The story of an old bugle: Jack Waterhouse

Private Ernest John Waterhouse No 3505
11th Infantry Battalion
Australian Imperial Force

Jack age 16 in Egypt

Ernest, "Jack" was 15 years and 11 months when he enlisted on the 8th Sep 1915.

He was the son of Ernest and Mary Ann Waterhouse of Irvine St, Cottesloe, Western Australia. His brothers Fred and Francis had enlisted earlier in the year.

Until he was 19 years old Jack would not be able to serve and fight overseas in the army.

He entered France via Boulogne on the 19th Jun 1918 and remained in the coastal areas until the 14th Aug 1918 when he joined the 11th Bn at the front as a bugler. He remained with the Bn until the 28th Oct 1918 when he contracted influenza.

On the 18th Sept 1918 the Bn advanced towards the Hindenberg Line and fought an action to capture the village of Villeret. In the action they suffered 4 Officers and 16 other ranks killed. They were relieved on the 24th Sept by American troops and withdrew to billets at Tincourt. One of their first duties was the burial of the dead, this was carried out at Tincourt cemetery with the playing of the ‘Last Post'by the Battalion's buglers.

Jack's Bugle at the graves at Tincourt where he played the Last Post

Jack with his Bugle and his 2 brothers, Frank left & Fred right.

Postcard carried into battle by Jack

Text: My Darling Jack with Love and best wishes for a happy birthday and many more happy birthdays.
From Dad & Mother

Jack has written

In the Field 18 Sep 1918
My Darling Mother
Life is worth nothing now so if I go under you know I have done my duty. Do not grieve as we will meet in the new world. Love to all Jack
PS Will the finder please see that my Mother gets this

Bob Waterhouse with his father Jack's bugle and the buglers of the Last Post Association.

The bugle being used to play Reveille solo at the Last Post Ceremony - The Menin Gate - 8th August 2010

Jack's bugle returned to the western front after 92 years when his son Bob travelled to Tincourt and then the Menin Gate.

On the 8th August the Last Post Association for the Menin Gate kindly arranged for one of the buglers to use Jack's bugle during the evening ceremony. It was used ‘solo' to play the reveille to close the ceremony.

Bob told us: "My grandfather Ernest Frederick Waterhouse (Capt' Ret' South Australian Rifles 1893) gave the Bugle and the Military Music Book for Bugle and Trumpet Calls for Parades and Active Service, printed for the Army in 1912 , to my Father Jack. This was for his 16th birthday on Sept 18 1915, being 10 days after his Attestation into the 11th Battallion AIF, with his parents permission."

Ypres Memorial Tattoo - September, 26th, 2010

Organization: The Last Post Association in collaboration with the Ypres Surrey Pipes & Drums.

For more information http://www.ypresmemorialtattoo.be

Cultural Trophy for Antoon Verschoot

Each year, the Ypres Cultural Counsel awards a Cultural Trophy to a deserving person or organization in Ypres. The Culture 2009 Trophy is awarded to Antoon Verschoot, which was proposed by the New Ypres Revue Theatre. At the ceremony of the Cultural Trophy on January 25, 2010, the winner will be honoured by all members of the arts council. The trophy is a ceramic sculpture by Stijn Yperman, teacher at the Academy of Fine Arts in Ypres.

Antoon Verschoot ("Toontje") was born in Ypres in 1925. He learned the tailor craftsmanship with Albert Vermeersch and exercised the independent profession of tailor until 1965. From 1965 until his retirement he worked as a clerk at NCMV. Together with his wife Suzanne Lefever he has three children and in the meanwhile six grandchildren.

In 1950 he became fireman, and in 1954 he joined the buglers of the Last Post. This year he celebrates the incredible number of 55 years of service as a bugler! At the age of 84, he still stands full of great enthusiasm at the Menin Gate. For this he received already several decorations. In 2008 the Last Post Association received the Culture Award for the Flemish Community Volunteer.

29/10/2004: Antoon Verschoot, 50 years bugler of the Last Post Association, receives a decoration from the Ambassador of the United Kingdom.

