Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Stan was born on 23 Jul 1898 at Jamestown (SA) to Andrew Bishop and Emily Bishop (nee Weston). He was the youngest of 6 children. His father was a farmer at Jamestown before the family moved to a farm at Lock.

On completion of schooling he worked on the family farm until his enlistment in the Army on 3 Aug 1915 at the age of 18. At this time he gave his occupation as farmer and his home town as Lock SA.

After enlistment he travelled to Wayville for processing before being sent to 2nd Depot Battalion (Bn).  He was initially posted to 12th Reinforcements/12th Bn, this was changed to 51st Bn, then finally to 50th Bn. On 2 Dec 1915 he embarked from Adelaide aboard HMAT “Malwa” bound for Alexandria.

He was taken on strength of his unit (50th Bn) at a confusing time after the withdrawal from Gallipoli and the doubling of the AIF; it was also the time that the 50th Bn was being raised in Egypt on 26 Feb 1916. Approximately 1/2 of the recruits were veterans from the 10th Bn, the other 1/2, reinforcements from Australia.

Three months later he, and his unit, embarked aboard HMAT “Arcadian” at Alexandria bound for Marseilles, arriving and disembarking on 11 Jun 1916. The Bn fought its first major battle at Mouquet Farm in Aug 1916 suffering heavy casualties. The Bn then experienced the bleak winter of 1916-17, whilst alternating in and out of the line. Early in 1917, the Bn participated in the advance that followed the German withdrawal to the Hindenburg Line, and attacked at Noreuil on 2 - 4 Apr 1917. It was during this action that Stanley was wounded in action (WIA), but remained on duty. He must have acquitted himself well as he was appointed Lance Corporal immediately after the battle; much more impressive was the award of the Military Medal; an extract from the citation is shown below:

'At Noreuil on 2nd to 4th of April, 1917, this runner came prominently under notice continually, when he brought messages from his company to the forward relay station. His work was exceptionally good as he carried messages from the morning of the 2nd to the morning of the 4th, during all this time under heavy fire, particularly that of machine-guns. He was always cheerful and cool and displayed exceedingly great courage. In every way he was thoroughly reliable and deserving of high praise.'

On 9 Jul 1917 he was promoted to Corporal and then transferred to 13th Training Bn (UK) as permanent Cadre Staff: he was later promoted to Acting Sergeant.  On 1 Oct 1917 he re-joined his unit in France and reverted to his substantive rank of Corporal. On 19 Feb 1918 he was again promoted, this time to Lance Sergeant. On the same day he received a Divisional Commander’s Commendation for his results at the Divisional Gas Training School and a week after this was granted two weeks leave in UK, returning to his unit on 24 Mar 1918.

On 18 May 1918 he was detached to 6th Officer Cadet Bn and did very well at the training, despite being admitted to 3rd London General Hospital for 2 weeks during the course. On 18 Dec 1918 he graduated and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant before returning to his unit on 26 Jan 1919.

In Mar 1919 he was transferred back to UK to command a transport pool and was promoted to Lieutenant. He remained in this position until embarking aboard the SS “China” for return to Australia, disembarking at Adelaide on 6 Jun 1919. He relinquished his commission on 29 Jul 1919 and took his discharge from the Army on the same day.

He married Eileen Gladys Wright on 20 Sep 1924 at Norwood and remained in the Adelaide area for a period. It is not known whether they had children.

However Stan must have still been unsettled and returned to the Lock area, as after the outbreak of WW2 he again enlisted in the Army (Militia) on 10 Jun 1941, giving his locality of enlistment as Lock SA and his next of kin as his wife. His posting was to the Sandy Creek Prisoner of War Camp SA; he was posted on promotion to Captain.

The Sandy Creek Camp was a transit camp for Italian Prisoners of War and detainees, located between Clare and Gawler and housed up to 600 personnel between Apr 1944 and May 1946. It was a tented camp.

In the late 1950s the family moved to Tumby Bay where Stan worked as an Insurance Agent.

Stan died on 2 Dec 1970 at Tumby Bay and is buried in the Tumby Bay Cemetery. After his death Eileen returned to Adelaide.

Medals and Decorations

Military Medal                                                                                                                     

1914-15 Star                                                                                                             

British War Medal                                                                                                    

Victory Medal

Son of Andrew BISHOP and Emily nee WESTON

Awarded Military Medal.
'At Noreuil on 2nd to 4th of April, 1917, this runner came prominently under notice continually, when he brought messages from his company to the forward relay station. His work was exceptionally good as he carried messages from the morning of the 2nd to the morning of the 4th, during all this time under heavy fire, particularly that of machine-guns. He was always cheerful and cool and displayed exceedingly great courage. In every way he was thoroughly reliable and deserving of high praise.'

Biography written by Cassie Spada, Aberfoyle Park High School, SA attached as a document. Winning entry for 2018 Premier's Anzac Spirit School Prize.