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16th Battalion Australian Imperial Force
23rd Sep 1915 Letter
12th August 1915 Reliefs 50th Battalion AIF moved into the front line at Wire Trench near La Boisselle on the Somme. They were quickly ordered forward to relieve the 16th Battalion. Upon reaching Tom's Cut, the movement was spotted by enemy observers and a heavy barrage rained down. They met the men of the 16th in Park Lane with both battalions, crowding into the trench as the exchange took place. The heavy barrage continued until 7.30pm when it eased somewhat. The 50th suffered heavy losses, especially amongst officers and NCOs.
11th Jun 1917 First Objective Taken
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| Want to know more about 16th Battalion Australian Imperial Force? There are:2 items tagged 16th Battalion Australian Imperial Force available in our Library
These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Great War.
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Those known to have served with16th Battalion Australian Imperial Force during the Great War 1914-1918. - Anderson David Johannes Gottfried. Pte.
- Andrews Ernest Lancelot. Capt. (d.25th Aug 1918)
- Bell Edgar William. Pte. (d.2nd May 1915)
- Cosson MID DCM. John George. 2nd Lt. (d.7th Aug 1916)
- Crellin William. Pte (d.7th May 1917)
- Crofts Harold Robert. Pte.
- DeLany Leslie Stephens. Pte
- Eley Charles Henry. Sjt.
- Mann Leslie Rupert. Pte.
- McCallum Angus Duncan. Pte.
- O'Meara VC Martin. Pte.
- Way Marshall Western Moore. L/Cpl. (d.31st Aug 1916)
All names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed,
please Add a Name to this List
Records of 16th Battalion Australian Imperial Force from other sources.
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Pte. Leslie Rupert Mann 16th Battalion Leslie Mann served with 16th Reinforcements 16th Battalion.
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Pte William Crellin 16th Battalion (d.7th May 1917) William Crellin served with 16th Btn
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Sjt. Charles Henry Eley 16th Battalion Charles Eley served with 16th Battalion, 24th Reinforcements.
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Pte. Harold Robert Crofts 16th Battalion Harold Crofts served with 16th Battalion, 17th Reinforcements and also with 44th Battalion.
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Capt. Ernest Lancelot Andrews 1st Btn. Royal Marine Light Infantry (d.25th Aug 1918) Ernest Andrews served with B Coy, 16th Battalion, Austrialian Imperial Force as a Sergeant before he was commissioned into the Royal Marine Light Infantry.
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Pte. David Johannes Gottfried Anderson 4th Machine Gun Coy. My grandfather, David Anderson, was born on the 2nd of July 1889 in Ronne, Bornholme in Denmark. He was naturalized as an Australian on 28th January 1915 at Hobart and joined the 4th Machine Gun Corps late 8/16th Battalion. On 26th of August 1915 he boarded the ship RMS Morea and departed from Adelaide.
He served in the war as a machine gunner and was injured several times on different occasions. He was retired as medically unfit due to gun-shot wounds to his right leg whilst on active duty. He served for three years and 2 days (138 days). He signed off at Keswick Barracks in South Australia on 22nd of April 1918 at the age of 25 years from 4th Machine Gun Company. He received the 1914 -1915 Star, The British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
He passed away in 1957 at the age of 67.
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Pte. Angus Duncan "Dunc" McCallum 16th Battalion  Great Uncle Dunc (as he was known) was born on 10 September 1880. Before the Great War, Dunc McCallum worked as a soap maker, clerk and labourer. He tried to enlist on 27 July 1915 but was rejected because of weakness of the heart and cardiac murmur.
He re-applied in March 1916 and was enlisted on 21 August that year at the age of 35. After basic training at Blackboy Hill, he was assigned to the 20th Reinforcements of 16 Btn and the unit finally departed Fremantle on the HMAT Suffolk on 13th of October 1916.
