Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Geoffrey Huie Armstrong was born on 24th October 1891 at Milroy Station, Brewarinna NSW, the youngest son and child of 5 children born to his parents Huie and Florence Armstrong.  He had an older sister, Amy, and 3 older brothers…Herbert, Peter and Reginald however Reginald died aged 6months.  He was brought up on the station and so was very at home on horseback.  He was educated at Scots College in Syndey NSW and served 12 months in the Commonwealth Cadets at the College.  After completing his education he worked as a jackeroo on several properties.  He became overseer of properties in New South Wales and by 1913 was overseer of a property at Mount Abundance, Roma QLD.  It was while he was working here that he enlisted for WW1 at Roma on 26th May 1915 aged 23. 

He's described as being 5ft 9ins tall with a snowy complexion, blue eyes and curly snowy hair.  His service number was 992, his rank Private and he was assigned to the 11th Light Horse Regiment 4th Reinforcements.  In Light Horse Regiments the designation “Trooper” was substituted for the rank of Private.  Geoff proceeded for training to Enoggera Army Camp in Brisbane QLD and on 11th July was promoted to Corporal.  He embarked from Brisbane on HMAT Hymettus on 17th September 1915 and disembarked at Alexandria Egypt in early November and proceeded to Aerodrome Camp at Heliopolis.  On 27th October he relinquished his Corporalship to go the front at Gallipoli.  The 11th Light Horse Regiment (LHR) was broken up on 26th August and allotted to other regiments as reinforcements.  He was attached to the 2nd Light Horse Regiment and arrived at Gallipoli on 12th November 1915.  He joined the 2nd LHR at their camp at Old No. 3 Post overlooking Fisherman’s Hut.  This post was subjected to daily barrages of shells from the enemy which caused terrible destruction to the trench system and dugouts.  Several times soldiers were buried under the mass of earth and had to be rescued by their mates.  The Regiment remained there till the 14th December when it moved to take over the frontline position at Destroyer Hill and manned the fire trenches during the evacuation of the troops.  Geoff with the Regiment embarked from Gallipoli at midnight on 18th December and were some of the last to leave.  They disembarked at Lemnos Island the next day and went into camp at east Mudros before embarking from Lemnos on 22nd December on HMT Ionian where they celebrated Christmas.  They disembarked at Alexandria on 27th December and proceeded to Aerodrome Camp at Heliopolis. 

On the 12th February the 11th LHR was officially re-organised and Geoff re-joined his unit on the 22nd February 1916 at the 2nd Oasis Camp at Heliopolis then in late April he proceeded to Tel-el-Kebir Camp.  A month later the Regiment proceeded to Serapeum on the Suez Canal where they crossed the canal to a post known as Serapeum Railhead.  There they served as reserve to the 13th Infantry Brigade and took the defence of the railhead constructing trenches, erecting barbed wire to consolidate the position.  In early July 1916 the Regiment moved to Moascar Camp then then a few days later continued north to El Ferdan.  In mid-July the proceeded to Ballybunion to join the forces defending Suez Canal.  On 26th July Geoff was promoted to Lance Corporal.  The Regiment proceeded to Mageibra, attached to the Desert Flying Column, and was part of the force that pursued the retreating Turks from the Battle of Romani.  They attacked the enemy at Aweidia and Hod-el-Bayoud and by the end of these 2 battles the casualties for the 11th LHR were 5 killed, 12 wounded and 1 missing.  The Regiment proceeded to El Ferdan and on to Ferry Post Camp in late August. 

By mid-September the Regiment was permanently stationed at Serapeum Railhead.  The Turkish line at this time had 2 main strong posts, Maghara in the north and Nekhl in the south.  A force was organised to carry out lightning raids on these 2 strongholds to cause them to retreat.  In early October the Regiment proceeded to Maghara as part of that force.  After a successful operation they proceeded to El Ferdan and then returned to their base at Serapeum Railhead in late October.  During their time in the desert they continually suffered water and food shortages and the heat was so intense during the day it necessitated them having to travel at night.

In January 1917 the 4th Light Horse Brigade (LHB) was reformed of which the 11th LHR was a part.  The 4th LHB joined the 3rd LHB and the British 5th and 6th Mounted Brigades to form the Imperial Mounted Division (IMD)  While with the IMD Geoff took part in the raid on and capture of Nekhl on 20th February and the 2nd Battle of Gaza on 19th April where they suffered heavy casualties…11 Other Ranks killed, 6 Officers and 47 Other Ranks wounded and 1 missing.  In mid-May the 11th LHR proceeded to the rest Camp at Marakeb on the coast then in June 1917 the IMD became the Australian Mounted Division (AMD).  On 7th July 1917 General Allenby inspected the troops at Fukhari then 4 days later Geoff was admitted to the 4th Light Horse Field Ambulance (4LHFA) with septic sores.  He proceeded to the Marakeb rest camp for 2 weeks then re-joined his unit. 

