Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

The Bendigoian newspaper published the following article on October 25, 1917. P. 2

PRIVATE V. ELIASON

Mrs. T. Eliason, of Sandy Creek, has received the 101st letter from her son, Private Victor Eliason, of Sandy Creek. He left with the 7th Battalion, under Major Blezzard, spent a considerable time in Egypt, thence to Gallipoli, where he was wounded. He went to England, and became well enough to return to take part in the evacuation. Since then he has been in various parts of the war. As shown by his 101st letter, he is still going well, and has faith that the Huns are getting beaten.From it we make the following extracts:-                          "Flanders, 22nd August, 1917. I think it is because I can see and know we are winning that makes me feel so fit. Every day we can see the battle line on the western front changing. The Hun is slowly, but surely, getting flogged to death, and his hour is coming as sure as the sun will set tonight. Our sides are giving him no respite. We are now paying him back in full. All his unnatural weapons are turned against him. His poison gas that he used over two years ago on us with such deadly effect to-day we laugh at it, for our gas helmets are proof against his poison gas, and his gas helmet is not proof against the poison gas we are using against him. Then he brought out and used liquid fire against us. And now we are using a weapon boiling with burning oil fired at him in shell form. It is striking terror into the hearts of the Huns. We are now paying them back with interest. Well, my dear mother and grandma, it is over three years since I joined the A.I.F, and I am sure to you both it seems a lifetime; to you both it has been years of suspense and worry on my behalf. I know in my own heart you do not do as I ask of you; when I tell you not to worry. I know you imagine us to be always suffering untold hardships, which is never the case. Of course, sometimes we have bad times, but we are here and willing to endure anything to bring to the world that peace that will bring happiness to millions, and to accomplish that we must endure a little hardship at times, but at all times we are lighthearted and as happy as schoolboys."[1]

Sadly, the Bendigoian would report the following on June 6, 1918. P. 21 - PRIVATE VICTOR ELIASON.                                             'Information has been received by cable from Mrs Victor Eliason (England), wife of Private Victor Eliason, to his mother, Mrs. T. Eliason, of Sandy Creek, that he had been killed in action. Private Eliason left here with the 7th Battalion, and he had seen some hard fighting. He was wounded and also went through a serious illness. He had after 3¾ years' service been killed after recovering from a severe illness. A little time ago he got married to an English lass, who attended him during his illness. He was a member of Pride of the Hills, I.O.R., White Hills, and this is the third member in a short time.'[2]

AWM Photo - Studio portrait of 913 Private (Pte) Victor James Roy Eliason, 7th Battalion, of Bendigo, Vic.

A labourer prior to enlisting on 18 August 1914, he embarked from Melbourne aboard HMAT Hororata (A20) on 19 October 1914. He landed at Gallipoli on 25 April and was wounded in the shoulder causing his evacuation for treatment in early May. He returned to Gallipoli on 15 August until again being wounded in action on 28 August 1915. After recovery in England, he arrived in France in June 1916 for service on the Western Front. Pte Eliason was transferred to the 2nd Machine Gun Company in May 1917 and to the 1st Machine Gun Battalion on 1 April 1918. Pte Eliason was killed in action in Belgium on 15 May 1918, aged 27 years. He was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal on 19 June 1918.[3]

SERVICE DETAILS:
Service Number: 913

Place of birth: Bendigo, Victoria

Religion: Church of England

Occupation:Labourer

Address: White Hills, Bendigo

Marital status: Single

Age at enlistment: 24

Next of kin: Mother, Mrs Eliason, Katamatite, via Dookie,

Enlistment date: 18 August 1914

Final Rank: Private

Unit: 7th Battalion, H Company & 1st Machine Gun Battalion

Embarked: A20 Hororata on 19 October 1914                 

Meritorious Service Medal Source:

Fate: Killed in Action 15 May 1918 in Belgium

Age at death: 27

Place of burial: Le Grand Hasard Military Cemetery, Morbecque, France

In the operations east of YPRES 22nd September, 1917 to 12th October, 1917. Official war correspondent Charles Bean wrote of this deadly three week period:-

‘For the two Anzac corps the battles of Menin Road, Polygon Wood and Broodseinde were the cleanest and most decisive victories they had yet fought, even more so than Messines. The later fighting in the wet weather doubled the casualties, which amounted to 38,000 in the five Australian Divisions in eight weeks, and left, the Australia, an insoluble problem of reinforcements.’[4]

[1] Bendigoian Newspaper, October 25, 1917. P. 2
[2] Bendigoian Newspaper, June 6, 1918. P. 21
[3] Australian War memorial Collection, P08636.001
[4] Anzac to Amiens, C.E.W.Bean. Penguin Books.2014. P.376