The Herald (Melbourne)
3 July 1915
Stretcher-Bearers' Work
Taxes Strength and Pluck
Rescues Under Fire
Hills and Gullies Searched
Some idea of the difficulty and danger of the work of the stretcher-bearers on Gallipoli's battlefields is given in a letter to his parents at Lithgow, N.S.W., by Lance-Corporal the Reverend J. H. Sorell (sic). He says:—
"We have been continually under fire since arriving here. At first one feels -a little shaky, but soon gets accustomed to the shrapnel and bullets buzzing all around. I think that warfare is as near to hell upon earth as it is possible to get. The booming of the guns, crack of the rifles, clatter of the Maxims, sight of the wounded and dead, together with all the bustle indispensable to a battle, make a wonderful impression. The stretcher-bearer work has proved itself the most difficult and one of the most dangerous. We have had to carry wounded men from indescribable positions, down rugged hills, all sorts of gullies, etc. We are also exposed a great deal, and go right to the front: in fact, there is not a front line trench in the whole of the fields into which we have not been. It is satisfactory to know that the General has realised the difficulty of our task, and expressed his boundless appreciation.
"I have been hit four-times, and have had many narrow escapes. One morning I had just dressed a man's broken leg, and was lifting him on to a stretcher, when a sniper's bullet whizzed under my arm, drew blood on three knuckles, and entered the patient's neck, fortunately not killing him, I was also hit in the ribs without damage, whilst shrapnel failed to get past my haversack. I feel very calm and confident that everything will turn out well, I am sorry to say that many of my old companions have been killed and many wounded. Our chaplain's are fine workers in all directions. We are splendidly fed, each day being issued biscuits, cheese, jam, beef, bacon, and occasionally tinned soup. The commissariat does credit to the War Office."
Soldier Identified: Captain John Harold Ashley Sorrell, Service No. 913, 13th and 45th Battalions, A.I.F.
On 7th November 1916, then Company Quartermaster Sergeant of the 45th Battalion, J. H. A. Sorrell was awarded the Military Medal for his actions as a stretcher bearer at Kaiajik Dere, Gallipoli, 21 August 1915 (13th Battalion). Just over a year later, on 25th January 1918, now a 2nd Lieutenant, Sorrell was selected for Special Duty with the Imperial Army - Dunsterforce.
Dunsterforce was a secret Allied special operations unit commanded by Major-General Lionel C. Dunsterville, C.B. In January 1918, a handpicked team of soldiers — from France, England, Scotland, Ireland, Canada, New Zealand and Australia — were assembled to undertake a daring mission to northern Persia (now Iran) and the Caucasus. Australia furnished the largest national unit with 18 officers and 20 sergeants. Their aim was to reorganise resistance by unifying the various anti-Bolshevik and anti Turkish groups into an effective force to hold back Germany entering Asia. While serving in this unit J. H. A. Sorrell was promoted to Lieutenant in the A.I.F.
Sorrell returned to Australia, 21 February 1919, and remained in the army, serving in WWII. (Service No. NX137939).
Honorary Chaplain 1st Class the Reverend J. H. A. Sorrell, M.M., E.D. retired from the Australian Army in July 1947.
* * * * *
Soldier Identified: Captain John Harold Ashley Sorrell, Service No. 913, 13th and 45th Battalions, A.I.F.
On 7th November 1916, then Company Quartermaster Sergeant of the 45th Battalion, J. H. A. Sorrell was awarded the Military Medal for his actions as a stretcher bearer at Kaiajik Dere, Gallipoli, 21 August 1915 (13th Battalion). Just over a year later, on 25th January 1918, now a 2nd Lieutenant, Sorrell was selected for Special Duty with the Imperial Army - Dunsterforce.
Dunsterforce was a secret Allied special operations unit commanded by Major-General Lionel C. Dunsterville, C.B. In January 1918, a handpicked team of soldiers — from France, England, Scotland, Ireland, Canada, New Zealand and Australia — were assembled to undertake a daring mission to northern Persia (now Iran) and the Caucasus. Australia furnished the largest national unit with 18 officers and 20 sergeants. Their aim was to reorganise resistance by unifying the various anti-Bolshevik and anti Turkish groups into an effective force to hold back Germany entering Asia. While serving in this unit J. H. A. Sorrell was promoted to Lieutenant in the A.I.F.
Sorrell returned to Australia, 21 February 1919, and remained in the army, serving in WWII. (Service No. NX137939).
Honorary Chaplain 1st Class the Reverend J. H. A. Sorrell, M.M., E.D. retired from the Australian Army in July 1947.
A group of eight unidentified stretcher bearers, four of them shirtless, at a relay station on the Gallipoli Peninsula. One of the men is lying down on a stretcher in front of the others. June 1915. (Courtesy: Australian War Memorial)
Sources:
- Letter: Stretcher-Bearers' Work Taxes Strength and Pluck (1915, July 3). The Herald (Melbourne, Vic. : 1861 - 1954), p. 1. TROVE
- Picture: A group of eight unidentified stretcher bearers, four of them shirtless, at a relay station on the Gallipoli Peninsula. One of the men is lying down on a stretcher in front of the others. June 1915. Australian War Memorial
- Service Record: John Harold Ashley Sorrell. Australian National Archives
- First World War Nominal Roll. Australian War Memorial
- Honours and Awards. Australian War Memorial
- Military Medal: London Gazette, 27 October 1916 on page 10488 at position 7. The London Gazette
- Military Medal: Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, 19 April 1917, on page 920 at position 5. Government Gazette Proclamations and Legislation (1917, April 19). Commonwealth of Australia Gazette (National : 1901 - 1973), p. 920.
- Military Medal citation. Great War Forum
- Dunsterforce: Sorrell, J (Lieutenant, MM, 45th Bn b.1889), Diary Regular Brief Entries from Time of Joining Dunsterforce, preparation in London and Service in Mesopotamia. Australian War Memorial
- "End of Near East Campaigns", The Times, History of the War, Vol XX, chapter CCXC, London, The Times, 1919, pp 73-108. Archive Org.
- "Dunsterforce - Part 1", Harry Fecitt, 2013. The Western Front Association
- Retirement: "Australian Army Chaplains' Department". Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, 20 November 1947, on page 3415. Australian Military Forces (1947, November 20). Commonwealth of Australia Gazette (National : 1901 - 1973), p. 3415.
No comments