heads into the Bay. We had a day there and then we sailed for St. Vinciene (?) but we could not get into the harbour so we anchored out for 2 days whilst the niggers were coaling her.

"After leaving there we sailed for Plymouth which was our last Port, after sailing for 6 weeks and 4 days. We got ashore at Plymouth and was packed into a train for Codford. After 8 hours travelling we reached this place, got our kit bags and marched into a training camp, which was pretty stiff for awhile. After having 4 months here, I was drafted to France.

"We left England for France on 27th January 1917. We first arrived in another camp called Etaples but only had three days there and then sent on to join our unit in the trenches at Fleur Bay on 11th February 1917. Owing to being a new hand in the trenches, I did not take much notice of shells flying around me, but it did not take me long to find out what they were. We did 21 days in here and in the middle of winter. We were wet through day and night, mud up over our knees and we even had to lay in it, and every day men were getting evacuated with trench fever and trench feet.

"After we came out of there we came back into billets to a place called Brayle and had 6 weeks spell and then we went into the trenches at Bullecourt and tried to take the Hindenburg lines. We took it and held it for 2 hours but had to retreat owing to not being able to get ammunition up. We fell back with heavy casualties and most of them were taken prisoners. We came out of there and went back to Brayle again, where we were reorganized. After having a few weeks here, we went to the trenches again at Messines, where we hopped the bags again and had a win capturing many prisoners and war material. We stopped in here 10 days and then we were relieved and went to a place called Neuf-Ber-Quinn and was billeted there for a while. We then went into reserves at Hill 63 where we did fatigues to the front lines every night. While we were here we were living in big tunnels with electric light all through it. We came out of here and had a few days out and we went into the lines again at Wychate, where we did a fortnight in strong points. After we came out of there we came back to Neuf-Ber-Eglise where we had a few more days spell.

"The next time the unit went into the line, I was left out with the neutrals for a spell. While I was there I was taken to an officers school as batan to one of our officers while he was going through his 6 weeks course of training at St. Oner. I used to have to work in the officer's mess helping the cooks who were W.A.A.C. cooks . You may guess we had a good time. We used to have dances twice a week. After coming back from there I found my unit at Coyeaux, where they were still doing training. I gave up doing baten there and went back to do some more slopping arms etc. We were there 3 weeks and we started on an eight day march to Boursaville, a distance of 80 kilos. We marched back there for a 3 month spell but came a guttzer as we were only there a fortnight and we were sent for, to go in the line at Perronne but only went as far as reserves and were living huts. This is where I spent my first Xmas in France and on the 2 Jan 1918 I went on my first 14 days leave to England.

"When I returned from leave I found my unit in a camp at Locre still doing fatigues to the front. I was there for a fortnight and I was evacuated to hospital with scavies to a hospital at Havre on the coast for 7 weeks. After I was discharged from hospital, I was sent to the Base and was there a fortnight and then I was sent back to rejoin my unit at Palainville, not far from Amiens. I was billeted there for a while and then I shifted to Moir-Lan-De-Bois but we were not there long and I shifted to Ribemont to the trenches in reserves. It was a very quiet place as we were too far back to be shelled. After staying here for awhile I shifted to Sale-La-Sex where I stopped for awhile in reserves and then went to the front line. We prepared a hop over and hopped the bags and advanced 2000 yards and had to dig in. We did not get many prisoners as Fritz was holding his line very weak.

"We stopped in here 10 days and then we were relieved by the 3rd Division and then we came back to Allonville Wood where we were camped under tarpaulins and then we went to Glesy Wood for a night and then moved to Corbie where we did one of the biggest hop overs ever, that the Australians had been in. We advanced 15 kilos and took 1000's of prisoners and guns and dumps etc. We held the line here for 3 days and then we were relieved and came back to Lonfire where we had 8 weeks spell and then we went into the line again and did another big hop over advancing 17 kilos also capturing many prisoners and guns. We stopped in there 10 days and then we were relieved by the Tommies, and that was the last stunt we did and then we came back in Motor Lorries to Fluy (?). We were there when Armistice was signed and then we trained to Fresnoy-Le-Grande. I went on my second 14 days leave from here on 29 November 1918 and when I came back, I found my unit at Mesnitt-St. Blanc. We were here for Xmas and New Year and there altogether 2 months and then we shifted to Waulsort where we joined up with the 48th Battalion and made 2 coys in each Battalion. We were here 3 weeks and then we did 2 days march to Nalinnes were we are now 28-2-1919. Me and my cobber rode the bikes through, and had a good time too as well, calling at every village we could on our way through.

