Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

James Horrocks and his two sons enlisted in the AIF.

6464 Private James Horrocks, the father of the two boys, enlisted shortly after he had received news of their deaths, in December 1915, and he gave his age as 48 years and 9 months. He arrived in Egypt in April 1916, and was sent to France in June 1916 with the Mining Corps. He was sent back to England in September 1916, and it was ascertained that his real age was 57, that he was unfit for service, and sent home to Australia in October 1916. He was quickly discharged in January 1917, and died in Perth at some stage in 1917, and his name is not on the Roll of Honour, as he died after discharge. There is probably no doubt that the exertions of active service contributed to his death, however at the time the authorities seemed quite strict about proving the cause of death was war related. This may have been for a number of reasons, perhaps to reduce the burden of war pensions or also to reduce the perceived number of casualties of the war.

The young Horrocks brothers were from Collie in Western Australia, both born at Narracan Gippsland, Victoria and both killed at Gallipoli.

555 Private Joseph Horrocks was an original member of E Company 11th Battalion, and left Australia in November 1914. He was at the Landing at Anzac Cove, and was severely wounded on the 20 May 1915, a “gunshot” wound to the left leg, which was amputated above the knee, and he subsequently died of wounds on board the hospital ship "Sudan", later in the day and was buried at sea. He was 22 years of age.

His mother wrote on his brother’s Roll of Honour circular, “his comrades said that he hopped down the narrow trench with his leg blown off before he died.” She also gave the following information, "One of the first volunteers that left the Collie District and the first on the Roll of Honour of killed at Collie".

A newspaper extract from a soldier’s account describes how Joe received the injuries that killed him.

“May 18 was the day the Turks, under General von Sanders, made an attack along our whole front. It was early morning, just before daybreak, that the enemy advanced. I was in the firing line and could see the Turks approaching. About 30 yards off, through an opening in the scrub they passed, in a stooping posture. I fired until my rifle became too hot to handle. Those who had been sent to support us were eager for a “go” so I gave way to the man who came into my recess while my rifle cooled down. When light became stronger we could see that the attack had failed, but the enemy still kept up a heavy fire and now opened with the big guns. Early in the afternoon a shell lodged right into the recess next to mine where Charlie Chopping was standing. Poor fellow, his legs were taken off at the knees and he died in a comrade’s arms a minute later. About an hour after this, a shell skimmed just over my head and landed in the recess about four down from mine. This time Joe Horrocks was hit on the leg. It was dreadful to listen to his screams; but he quickly subsided and pluckily hopped out of the trench with assistance. His leg was amputated but, after lingering for a few weeks, death put an end to his sufferings.”

298 Private Edwin James Horrocks was even younger, only 19 when he enlisted, March 1915, an original of the 28th Battalion, which landed on Gallipoli 10 September, 1915. Edwin was on Anzac for only 7 days before he was wounded in the abdomen by a snipers bullet, which struck his spine, also causing paralysis. He was transferred from the 7th Field Ambulance on Gallipoli, to the hospital ship ''Somali" but died on board the next day and was buried at sea 18 September, 1915.

His mother wrote upon his Roll of Honour circular, "He was a good shot and volunteered as a sniper and was shot through the spine."

Edwin was missing for a long time and it was said by the family that his mother still held hope he was alive. “Over the years, the Collie Burn area changed a lot and she once walked to the end of the road and put up a sign saying ‘Collie Burn’ so that if he (Edwin) was wandering the Earth, he would find his way home."