20. Blackboy Hill Training Camp
WW1 – Blackboy Hill Training Camp - The birthplace of Western Australia’s Anzac forces
Saluting their Service - Grahame Old
The Camp
On 17 August 1914 just 12 days after war was declared, the first volunteers arrived at the newly formed Blackboy Hill camp at the foot of the Darling Ranges east of Perth. It was the birthplace of the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) in WA and over the period of the war, some 32000 men, (about one third of all eligible men in WA at that time) trained here before heading off to war. Some of the first men to arrive were rough and tough railway labourers from the goldfields who had been building the Trans Continental Railway Line. They were quickly followed by miners and timber workers from Collie and miners from the goldfields, the men were considered among the strongest and toughest who went to war, they were well respected soldiers. Initially there were far more volunteers than were needed, such was the enthusiasm for the great adventure. During WW1 nine of the ten Victoria Cross recipients from WA trained at Blackboy Hill Camp.
Training
At the start of the war all WA recruits were trained at Blackboy Hill. Recruits underwent a preliminary medical at their enlistment centre, in Collie nearly all those who enlisted were checked by the local medical practitioner of the time, Dr W H Ryley. On their arrival at Blackboy Hill they were given a more detailed medical, those who failed to meet the stringent requirements were sent home. Basic training consisted of ten weeks of rifle drill, marching, firing of weapons, bomb throwing and general military tasks. Soldiers were then allocated to units before marching out for war. WA’s own 11th Battalion was the first raised in the state, they trained at Blackboy Hill. Further training was conducted in Egypt and later London before the soldiers were committed to the war. Australian soldiers were considered among the best trained in the war.
Reinforcements
Blackboy Hill was used as a training camp until the end of the war the high casualty rate on the battlefields of the Western Front meant that battalions were continually in need of reinforcements. Over the period of the war some battalions were reinforced up to 27 times, each reinforcement being over 100 men.
Social Aspects
By the end of August 1914 a Post Office had opened at the camp and permanent barracks had been built along with cook houses. Nearby residents in Bellevue and Greenmount conducted dances in local halls for the men. In October 1915 a YMCA social centre was built on the camp site by men from the nearby Midland Junction Railway Workshops. The centre was considered the largest of its type built in any military camp in the world with seating for 4000 men.
Cook House – A Collie Boy William (Willie) Harold Stephens
Willie Stephens was born in England in 1870. In April 1916 he enlisted for WW1 service at Blackboy Hill however a knee injury prevented him from completing the rigorous training regime. He served as a cook at Blackboy Hill training camp over the period April 1916 to January 1917 and was then declared permanently unfit for military service being diagnosed with chronic synovitis of the right knee. Medical Board Assessment: “Right knee joint slightly larger than left. Movement somewhat restricted. The condition is so much aggravated by movement that he is unable to carry out his military training”.
William Stephens married Catherine Ann O’Halloran in Kalgoorlie in 1902. They had nine children the oldest born in Kalgoorlie in 1902 and youngest born in Collie in 1922. The family moved to Perth prior to his enlistment. When discharged from military service the family moved to Collie, he first appeared on the electoral roll for Collie in 1919.
W H Stephens conducted a Hairdresser & Tobacconist business in Collie from 1919 to 1941. His family place of residence was in Wittenoom St. Two sons served during WW2; WX 2618 Sgt William James Stephens (died whilst POW of the Japanese) and WX20501 Bombardier Mathew Bernard Stephens. William Harold Stephens died in Perth on 24 January 1945 aged 75 years, he is buried in Karrakatta cemetery.
Letter written and signed by the ‘Collie Boys’ of the 11th Infantry Battalion AIF Blackboy Hill Training Camp 20 October 1914
WA’s own 11th Battalion was the first raised in the state, they trained at Blackboy Hill. Twenty ‘Collie Boys’ were among the first recruits, they wrote a letter of thanks to the people of Collie on the eve of the departure of the troops from Albany and Fremantle. The letter, published in Nov 1914 reads;
"Advance Collie Boys” “We, The Collie Boys, who are going away with the Expeditionary Forces from W.A. to help the motherland, desire on the eve of our departure to thank the people of Collie & Districts for their kindness to us. We also desire to especially thank Mr A. A. Wilson, M.L.A. (our Member) for his kindness & service to us whilst we were in camp. He’ll always do us.” Blackboy Camp Oct 20th 1914. Signed by the boys of the Collie Brigade
The Letter was signed by; F H Hodgson, W M Wood, L Blakemore, G W Gane, N R Nicholl, W W Paterson, J S Horrocks, A Box, J Connolly, J Miller, W E Webb, E Thompson, W Kenning, S McDermott, C Watson, A Wilson, G A Lamerton, J C Hunter, A Sampford, E A Trigwell.
Tragically six of those Collie Boys were killed in action and never returned to their home among the gum trees of Collie.
Post War
Following the war, from June to October 1919, the camp was used as a quarantine hospital during the Spanish Flu pandemic. Over 1500 patients were treated some staying up to six weeks. Many soldiers returning from the war contracted the flu prior to departure from Europe. In the 1930s during the great depression the camp was used to house unemployed men, and during the Second World War Blackboy Hill was again used as an Army camp.
The Cost
Over 32000 men from WA served during WW1 including 563 Collie Boys. Most underwent initial training at Blackboy Hill. Around 6200 were killed including 133 Collie Boys.
Remembered forever at the Collie Cardiff RSL Sub Branch
‘Lest we Forget’