"We were at Nallinnes a fortnight and then we shifted to a village called Actoy (?). I was only here a week and I was just on draft to Aussie. I was sent to Havre to a camp where I had a few days getting fitted out with new clothes and getting medically examined.

"I went on Brussels leave from 4 March till 7 March 1919. We left Belgium 9 April 1919 and then left France for England 15 April 1919.

"I was sent from Havre to South Hampton in England and then from there to a camp called Hurdcott. I had a week there and I was sent on 14 days leave from 22 April to 29 April. I went to London but only had 7 days leave and I took sick and then I went back to Hurdcott and reported sick. I was sent to Hospital here for 2 days and then I was sent on to another one called Fovant (?). I was here 2 days and my temperature was getting higher and they sent me to another Hospital called Salisbury Isolation, where I was supposed to have diphtheria but it turned out to be quinzey and this is where I am now. I have been in here a fortnight.

"After coming from hospital, I rejoined my unit at Hurdcott. I had 3 weeks here and then was put on a boat roll. We left Hurdcott 2 June 1919. We entrained at Dinton and travelled to Devonport where we sailed from on 3 June 1919 at 5 pm. On our way down from Dinton, we were given dinner at Exeter station by the Mayoress, which came in very handy. We had a good send off from Port where an English band played and all the navy and man-of-war ships were lined up and all gave us 3 cheers.

"We arrived at Cape Town on the 22nd June on a Sunday afternoon. We were all given leave ashore that night till 11pm. Next morning we were off the boat again at 10am till 11pm. I went out for a motor ride in the day time to Houts Bay and Camps Bay where I enjoyed myself very much. The scenery was beautiful. The next day I went out again and had another good time of it. The first night I went to the Tivoli Theatre but the next night I went for a bit of a promenade around the pier. We were not allowed to go ashore on the third day as we sailed at 3pm in the afternoon. We have had terrible rough weather all the way so far. We arrived at Adelaide 15 July 1919 and at Melbourne 19 July 1919."

1966 - From "The Colac Herald" dated Monday 14th February 1966: FORMER RACECOURSE CARETAKER DIES ON FISHING TRIP. Mr Robert Walter Gillett, former caretaker at the Colac Racecourse, died at Johanna last week. He went to Johanna last Monday on a fishing trip, intending to return to Colac on Friday. When he didn't return, members of his family went to Johanna and found him dead in the back of his utility. First Const. L. Beale, of Beech Forest, said that Mr Gillett had apparently died in his sleep and there were no suspicious circumstances. Mr Gillett, who lived in Skene Street, Colac, was aged 69 years. He served in the 46th Batt. First A.I.F. He leaves a wife, Doris, and five daughters. Mr Gillett was appointed caretaker at the racecourse in 1960 and had to resign at the end of 1964 because of ill health. Mr W. Westriem, secretary of the Colac Turf Club, said yesterday that Mr Gillett had done an excellent job as course manager during his four year appointment. Colac Turf Club president, Mr T. V. Walsh, paid tribute to Mr Gillett. "It is with regret that we hear of the passing of Mr Gillett", Mr Walsh said. "He had been employed for four years as caretaker at the racecourse and was very conscientious and thorough in his work. We were sad to lose his services when he was forced to retire owing to ill health. He was very well liked by all the committee and on their behalf, I extend our deepest sympathy to Mrs Gillett and family", he said. The funeral will leave for the Colac Cemetery today after a service at St John's Church of England, commencing at 1.30pm.