Tales of illegal heroes Tasmania News - The Mercury - The Voice of Tasmania
THE sacrifices made by Tasmanian indigenous troops in World War I must not be forgotten, says a Hobart researcher.
Few know the extent of Aborigines' service in the Great War, however researcher Andrea Gerrard has documented the history of 65 Aboriginal men who enlisted, despite the fact it was illegal until 1915.
They served at Gallipoli and died on the killing fields of the Somme.
And her research has uncovered what she believes is the first Aboriginal officer in Australia.
Lt Alfred Hearps served in the 12th Battalion and fought at Gallipoli.
"They are an amazing group of men. I think it's extremely important they be recognised, not overlooked," Mrs Gerrard said.
"They didn't need to enlist, military law said they shouldn't enlist, but they did anyway."
She said one motivation may have been equality - unlike in civilian life, pay was the same as non-Aborigines.
Through her PhD research of archives, war records and letters she found many Aborigines enlisted, and she wants to know more from members of the Tasmanian community.
Mrs Gerrard said Remembrance Day on Sunday was a fine time to consider what the men risked.
Hearps died at Mouquet Farm at Pozieres, probably paralysed and bleeding after being hit in the neck by a shell.
"These are stories that need to be told. For every fellow who's enlisted there is a different story. There was a substantial group who left the islands, Cape Barren and Flinders, it was the biggest journey of their life just to get to Hobart," Mrs Gerrard said.
At least one died when meningitis killed more than two dozen during a Claremont training camp.
Private Marcus Blake Norman Brown from Cape Barren was one of 48 men from the Furneaux islands who enlisted.
Private Brown died of his wounds three days after being shot at the Battle for Messines, hit by gas attacks. He was buried at Rouen.
Mrs Gerrard would like to know any information from family members of the men, whose names include Everett, Maynard, Mansell and Brown.
Name, Service Number, Place of Birth, State of Enlistment
Anderson, James Henry, 332, Latrobe, Tasmania, Tasmania
Anderson, Percy Alfred, T9141, Latrobe, Tasmania, Tasmania
Brown, Claude Eyre, 6477, Cape Barren Island, Tasmania
Brown, Frederick William, 3427, Cape Barren Island, Tasmania
Brown, Henry George, 5054, Cape Barren Island, Tasmania
Brown, Marcus Blake Norman, 2291, Cape Barren Island, Tasmania
Brown, Willard Stanley, T3206, Cape Barren Island,Tasmania
Burgess, Allan Montgomery,3019, Cape Barren Island, Tasmania
Burgess, Sydney, 5055, Cape Barren Island, Tasmania
Cox, Douglas Lancell Keith, Depot, Stanley, Victoria
Cox, Lionel, 7992, Stanley, Victoria
Dyson, Vere Clifton, 3055, Latrobe, Tasmania
Elmer, William, 315, Latrobe,Tasmania
Everett, Julian Clifford, 6271, Cape Barren Island, Tasmania
Fisher, George Godfrey, 374, Launceston, Tasmania
Fisher, John Albert, 2328, Launceston, Tasmania
Gower, Clifford William, 7992, Lefroy, Tasmania
Gower, John Donald, 2838, Latrobe, Tasmania
Gower, William Harold, 14604, Latrobe, Tasmania
Hearps, Alfred John, 409, Forth, Tasmania
Hearps, Charles, MM207, Devonport, Tasmania
Hearps, Cyril Charles, 900, Burnie, Tasmania
Hearps, George Clarence, 3478, Latrobe, Tasmania
Hearps, Linden Louis, 2360, Barrington, Tasmania
Hearps, Wilfred Norton, 6241, Latrobe, Tasmania
Holt, Harold John, 2289, Launceston, Tasmania
Johnson, Cyril Allen, 1340, Sheffield, Queensland
Johnson, George Leonard, 889, Latrobe, Victoria
Johnson, Jack Roy, MM1867, Ulverstone, Victoria
Johnson, Phillip, 2853, Sherwood, Tasmania
Johnson, Vernon Philip, 2225, Sheffield, New South Wales
Kennedy, Cyril James, 4387, Forth, Tasmania
Kennedy, Gilbert Morgan, 7203, Forth, Tasmania
Kennedy, John Sydney, 3307, Forth, Tasmania
Kennedy, Leo Joseph, 7755, Forth, Tasmania
Lee, Edward James, 3268, Latrobe, Tasmania
Mansell, Archie Douglas, 5150, Cape Barren Island, Tasmania
Mansell, George Enos, 5149, Cape Barren Island, Tasmania
Mansell, James Vivian Gladstone, 4436, Cape Barren Island, Tasmania
Mansell, Morgan, 3355, Cape Barren Island, Tasmania
Mansell, Silas Milton, Depot, Flinders Island, Tasmania
Mansell, Thomas Edward William, 5151, Cape Barren Island, Tasmania
Maynard, Edward Lewis, 2294, Flinders Island, Tasmania
Maynard, Frank, 1153, Flinders Island, Tasmania
Maynard, James Henry Paul, 7314, Cape Barren Island, Tasmania
Maynard, Leo Victor, 3992, Flinders Island, Tasmania
Maynard, Roy Leonard, 6324, Flinders Island, Tasmania
Maynard, William, 6311, Cape Barren Island, Tasmania
Medcraft, Herbert William, T8146, Barrington, Tasmania
Medcraft, Oscar William, 6484, Lower Barrington, Tasmania
Medcraft, Robert Arthur, T7204, Lower Barrington, Tasmania
Miller, Charles Arthur James, 2612, Nicholls Rivulet, Tasmania
Miller, John William, 1227, Peppermint Bay, Tasmania
Miller, William Charles, 7515, Cygnet, Tasmania
Rees, Edward, 4356, Sheffield, Tasmania
Sellers, Earle Hartuol, Depot, Scottsdale, Tasmania
Sellers, George Ira, 19646, Sheffield, Tasmania
Sellers, Harold Thomas, 1709, Scottsdale, Tasmania
Smith, Albert Charles, 12407, Port Cygnet, Tasmania
Smith, Archibald Wilmore, 12408, Nicholls Rivulet, Tasmania
Smith, Augustus Eugene, 2232, Port Cygnet, Tasmania
Stanton, Harold Joseph, 2341, Cygnet, Tasmania
Stanton, William Alfred, 2310, Cygnet, Tasmania
Vincent, Arthur Wesley, T33737, Latrobe, Tasmania