On 28th October the 11th LHR as part of the 4th Light Horse Brigade, made its way to Beersheba where they took part in the Battle of Beersheba on 31st October 1917 but they were not part of the now famous charge.  The 11th LHR were engaged on flank protection and were too widely spread to take part in the charge.  That was carried out by its sister Regiments…the 4th and 12th.  

Another charge was mounted by the 11th and 12th LH Regiments on Turkish positions at Sheria on 7th November 1917 but confronted by heavy fire the troopers were forced to dismount and withdraw.  The 11th LHR A Squadron suffered heavy casualties…15 killed and 14 wounded.  After Gaza fell on the 7th November the Turks retreated and the 11th LHR participated in the pursuit that followed.  In early December the Regiment moved to the village of Shilta 12 miles north-west of Jerusalem and were still there when the capture of Jerusalem occurred on 9th December 1917.  They spent Christmas Day at Shilta enjoying packages from home of tinned fruit, milk, cake, biscuits and sweets.  On the 29th December they proceeded to Belah for rest and reorganisation. 

On 14th January 1918 the Australian Mounted Division, including the 11th LHR, was inspected by HRH the Duke of Connaught at Belah.  In early February Geoff was admitted to the 4th LHFA with asthma then transferred to the 74th Casualty Clearing Station at Ramallah.  He then spent a week at the 45th Stationary Hospital at El Arish before being transferred to the 24th Stationary Hospital at Kantara and then finally, to the 14th Australian General Hospital at Abbassia Egypt.  In mid-March he was transferred to the rest camp at Port Said and then to the rest camp at Moascar in early April.  He returned to duty in late April and in early May re-joined his unit at Jericho Palestine in the Jordan Valley.  In mid-June the Regiment moved to Solomon’s Pools at Bethlehem.  In late June they moved to Wadi Nueiamah then on 7th July Geoff reverted to the rank of Trooper at his own request.  During an engagement with the enemy a week later the Regiment was bombed by 7 planes which killed 3 and wounded 4.  In mid-July the Regiment moved to occupy the defence line at Nahr Auja River east of Jaffa.  It was while here that Geoff was admitted to the 4th LHFA on 8th August with pyrexia…a fever of unknown source.  He was transferred to 34th Combined Clearing hospital at Jerusalem, then to the 36th Stationary Hospital at Gaza, the 44th Stationary Hospital at Kantara and finally to the 31st General Hospital at Abbassia.  After being discharged he took 2 weeks leave then reported for duty to the 4th Signal Troop at Moascar Camp on 25th September.  He wasn’t there for long before he was admitted to hospital with diarrhoea on 10th October then transferred to the 2nd Australian Stationary Hospital at Moascar.  He never returned to duty and on the 26th December 1918 he embarked from Suez on HMT Somali for return to Australia.  He disembarked at Sydney NSW on 19th February 1919 and was discharged from the service on 23rd May 1919. 

An interesting detail to note from an article written by his daughter is that the first horse he handled in Egypt after his return from Gallipoli had the brand of Milroy Station which meant it had been born and bred there…just as he had been.  He asked his Commanding Officer, Colonel Grant, for permission to have the horse assigned to him which the Colonel willingly gave.  He called her “Miss Milroy” and he rode her all throughout the war.  

Upon his return to Australia he returned to be overseer at the Mount Abundance property.  On the 22nd December 1922 Geoff married Eulalie Raff at St Matthew’s Church Sherwood, Brisbane QLD.  In 1925 they welcomed their only child, a daughter named Eville.  Geoff worked as overseer at Saltern Creek Barcaldine QLD, then as manager at Warrabah Station Upper Manilla NSW and Yarrowitch Walcha NSW.  He later bought his own property at Walcha Road NSW called “Glengarry.”  He and the family were still living there when Geoff enlisted for WW2 on 19th April 1942 at Niangala NSW aged 50.  His service number was N439249 and he was assigned to the 3rd (QLD) Battalion Volunteer Defence Corps (VDC).  He was promoted to Sergeant on 27th March 1943 then appointed to Lieutenant on 20th August 1944.  He was placed on the retired list on 2nd October 1945.  Geoff’s daughter Eville also served in WW2. 

In 1950 Geoff retired to live at Brisbane QLD.  He passed away in Brisbane on 7th August 1967 aged 75.  His Memorial Plaque is found on Wall 5 Row J at the Queensland Garden of Remembrance which is situated within the Pinnaroo Lawn Cemetery at Bridgeman Downs QLD.   

Geoffrey Huie Armstrong was awarded for service in WW1 the 1914-1915 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal and the Anzac Commemorative Medallion.  For service in WW2 he was awarded the Australia Service Medal 1939-1945. 

Respectfully submitted by Sue Smith 20th November 2023.

Sources

The History of the 11th Light Horse Regiment written by Ernest W Hammond

https://www.koolkatquilting.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/History-of-the-11th-Light-Horse-Regiment-web-version-pdf.pdf

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/U51045

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_Mounted_Division#Notes

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/4th_Light_Horse_Brigade