Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

BALDWIN Alfred SPR 3942
2nd Tunnelling Coy
1872-1954

The introductory words of Damien Finlayson’s book ‘Crumps and Camouflets’ best
set the scene for the story of the Tunnellers in WW1:

‘Below the shattered ground that separated British and Germany infantry on the Western Front in WW1 an unseen and largely unknown war was raging, fought by miners, “tunnellers” as they were known.’ They fought their silent, secret war listening, detecting any sounds that may come from the enemy, as they stealthily went about their duties.
Both sides were aware that they could be blown up at any time, killed outright or buried alive. They had to work in absolute silence; listening posts were manned to detect any untoward sound that could signify enemy activity, caged canaries and mice alerted tunnellers to the presence of deadly, odourless carbon-monoxide gas which hung around after an explosion. If this was the case the tunnels were evacuated until the gas cleared.
The soldiers selected for this branch of the army were often older men who came from a mining background and were experienced in the nature of the work they were set to do.

The first British Tunnellers arrived in France in February 1915; five Companies had been formed by rushing men from pits and tunnels into the trenches in Flanders, scarcely bothering with uniforms or military drill. Commissioned officers were mining graduates from the Royal School of Mines at Camborne. GHQ built up a force of Mining Companies to 25 British, three Canadian, one from New Zealand and three from Australia. There were 2500 men altogether.

The first Australian Tunnelling companies arrived in France in May 1916; by this time mining operations had been established for over a year. Mines contained living quarters, medical dressing stations; infantry subways that allowed men to walk below ground in safety were equipped with electric lighting, water pumping apparatus and ventilation.

Sapper Alfred Baldwin, was born at Wollombi, a small farming district west of the mining town of Cessnock in NSW. Perhaps he worked in a mine and thus gained some knowledge which could prove useful in his war service. Before the war he and his wife Emily and daughter Rosie moved to a farm at Boho, south of Violet Town. It was from here that Alf travelled by train to Melbourne to enlist on 26 February 1916. He was just over 44 years old. On 25 May he embarked aboard Warilda with the 4th Tunnelling Company which had been formed in Sydney.
Disembarking at Plymouth he was sent to Perham Downs training camp, thence overseas to France to join the 2nd Tunnelling Company at Armentieres.

He suffered the common illnesses of soldiers at the front…flu…mumps…pneumonia…scabies and was finally gassed in March 1918, invalided to England and returned to Australia in May 1918. After discharge in August he returned to his farm and remained there until his death in 1954.

His wife had left him and in 1919 their daughter Rose married Berthold Oscar Joppich. They had one daughter, Alma born in 1899. The marriage broke up and in 1925 Oscar changed his name to Berthold Oswald Joppich and married Ivy Gertrude May Ward in Broken Hill. Rosie also remarried, a man called Clarke who adopted Alma and brought her up as his own. Alma’s mother Rose died in 2000, having reached 101 years. Meanwhile her daughter Alma, who had reached middle age before she found out that Clarke wasn’t her real father, is still seeking her family.

Alf Baldwin’s Service Medals: British War Medal Victory Medal.

Tree No 20 - Corymbia ficifolia - a red flowering gum - was planted in 1917 by S Kelly. It is still standing.

BALDWIN Alfred SPR 3942
2nd Tunnelling Coy
1872-1954

The introductory words of Damien Finlayson’s book ‘Crumps and Camouflets’ best
set the scene for the story of the Tunnellers in WW1:
‘Below the shattered ground that separated British and Germany infantry on the Western Front in WW1 an unseen and largely unknown war was raging, fought by miners, “tunnellers” as they were known.’ They fought their silent, secret war listening, detecting any sounds that may come from the enemy, as they stealthily went about their duties.
Both sides were aware that they could be blown up at any time, killed outright or buried alive. They had to work in absolute silence; listening posts were manned to detect any untoward sound that could signify enemy activity, caged canaries and mice alerted tunnellers to the presence of deadly, odourless carbon-monoxide gas which hung around after an explosion. If this was the case the tunnels were evacuated until the gas cleared.
The soldiers selected for this branch of the army were often older men who came from a mining background and were experienced in the nature of the work they were set to do.

The first British Tunnellers arrived in France in February 1915; five Companies had been formed by rushing men from pits and tunnels into the trenches in Flanders, scarcely bothering with uniforms or military drill. Commissioned officers were mining graduates from the Royal School of Mines at Camborne. GHQ built up a force of Mining Companies to 25 British, three Canadian, one from New Zealand and three from Australia. There were 2500 men altogether.

The first Australian Tunnelling companies arrived in France in May 1916; by this time mining operations had been established for over a year. Mines contained living quarters, medical dressing stations; infantry subways that allowed men to walk below ground in safety were equipped with electric lighting, water pumping apparatus and ventilation.

Sapper Alfred Baldwin, was born at Wollombi, a small farming district west of the mining town of Cessnock in NSW. Perhaps he worked in a mine and thus gained some knowledge which could prove useful in his war service. Before the war he and his wife Emily and daughter Rosie moved to a farm at Boho, south of Violet Town. It was from here that Alf travelled by train to Melbourne to enlist on 26 February 1916. He was just over 44 years old. On 25 May he embarked aboard Warilda with the 4th Tunnelling Company which had been formed in Sydney.
Disembarking at Plymouth he was sent to Perham Downs training camp, thence overseas to France to join the 2nd Tunnelling Company at Armentieres.

He suffered the common illnesses of soldiers at the front…flu…mumps…pneumonia…scabies and was finally gassed in March 1918, invalided to England and returned to Australia in May 1918. After discharge in August he returned to his farm and remained there until his death in 1954.

His wife had left him and in 1919 their daughter Rosie married Berthold Oscar Joppich. They had one daughter, Alma born in 1899. The marriage broke up and in 1925 Oscar changed his name to Berthold Oswald Joppich and married Ivy Gertrude May Ward in Broken Hill. Rosie also remarried, a man called Clarke who adopted Alma and brought her up as Alma Clarke. Annie Rose died in 2000. It wasn’t until 30 years later that Alma found out her real father was Oscar Joppich. She is still trying to find her family.

Alf Baldwin’s Service Medals: British War Medal Victory Medal.

Tree No 20 - Corymbia ficifolia - a red flowering gum - was planted in 1917 by S Kelly. It is still standing.