Local Heroes WW1

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Last Updated: Monday, 23 February 2015 13:22

Written by Sarah Wedding

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(Bgl) Oscar George Witcomb

Bugler Oscar George Witcomb 205, an Accountant with Commercial Bank, Port Adelaide, South Australia, prior to enlistment 22 August 1914 aged 21, 10th Battalion, A Company from Fremantle, Adelaide, South Australia, on board Transport A11 Ascanius on 20 October 1914.

Oscar with Bugle

2012 South Australian Premier’s ANZAC Spirit School Prize - Sarah Wedding

Oscar George Witcomb was a typical country lad who didn’t take life too seriously, a ‘lovable larrikin’, according to those who knew him. His main motivation for going to war was the thought of leaving on an adventure of a lifetime and travelling overseas to serve his country.

His daughter Nan Witcomb recalls:

“He was too short to be accepted into the Army during WWI despite his many efforts to enlist. Finally, the Recruiting Officer told him that the only way he’d get to fight was if he learned to play the trumpet. ‘I can play the trumpet,’ he said. Though, of course, he couldn’t.”

Oscar embarked for training in Egypt on the HMAT Ascanius on the 20th of October 1914 before serving in Gallipoli as a bugler in the 10th Battalion, A Company. During 1915 -1917 he also served with the Army Pay Corps. On the 5th of March 1918 Oscar was deployed to France to serve on the Western Front and do further training, before he joined Number 3 Squadron of the Australian Flying Corps at their recently acquired aerodrome near Poulainville, in Northern France. When he arrived with the Squadron they were involved in vital artillery spotting operations over the German offensive in the Somme Valley. Oscar was an observer and along with his pilot flew in flimsy two-seater biplanes that were often under attack from heavy ground fire and enemy aircraft while they completed missions.

Oscar on the right recouperating in hospital 1917

On the 21th April 1918 Squadron 3 played a small part in the death of the infamous German air ace, top aviator Manfred von Richthofen also known as the Red Baron. He was killed when his Fokker tri-plane, which was painted red, was fired on from both air and ground and crashed over Australian lines near the Squadron 3 aerodrome. A group from Squadron 3 were sent out to salvage his plane and body. At dusk the next day Squadron 3 provide a full military burial at Bertangles Cemetery for the Red Baron.

On the 8th of August 1918 the Squadron was part of the Battle of Amiens; one of the most notable on the Western Front. The battle is known as an ‘all arms battle’ due to the combined efforts of Allied aircraft, armoury, artillery and infantry. On this day the Allies had gained an unparalleled advantage of 12km by early afternoon and a large number of German prisoners.
After the battle Oscar sent a letter to his mother referring to this battle:

“The day today has been the day of all days. I have been floating about in the air at 400 or 500 feet – the Aussies have done magnificently – I don’t suppose I can tell you about it – but you can imagine our feelings of delight, joy when you see it in the paper. We have watched the scrap of a lifetime – that is all I can say – except that I’m very thankful to come out of it ok.”  

Oscar commonly flew with pilot Lieutenant James Smith but on the tenth of August 1918 while on a Contact Patrol ground fire shattered Lt. Smith’s ankle and he was forced to make a crash-landing near Vauvillers. In excerpts from a letter Oscar sent to Lt. Smith shortly after he said:

“I also consider myself very much indebted to you for bringing me through the stunt as you did.”    “…but I'm afraid, Smithy, that you've rather spoilt me for flying with anyone else as I will never have the confidence in anyone as I had in you.”

On the 7th of September 1918, Oscar applied for training as a pilot and five days later joined the Home Establishment before training as a pilot at the School of Military Aeronautics in England. On the 1th of November 1918 Oscar was granted ‘1914 Leave’ and left for Australia via Vancouver, Canada. He arrived back in Australia on the 11th of January 1919.

After the war, Oscar returned to his previous profession and went on to become a Bank Manager. In 1942 he re-enlisted in the Army in the rank of Captain.
Oscar died at the age of 70 on the 16th of July 1963.

ID number     P09378.004
Collection     Photograph
Object type     Colour - Digital file TIFF
Photographer     Unknown
Date made     c September 1918

Description

Informal portrait of Lieutenant (Lt) Tom Latham Baillieu (pilot) and Lt Oscar George Witcomb (trained as a pilot in September 1918) of No. 3 Squadron AFC.

Submitted by Sarah Wedding.

In 2012 Sarah entered the South Australian Premier’s ANZAC Spirit School Prize in which she was required to research a South Australia soldier who served on the Western Front in WW1. After submitting a multimedia presentation on Oscar Witcomb, Sarah was honoured to be one of 10 South Australian school students to be selected to travel to the Western Front where Oscar fought.

Special Thanks to Port Lincon RSL Sub-Branch for assistance.

Anzac Day on the Western Front

April 6, 2012,

LOCAL Year 11 student Sarah Wedding will get a rare insight into what life was like for soldiers on Europe's Western Front in World War I when she takes a trip to Europe as one of 10 winners of the 2012 Premier's Anzac Spirit School Prize.

The St Joseph's student will visit battlefields in France and Belgium and represent Australia at the Anzac Day Dawn Service in Villers Bretonneux in northern France where the Australian War Memorial is located.

She will also be involved in ceremonies at various Anzac grave sites along the Western Front.

Sarah's entry was selected from hundreds of research projects focusing on a man or woman from South Australia who served on the Western Front in WWI.

Choosing from the many "courageous" service men and women was a difficult task but she settled on country-born Oscar George Witcomb who enlisted when he was 21.

As part of her research, Sarah spoke to his daughter Nan Witcomb who shared the story of his persistence to enlist.

"He was too short to be accepted into the army during World War I, despite his many efforts to enlist," she said.

"Finally the recruiting officer told him that the only way he'd get to fight was if he learned to play the trumpet.

"'I can play the trumpet,' he said. Though of course, he couldn't."
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Sarah's multimedia presentation included photos and footage of Mr Witcomb in the war from the Australian War Memorial archive and a letter he wrote home, and used his experiences to illustrate those of many serving on the Western Front in WWI.

The study tour will give her a better understanding of what Mr Witcomb experienced and she plans to conduct a personal presentation ceremony to honour him at the Arras Memorial in France.

"I believe the commemoration of Australia's soldiers is extremely important," Sarah said.

"Thousands of young Australian men and women paid the ultimate sacrifice in the hope we as Australians could live a free life."

She said it was important her generation remembered men like Mr Witcomb as individuals, not just names on a wall.

"The thousands of stories of valour and mateship that I have heard and read about made me realise that the Anzac spirit is something we need to keep alive for future generations and every Australian aspire to possess those qualities."

http://www.portlincolntimes.com.au/story/254792/anzac-day-on-the-western-front/

(Cap) Oscar George Witcomb WW2 Service Record

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