Antoon Verschoot deserves the 2009 Cultural Trophy not only for his lifetime commitment as a volunteer bugler, but also as a 20 years loyal member of the Sint-Niklaas Male Choir, the founder of the Art Circle Hemian in 1994, and in 2006 he founded Anton Kunstkring, where he brings together like-minded people around painting. In short, a man of exceptional merit, liked by many and loving to be among the people, a man more than worthy to receive the Cultural Trophy!

25/01/2010: Antoon Verschoot received the Cultural Trophy.

Trooper Mark Gregor Donaldson VC attends Last Post

AUSTRALIAN ARMY
AWARDED THE VICTORIA CROSS FOR AUSTRALIA
TROOPER MARK GREGOR DONALDSON

For most conspicuous acts of gallantry in action in a circumstance of great peril in Afghanistan as part of the Special Operations Task Group during Operation SLIPPER, Oruzgan Province, Afghanistan.

Trooper Mark Gregor Donaldson enlisted into the Australian Army on 18 June 2002. After completing Recruit and Initial and Employment Training he was posted to the 1st Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment. Having successfully completed the Special Air Service Selection Course in April 2004, Trooper Donaldson was posted to Special Air Service Regiment in May 2004.

On 2 September 2008, during the conduct of a fighting patrol, Trooper Donaldson was travelling in a combined Afghan, US and Australian vehicle convoy that was engaged by a numerically superior, entrenched and coordinated enemy ambush. The ambush was initiated by a high volume of sustained machine gun fire coupled with the effective use of rocket propelled grenades. Such was the effect of the initiation that the combined patrol suffered numerous casualties, completely lost the initiative and became immediately suppressed. It was over two hours before the convoy was able to establish a clean break and move to an area free of enemy fire.

Trooper Donaldson at the Menin Gate on 18/11/2009

In the early stages of the a bush, Trooper Donaldson reacted spontaneously to regain the initiative. He moved rapidly between alternate positions of cover engaging the enemy with 66mm and 84mm anti-armour weapons as well as his M4 rifle. During an early stage of the enemy ambush, he deliberately exposed himself to enemy fire in order to draw attention to himself and thus away from wounded soldiers. This selfless act alone bought enough time for those wounded to be moved to relative safety.

As the enemy had employed the tactic of a rolling ambush, the patrol was forced to conduct numerous vehicle manoeuvres, under intense enemy fire, over a distance of approximately four kilometres to extract the convoy from the engagement area. Compounding the extraction was the fact that casualties had consumed all available space within the vehicles. Those who had not been wounded, including Trooper Donaldson, were left with no option but to run beside the vehicles throughout. During the conduct of this vehicle manoeuvre to extract the convoy from the engagement area, a severely wounded coalition force interpreter was inadvertently left behind. Of his own volition and displaying complete disregard for his own safety, Trooper Donaldson moved alone, on foot, across approximately 80 metres of exposed ground to recover the wounded interpreter. His movement, once identified by the enemy, drew intense and accurate machine gun fire from entrenched positions. Upon reaching the wounded coalition force interpreter, Trooper Donaldson picked him up and carried him back to the relative safety of the vehicles then provided immediate first aid before returning to the fight.

On subsequent occasions during the battle, Trooper Donaldson administered medical care to other wounded soldiers, whilst continually engaging the enemy.

Trooper Donaldson's acts of exceptional gallantry in the face of accurate and sustained enemy fire ultimately saved the life of a coalition force interpreter and ensured the safety of the other members of the combined Afghan, US and Australian force. Trooper Donaldson's actions on this day displayed exceptional courage in circumstances of great peril. His actions are of the highest accord and are in keeping with the finest traditions of the Special Operations Command, the Australian Army and the Australian Defence Force.

Personal biography of Trooper Mark Gregor Strang Donaldson, VC

Mark Donaldson was born in Waratah, Newcastle, NSW on 2 April 1979. He spent his formative years in northern NSW where he graduated from high school in 1996.

Trooper Donaldson enlisted into the Australian Army on 18 June 2002 and entered recruit training at the Army Recruit Training Centre, Kapooka, NSW. He demonstrated an early aptitude for soldiering and was awarded the prizes for best shot and best at physical training in his platoon. Subsequently he was allocated to the Royal Australian Infantry Corps and posted to the school of infantry at Singleton, NSW, where he excelled in his initial employment training. At the completion of this training he was again awarded best shot and best at physical training, as well as the award for the most outstanding soldier in his platoon.

