Australians Commemorated in Digswell
Australian Officers who died in WW1
By Robert Gill
During World War One, many Australian officers who were injured in France were brought to Digswell House which was in use as a hospital. Following their recovery and a period of convalescence, they were sent back to the front, some 73 of whom were subsequently killed. Their names are commemorated on a marble tablet inside St John’s Church, Digswell. Digswell House and St John’s Church, Digswell are to the north of present day Welwyn Garden City.
The names on the Memory Tablet:
Lt Col | H.K.Bean | A.A.M.C. | Lieut | N.I.Delany | 102nd How.Bty |
Lt Col | F.D.W.Oatley | 65th Bn | Lieut | G.M.Dickens | 17th Bn |
Major | F.W.Connolly | Gen.List | Lieut | H.Ellis | 17th Bn |
Major | B.D.Jack | 54th Bn | Lieut | W.K.Eltham | 1st Div.Art. |
Major | J.R.Metcalfe DSO, MC | A.A.M.C. | Lieut | J.P.Ford | 1st Div.Art. |
Major | F,H.Tubb VC | 7th Bn | Lieut | L.N.Gair | 31st Bn |
Captain | C.Arblaster | 53rd Bn | Lieut | J.S.Gamble | 31st Bn |
Captain | W.R.Aspinall MC | A.A.M.C. | Lieut | C.E.Garrard | 39th Bn |
Captain | A.R.Bolton Wood | 20th Bn | Lieut | G.Heaton | 7th Bn |
Captain | C.D’Arcy Irvine | 13th Bn | Lieut | W.I.Horne | 45th Bn |
Captain | W.E.Danisch | 25th Bn | Lieut | N.I.Jackson | 29th Bn |
Captain | I.R.Eddy | 1st Div.Art. | Lieut | L.H.Kearney | 25th Bn |
Captain | A.R.Fox | A.A.M.C | Lieut | T.H.Kennedy MC | 38th Bn |
Captain | W.H.Gartrell | 26th Bn | Lieut | M.Mc.L.Keshan | 3rd Bn |
Captain | J.F.Herbert MC | 26th Bn | Lieut | L.W.Lane | 62nd Bn |
Captain | R.K.Hibbs | 31st Bn | Lieut | A.M.Lilburne | 1st Div.Art. |
Captain | H.C.King | 28th Bn | Lieut | J.M.Lyons MC, MM | 17th Bn |
Captain | L.J.Lenay | 11th Bn | Lieut | J.W.Maunsell | 5th Bn |
Captain | N.B.Lovett | 53rd Bn | Lieut | H.E.Minerd | 50th Bn |
Captain | T.F.Miles | 5th Div.Art. | Lieut | H.L.Montague | 4th Bn |
Captain | J.F.Nix | 25th Bn | Lieut | L.J.Moorhouse | 46th Bn |
Captain | N.G.Pelton | 58th Bn | Lieut | H.E.Morrison MC | 5th Bn |
Captain | A.T.Rogers MC | 32nd Bn | Lieut | A.H.Moss | 2nd Div.Art. |
Captain | L.C.Roth MC | 2nd Pioneers | Lieut | E.C.New | 17th Bn |
Chap.Captain | W.J.Stevens | A.C.D | Lieut | W.J.S.G.Poole | 7th Bn |
Captain | P.G.Towl DSO | 37th Bn | Lieut | P.F.H.Reed | 12th Bn |
Captain | J.M.Watson | 15th Bn | Lieut | J.Roadknight | 37th Bn |
Captain | H.Webber | 12th Bn | Lieut | V.I.W.Ross | 23rd Bn |
Captain | W.F.Wilmot | 52nd Bn | Lieut | F.G.Rowe | 5th Div.Art |
Lieut | J.A.Archibald | 11th Bn | Lieut | P.F.Ryan DCM | 2nd Bn |
Lieut | R.Blanchard | 22nd Bn | Lieut | F.R.Sinclair MC | 7th A&S High. |
Lieut | F.R.Brook | 43rd Bn | Lieut | F.O.Twomey | 54th Bn |
Lieut | A.Brown | 49th Bn | Lieut | P.F.M.Vowels MC | 11th Bn |
Lieut | L.Brunton | 10th A.F.A. | Lieut | D.I.Walsh MC | 10th Bn |
Lieut | N.Campbell | 3rd Tun.Coy. | Lieut | J.Whittle | 48th Bn |
Lieut | L.Davies | 53rd Bn | 2/Lt | G.C.Holt | 1st Bn |
2/Lt | I.Moss | 11th Bn |
From The Argus (an Australian newspaper), October 15, 1921
Memorial to Australians.
LONDON, Oct. 14.
Major-General Sir H-B. Walker, who served with the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force; from 1914 to 1918, and with the British Expeditionary Force in France, un-veiled yesterday a marble tablet erected by Australians in the parish church of Digswell, Hertfordshire, to the memory of 73 Australian officers who were patients in hospital there, and who afterwards died on active service.
St John’s Church has an Australian Flag which was presented by General Sir W Birdwood. A Plaque commemorates this event.
Add your comment about this page