After a short training period in the UK the unit crossed to France on the Princess Clementina on 28th of December 1916 where they undertook more rigorous training.
Finally Dunc was taken on strength in the field on 11th of February 1917 at Bazentin. The 16th Battalion were in the thick of things at the Battle of Bullecourt (the black day of the AIF) on 11th of April 1917. There were significant casualties killed and wounded with 300 captured. Total 16 Btn losses on that day alone were 17 officers (from a total of 20) and, 623 other ranks (from a total of 797). Dunc was one of those casualties, having been wounded by shrapnel in his left knee.
He was interned firstly in Dulmen POW camp until August and then transferred to Hembahn, Munster II Camp where POWs were assigned to work on farms and forests and often enjoyed a superior diet to the civilian population.
After the Armistice, Dunc was allowed generous leave in the UK until he was repatriated to Australia on 5th March 1919 and arrived in Albany on the SS Nevasa on 13 April. He spent 6 days in the sick bay suffering from myalgia on the journey home and was discharged as medically unfit on 3rd June 1919.
He married Whilemina Denyer later that year, joined the WAGR (keeping it in the family) and was on the staff at Swanbourne Station as a railway porter for 16 years. He was described as a man of remarkable personal charm with a kindliness of character which won him close friendships.
Dunc passed away peacefully after a long illness in 1950. He was buried at Fremantle Cemetery in a non-military grave. The Office of the Australian War Graves Commission recently have commissioned an official plaque in the Garden of Remberance plus a small plaque to be placed on Dunc's existing grave.
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Pte. Edgar William Bell 16th Btn. (d.2nd May 1915) Edgar Bell died on the 2nd of May 1915 and is commemorated on the Lone Pine Memorial in the Lone Pine Cemetery, Gallipoli, Turkey.
He was the husband of Adelaide Winifred Macrone.
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L/Cpl. Marshall Western Moore Way 16th Infantry Battalion (d.31st Aug 1916) Lance Corporal Marshall Western Moore Way was born to parents James Moore Way and Lauren Way in Willunga, South Australia in 1896. Prior to his enlistment, Way was a surveyor and had been active in the Cadets, becoming a senior cadet in the 74th Infantry in Unley, South Australia.
He enlisted at Keswick Barracks, Adelaide on 29 April 1915 and was drafted into the 9th Reinforcements for the 16th Infantry Battalion. On 21 September 1915, Way embarked from Adelaide aboard HMAT Star of England, and arrived in Egypt during November. He was immediately sent to the fighting at Gallipoli, though his first action was short, with the campaign ending a little under a month later.
In June 1916, Way joined the forces fighting in France and participated in the battle of Mouquet Farm. This was to be his last action, as Way was reported missing on 31 August 1916, and his death confirmed not long after.
Marshall Way is commemorated on the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, France.
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2nd Lt. John George Cosson MID DCM. 16th Infantry Batn. (d.7th Aug 1916) John George Cosson was born at Barnes, England during 1866 to parents John and Eliza. He immigrated to Australia at the age of eight and married Elizabeth Mackenzie in 1900. A tobacconist by trade, he enlisted at Perth on 12th May 1915. At the age of 49, he joined the 16th Infantry Battalion with the rank of private and departed Fremantle aboard HMAT Chilka on 18th June 1915. Two nephews, Private Frederick Arthur Kinsey and Private Harry Cosson, also served during the First World War.
Cosson was wounded at the battle of Lone Pine on 7th August 1915 and re-joined his unit during October 1915. Cosson was still at Gallipoli for the evacuation and was amongst the last 22 men to leave. On 1st January 1916, he was promoted to the rank of corporal and four months later transferred to the 48th Infantry Battalion. It was also at this time that he became a second lieutenant. During 1916, Cosson also received a mention in despatches and was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal.
John Cosson was 50 years old when he was killed in action at the battle of Pozieres on 7th August 1916. He is commemorated on the Villers-Brettoneux Australian National Memorial in France.
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