He was posted to 1st battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, Townsville, QLD in November 2002. It was during this time that Trooper Donaldson decided to pursue his ambition to join the Special Air Service Regiment.

In February 2004, he successfully completed the Special Air Service Regiment selection course and was posted to the regiment in May 2004. He was then posted to I Troop, 3 Special Air Service Squadron. Since that time he has been deployed on operations to East Timor, Afghanistan and Iraq.

On 12 August 2008, Trooper Donaldson was wounded in action whilst conducting nightime operations in Oruzgan Province, Afghanistan. He recovered from his minor wounds and continued on the deployment.

Trooper Donaldson was involved in an incident on 2 September 2008 in Oruzgan Province, Afghanistan that resulted in him being awarded the Victoria Cross for Australia. He was invested by her Excellency the Governor-General of Australia at Government House, Canberra on 16 January 2009. Trooper Donaldson remains posted to the Special Air Service Regiment in Perth, WA.

Trooper Donaldson is married to Emma and has a daughter Kaylee. His parents are deceased.

Significance

The Victoria Cross is the pre-eminent award for acts of bravery in wartime and is Australia's highest military honour.

It is awarded to persons who, in the presence of the enemy, display the most conspicuous gallantry; a daring or pre-eminent act of valour or self-sacrifice; or extreme devotion to duty.

History

The Victoria Cross was created by Queen Victoria in 1856 and made retrospective to 1854 to cover the period of the Crimea War. Until the Victoria Cross for Australia was created in 1991, Australians were eligible for the Victoria Cross and other awards under the Imperial system of honours. The Imperial Victoria Cross has been awarded to ninety six Australians. Ninety one received the Victoria Cross while others serving with Australian forces and five Australians received the award while serving with South African and British units.

Australians were first recognised for their gallantry in the Boer War and more recently during the Vietnam War.

Australians have been awarded the Victoria Cross in the following conflicts:

• 6 in the Boer War 1899-1902 
• 64 in World War I 1914-1918 
• 2 in North Russia 1919 
• 20 in World War II 1939-1945 
• 4 in Vietnam 1962-1972

Nine of the crosses awarded in World War I were for Australians at Gallipoli.

Victoria Cross for Australia

The Victoria Cross for Australia was instituted in the Australian honours system by Letters Patent on 15 January 1991. It replaced the British or Imperial Victoria Cross. Trooper Donaldson has been awarded the first Victoria Cross for Australia.

Past recipients

Ninety six Australians have been awarded the Imperial Victoria Cross. No recipients had been awarded the Victoria Cross for Australia.

The first Australian to be awarded a Victoria Cross was Captain Sir Neville Howse VC KCMG CB KStJ during the Boer War (1900). He also served in World War I and later as Commonwealth Minister for Health, Defence and Repatriation.

The most recent recipient of the Victoria Cross was Warrant Officer Keith Payne VC OAM for gallantry during the Vietnam War (24 May 1969). Under heavy enemy fire Payne instigated a daring rescue of more than forty men, many of them wounded, and led the party back to the battalion base.

How it is awarded

The Governor-General awards the Victoria Cross, with the approval of the Sovereign, on the recommendation of the Minister for Defence. The Victoria Cross may be awarded posthumously. The post-nominal entitlement for the Victoria Cross is VC. A subsequent award of the Victoria Cross to the same person is made as a bar to the Cross. They are also entitled to the post-nominal VC and Bar.

Medal design

The Victoria Cross is designed in the form of the Maltese Cross: in the centre of the medal is a lion guardant standing upon the Royal Crown. The words "For valour" are inscribed below.

The Victoria Cross is suspended from a bar by a crimson ribbon. On the reverse of the cross the date of the act of bravery is inscribed, along with the name, rank, and unit of the recipient.

Information provided by

Susan Bouffler
Defence Business Manager
Australian Embassy
Rue Guimardstraat 6
1040 Brussels