Two unidentified Australian soldiers visiting a cemetery located between Albert and Becordel. The white cross on the left was erected for Pte Keith John Wade (13857) of the 7the Australian Field Ambulance, who died of wounds, 16 November 1916, aged 20. AWM E00166.
This year like every year since the Armistice on 11 November 1918, we will come together shortly before 11 a.m., to commemorate the fact that the guns of the Western Front fell silent after more than four years of continuous war. At 11 am, we will observe one minute's silence in memory of all who lost their lives, served and suffered in that terrible war and all wars and conflicts since.
On 11 November 1916, with two years and some of the worst bloodletting battles yet to be fought, families in Broken Hill and across South Australia read the 240th Casualty List in their local newspapers.
CASUALTY LISTS (1916, November 11).Chronicle (Adelaide, SA : 1895 - 1954), p. 42.
Of course all States had similar lists, some larger and some smaller but the pain, suffering and grief for each family ran was just as deep. There were by this time many families who had been informed of the death of one or more of their loved ones, as well all those who had been informed their loved ones were seriously wounded or even worse missing.
The October 1916 referendum for conscription that divided the nation and indeed families had just been defeated, for many of those who had already lost immediate, and extended family members, the arguments for and against the referendum must have only added to their already heavy burden.
For thirty Australian families reading the casualty lists on 11 November 1916 their terrible news was yet to come, for it was on that day 98 years ago that these Australians were either killed in action or died of wounds or disease.
Australians who lost their lives on 11 November 1916
(Please help us all to remember them by adding to their basic profiles)
ATKIN, John
Service number 2555, Corporal, 12th Infantry Battalion, AIF WW1, Died 11 Nov 1916, Died of wounds
BANNISTER, William Charles Wagenknecht
Service number 131, Sergeant, 3rd Field Ambulance, AIF WW1, Died 11 Nov 1916, Died of wounds
BARLOW, Richard
Service number 3743, Sapper, 7th Field Company Engineers, AIF WW1, Died 11 Nov 1916, Killed in action
CARRISS, Henry Joseph
Service number 4795, Private, 27th Infantry Battalion, AIF WW1, Born 7 May 1881, Died 11 Nov 1916, Died of Wounds (POW of Germany)
COLLINS, Martin
Service number 1521, Private, 19th Infantry Battalion, AIF WW1, Died 11 Nov 1916, Killed in action
CROSBY, Josiah
Service number 3720, Private, 6th Infantry Battalion, AIF WW1, Died 11 Nov 1916, Killed in action
ELDRIDGE, Roland
Service number 1945, Private, 19th Infantry Battalion, AIF WW1, Died 11 Nov 1916, Killed in action
ELLIOTT, Percy Roy
Service number 165, Sergeant, 3rd Field Ambulance, AIF WW1, Died 11 Nov 1916, Killed in action
GILFORD, John Edward
Service number 1094, Lance Corporal, 27th Infantry Battalion, AIF WW1, Died 11 Nov 1916, Died of wounds
GRAY, Hubert
Service number 19773, Gunner, 3rd Divisional Ammunition Column, AIF WW1, Died 11 Nov 1916, Illness (Cerebro spinal meningitis)
JEFFERS, William James
Service number 4524, Private, 6th Infantry Battalion, AIF WW1, Died 11 Nov 1916, Killed in action
LAWLER, James Dennis
Service number 4832, Private, 12th Infantry Battalion, AIF WW1, Died 11 Nov 1916, Died of wounds
LEO, James Francis
Service number 917, Private, 26th Infantry Battalion, AIF WW1, Died 11 Nov 1916, Died of wounds
LONERGAN, David Francis
Service number 4162, Private, 19th Infantry Battalion, AIF WW1, Died 11 Nov 1916, Killed in action
MARSHALL, Thomas Alfred
Service number 4543, Private, 6th Infantry Battalion, AIF WW1, Died 11 Nov 1916, Killed in action
MCLACHLAN, Peter
Service number 4566, Private, 6th Infantry Battalion, AIF WW1, Died 11 Nov 1916, Killed in action
MCLEOD, Neil Rodwick
Service number 2737A, Private, 3rd Infantry Battalion, AIF WW1, Died 11 Nov 1916, Illness
MCNEIL, Louden (London) Bain
Service number 4027, Lance Corporal, 3rd Field Ambulance, AIF WW1, Died 11 Nov 1916, Died of wounds
MILLAR, William
Service number 759, Private, 12th Infantry Battalion, AIF WW1, Died 11 Nov 1916, Killed in action
MORETON, Letetia Gladys (Lettitia Gladwys)
Service number Staff..., Nursing Sister, 2nd Australian General Hospital: AIF, AIF WW1, Died 11 Nov 1916, Enteric Fever
O'CALLAGHAN, John Joseph
Service number 4573, Private, 6th Infantry Battalion, AIF WW1, Died 11 Nov 1916, Killed in Service
OLDEN, John Peter Henry
Service number 1140, Private, 10th Infantry Battalion, AIF WW1, Died 11 Nov 1916, Died of wounds
OWEN, Frank
Service number 1287, Private, 20th Infantry Battalion, AIF WW1, Died 11 Nov 1916, Died of wounds
RAYMENT, William Charles
Service number 49, Died 11 Nov 1916, Prisoner of War
REES, Reginald William
Service number 677, Second Lieutenant, 27th Infantry Battalion, AIF WW1, Born 29 Dec 1891, Died 11 Nov 1916, Died of wounds
ROSE, Albert Henry
Service number 4258, Private, 20th Infantry Battalion, AIF WW1, Died 11 Nov 1916, Killed in Service
SMITH, William Henry
Service number 1422, Corporal, 9th Infantry Battalion, AIF WW1, Died 11 Nov 1916, Killed in action
THOMAS, Boyce
Service number 4535, Private, 21st Infantry Battalion, AIF WW1, Died 11 Nov 1916, Died of wounds
THOMAS, Edward Courtney
Service number 3282, Private, 6th Field Ambulance, AIF WW1, Died 11 Nov 1916, Killed in action
WALL, Henry Charles
Service number 496, Private, 6th Infantry Battalion, AIF WW1, Died 11 Nov 1916, Killed in Service
When the guns on the Western Front fell silent at 11a.m., on 11 November 1918 it signalled only an end to the fighting as a prelude to the peace negotiations. The war between Germany and the Allied Powers did not officially end until signing of the Treaty of Versailles on 28 June 1919; exactly five years after Gavrilo Princip assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand.