#52Ancestors, Week 16, Storms

I love a good storm. Right now I am missing them a lot. Where I live currently, they don’t seem to get anything except blue sky and incessant sunshine.

My Mum talks about some storms she remembers when she was a child. So, I thought I’d see what I could find in newspapers about them.

There are several events which occurred in the short time they lived at Highbank, near Methven, Canterbury. They had moved there in early 1943. My grandfather had been working at Waitaki Power Station near Kurow during the final stages of construction and then for almost nine years after it was commissioned and opened.[1]

Their relocation was linked to his job, and the construction of the Highbank Power Station. Highbank sits by the side of the Rakaia River near Methven. The intake to the power station comes from a diversion to the Rangitata River, down the hill in the pipeline to the station and then the tailrace takes the water to the Rakaia.[2]

I found some notes of Mum’s that augment my memory of the stories she has told us, and I have also spent some time searching on PapersPast to see what I could find to establish the exact dates. Some of the events don’t appear to have been reported at all – or more likely haven’t yet been digitised. (How I wish the National Library of New Zealand would adopt the model for digitising used in Australia by Trove).

During the night of February 22^nd, 1945 floodwaters on the plain above Highbank breached the wall of the diversion channel and water poured down the hill to the station.[3] The overseer was awoken at 3am to the noise and rallied a team together who worked against time in the wind and rain to build a stopbank in an endeavour to save the power house and pipeline.[4] While the power house was saved, the slip still happened, racing down the hill; almost completely destroying the access road and burying 5 of the 7 houses in the village below. Remaining men and wives and mothers gathered their children and made for the relative safety of the power house. Afterward, women and children were sent away for a few days while the clean-up ensued. Mum went with her siblings and mother to stay with their grandmother in Christchurch. 

The station had been scheduled to open in March, but this was delayed so that the road could be repaired and the clean up completed.[5] All of the shingle needed to be dug out of the houses; drapes, furniture, carpet and belongings cleaned. Cars too, buried in the pile were dug out and stripped down, cleaned and reassembled.[6] Temporary housing was supplied as well, while a new village was constructed on the valley floor a little way from the power house.

Bert Fuller, Highbank slip damage to housing, c23 February 1945, digital image, personal collection.

Bert Fuller, Highbank slip damage construction village and river plain, c23 February 1945, digital image, personal collection.

In Mum’s notes a bailey bridge was installed at this time, which would make sense with the road gone.[7] This enabled the school bus to come down to the construction village to collect the children and take them to school in Methven. Before this, they needed to walk up a zig zag path to the top of the hill. However, the only newspaper account I have found mentioning the bridge, documents its removal in March 1945, having been put in place to give construction workers access following a washout before Christmas.[8] But perhaps it was a separate bridge to the one required after the slip and which features in photos belonging to my grandfather.

Bert Fuller, Highbank Bailey Bridge, cFebruary 1945, digital image, personal collection

Bert Fuller, Highbank Bailey Bridge, cFebruary 1945, digital image, personal collection.

The next storm, also involved a night time move to the powerhouse, so infers that it occurred before the village was relocated further down the valley. (Maybe not ? I may need to make some corrections in the future.) Families were awakened by the wind roaring through the valley, as they are apt to do in Canterbury.

“In a small construction cottage, wind tore through the gap under the door, rattled at the windows. Suddenly a tremendous roar; the roof peeled off and was hurled through the air. The windows blew in, shattering glass everywhere.”[9]

Removed to the relative safety of the powerhouse, the quiet was soon disrupted by the fury outside when another gust blew the huge roller door in like “a piece of paper”.[10] What a sight in the morning, toppled trees, roofless homes, curtains flapping in the breeze, torn.[11] I can’t find any account of this storm in online newspapers at all, or none that truly connect a gale to these events.

The other event much talked about was a big snowfall. I had always imagined this was the 1945 snowfall which is often compared with recent falls.[12]

unknown, Edith Fuller at Christchurch, cJuly 1945, digital image, personal collection.

But, I think from looking at photos and reading the old papers, that it was most likely in 1943.[13] That snowstorm was compared, at the time, to heavy falls in 1918.[14] Mum and her family were in Christchurch, visiting their grandmothers when the snow came.[15] Her father needed to get back to Highbank for work, but driving was not possible. He travelled by railway jigger to Methven and was met by a farmer who lived near the top of the access road. The road was not passable, so he walked/clambered down the hill alongside the pipeline (or where the pipeline was being constructed) to the power-house.[16]

 Bert Fuller, Methven Hotel, cJuly 1943, digital image, personal collection

 Bert Fuller, Highbank Power House from top of the pipeline, cJuly 1943, digital image, personal collection.

 Bert Fuller, Highbank construction village, c July 1943, digital image, personal collection.

Bert Fuller, Top of access road, cJuly 1943, digital image, personal collection.

unknown, workers at Highbank, 6 July 1943, digital image, personal collection.

The idea of travelling by jigger was met with some envy by Mum and her siblings; and with fascination by us hearing the story. But I bet it was freezing cold, and not actually that much fun at all – you’d keep warm though keeping it moving I suppose.

---

[1] NZ History, ‘Waitaki Dam’, https://nzhistory.govt.nz/media/photo/waitaki-dam, Accessed 29 April 2018.

[2] Unknown, Highbank Power Station, R.E. Owen, Government Printer, Wellington, New Zealand, 1965, pp.1-4.

[3] Damage at Highbank, Houses Buried In Shingle, Press, 24 February 1945, p.6.

[4] Saved Power-House, Evening Post, 3 March 1945, p.8.

[5] Saved Power-House, Evening Post, p.8.

[6] Elisabeth Davys, The Years from 0-10, circa 1974, original held in author’s possession.

[7] Elisabeth Davys, The Years from 0-10, circa 1974.

[8] General News, Bailey Bridge Dismantled, Press, 27 March 1945, p.4.

[9] Elisabeth Davys, Wind, circa 1974, original held in author’s possession.

[10] Elisabeth Davys, Wind, circa 1974.

[11] Elisabeth Davys, Wind, circa 1974.

[12] Christchurch Libraries, ‘Snow Days’, https://my.christchurchcitylibraries.com/snow-days/, Accessed 29 April 2018

[13] The Snowstorm, Press, 10 July 1943, p.3.

[14] The Snowstorm, Press, p.3.

[15] Elisabeth Davys, The Years from 0-10, circa 1974.

[16] Elisabeth Davys, The Years from 0-10, circa 1974.

We will remember them. Lest we Forget.

Since it is ANZAC Day, I thought I would share the essay I wrote for my recent Diploma Unit; Families at War. A very gruelling task, but I now think I will try to write similar essays about other soldiers in our tree. The majority of whom did not come home. The soldier I have written this biography about is my daughter's 1st cousin 3 times removed in her paternal grandmothers family. 

William (Bill) Henry Irvine Gibson SERN 5103 was a young man with a keen interest in the military.[1] He was a member of the Senior Cadets and the local Militia in Kiama.[2] With the support of his family, community and much of Australia he departed full of promise and enthusiasm.[3] If not for World War One, his affinity for the military may have led him to have had a long successful career as a soldier. It was not to be. He was killed Pozières.[4]

Bill was born in Jamberoo, New South Wales on 15^th August 1895.[5] He was the eldest son of William and Vergetta Gibson with four sisters and a much younger brother.[6] In addition to the Senior Cadets and Militia, he was a member of the church choir, the rifle club and the Loyal Orange Lodge N^o. 140 at Jamberoo. He also assisted with the women’s lodge N^o. 415 and was a member of the local Grand United Order of Oddfellows (GUOOF) lodge.[7]

Local newspapers reported and advertised recruitment and fundraising meetings in the Illawarra starting soon after war was declared.[8] Meetings were often held at mines where a large proportion of men on the South Coast were employed.[9] Jamberoo was a dairy farming settlement though and Bill was a labourer, possibly assisting his father on a local farm. Even without an avid interest in the military it would be difficult not to be swept up in the clamour to join in the “fun”, snowballing as it did; mate encouraging mate, brothers together on an adventure.[10]

Bill joined the Waratah March which left Nowra on 30^th November 1915 led by Captain Blow of Gerringong, when it passed through Jamberoo on the way to Sydney.[11] The 37^th Illawarra Infantry had marched to meet the Waratahs on the road from Gerringong and escorted them to Kiama.[12] Bill’s attestation papers are dated 2^nd December at Kiama, suggesting that he signed up while in Kiama that day and joined the march the following day.[13] Some reports identify him as the only recruit to join the march at Jamberoo, others suggest more but their details are vague.[14]

The march reached Jamberoo for lunch and entertainment; the ladies of the Red Cross provided water, towels and soap for the men to wash before they departed for Albion Park.[15] Waratah recruits wore civilian clothes, white hats and a waratah badge. They arrived in Sydney on 17^th December more than tripled in number and made their way to camp at Liverpool.[16]

Despite his rank with the Militia being Company Sergeant Major, Bill was a Private with the Waratahs, and again with both ‘E’ Company, 1^st Battalion and the 16^th Reinforcements, 1^st Battalion.[17] His record notes that he was Acting Corporal on 1^st March 1916 and he is listed as such on the embarkation and nominal rolls in April.[18] The local newspaper account of a farewell held on 22^nd January refers to him as Corporal Gibson, although this was earlier than his records indicate a promotion.[19]

Recruits would usually undertake three months basic training at Liverpool, followed by a short period of leave before departing Australia. However, the January farewell held in Jamberoo suggests that Bill may have returned home after arriving in Liverpool in December; returning in the new year for training.[20] A number of other farewells were held for him and other Waratahs in Kiama and Jamberoo where they were wished well and presented with gifts and mementos.[21] He left Sydney on 1^st April on HMAT SS Makarini bound for Suez. Arriving there on 2^nd May and a week later leaving from Alexandria on the HMT Caledonia for Marseilles.[22] After arriving there on 17^th May they then made their way by train to Étaples, in the north of France.[23]

Étaples was an old fishing town on the mouth of the River Canche. The Étaples Army Base Camp was adjacent to the town with ready access to railways, canals and roads as well as to the port. Étaples was also a supply depot with hospital facilities and a detention centre for prisoners of war.[24] For the new reinforcements it was a training camp where they would spend their first month. Most likely it would have also been an opportunity to write letters home and receive their first mail since leaving Sydney.

On 25^th June, Bill joined the newly formed 1^st ANZAC Entrenching Battalion leaving Étaples for Bailleul.[25] They spent the following two weeks setting up camp near Dranouter. On 11^th July, Bill was a member of the group of eight officers and 141 ordinary ranks despatched as reinforcements to join the 1^st Battalion.[26] The 1^st Brigade of which the 1^st Battalion was part, was on the move from near Fleurbaix or Armentières to Allonville, where they would arrive on 13^th July after travelling mostly on foot.[27]

After three days in Allonville the Brigade moved on to Albert and into position south of the village of Pozières.[28] Once in position they worked to strengthen and deepen the trenches in preparation for the attack which commenced shortly after midnight 23^rd July.[29] Bill was one of the 92 ordinary ranked soldiers of the 1^st Battalion killed between 23^rd-25^th July 1916.[30] His death came just nine weeks after arriving in France and four weeks before his 21^st birthday.[31]

News of his death reached Australia in August. Tributes and notices appeared in the newspapers.[32] In September a letter from Private Bedford appeared in the local newspaper. It gave a little information about the battle, “the bombardment was awful, too terrible to write about”, but mentions the fate of Bill and other Kiama boys.[33] Letters from other Kiama soldiers also appeared soon after, with similar reports.[34] A relative, Private S E Denniss, was one of his comrades who gave an account of his death to the Australian Red Cross.[35] Others spoke of how well liked he was. Bill was buried “in the vicinity of Pozières” and is memorialised at Villers-Bretonneux.[36]

In Australia at this time the conscription debate was gaining momentum. The Prime Minister attended a meeting rallying support in Wollongong and there was plenty of anti-conscription sentiment too. Women still knitted socks and raised money for the War Chest and Red Cross, although the constant news of casualties and death must surely have diminished the resolve for some of them.[37] When Armistice came in 1918 it was met with jubilation and celebration in Wollongong. While the community continued to welcome back their returning soldiers, it must have been bittersweet for Bill’s family to experience.[38]

There are no copies of correspondence in Bill’s file from his family. There are copies of official letters to his mother enquiring whether his father was still alive, as if a mother was a second-rate citizen; her loss dismissed.[39] None of his personal effects were returned through official channels. It is noted though, that the GUOOF wrote requesting a copy of a death certificate and that his mother was in receipt of his pension. Given that the medals have numbers allocated they must have been issued and any related correspondence simply did not survive.[40]

An Honour Board was installed inside the church at Jamberoo and his mother donated brass vases to the church which were dedicated to his memory, to be filled with flowers by his sisters each week.[41] Bill’s contribution to the war, and the loss of his life, was acknowledged in newspaper notices in 1916 at, ANZAC Day 1917 and on the anniversary of his death in 1917.[42]

“A year has passed and still we miss him,

Friends may think the wound is healed,

But they little know the anguish,

That is within our hearts concealed.

There's a certain consolation,

Which cannot be denied,

He was a true born Australian son,

And earned his country's pride.

He died as he wished - a Soldier.”[43]

---

[1] ‘Pvte. W. Gibson', Kiama Independent, and Shoalhaven Advertiser, 23 August 1916, p.2.

[2] Service Record of William Henry Irvine Gibson, p.1., B2455, National Archives of Australia.

[3] 'Farewell to Captain Gibson', Kiama Independent, and Shoalhaven Advertiser, 26 January 1916, p.2.; ‘Farewell to Waratahs', The Kiama Independent, and Shoalhaven Advertiser, 22 March 1916, p.2.

[4] Service Record of William Henry Irvine Gibson, p.9., B2455, National Archives of Australia.

[5] Service Record of William Henry Irvine Gibson, p.1.

[6] Death Certificate of William Gibson, died 17 June 1949, Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages New South Wales, 12155/1949.

[7] ‘New South Wales Lodge News. No 140, Pacific, Jamberoo. A Tribute to a Hero.', Watchman, 7 September 1916, p.6.; ‘Memorial Service. ANZAC Day, Jamberoo', Kiama Independent, and Shoalhaven Advertiser, 2 May 1917, p.3.

[8] ‘Patriotic Wollongong’, South Coast Times and Wollongong Argus, 9 July 1915, p.9.; ‘Patriotic Wollongong’, South Coast Times and Wollongong Argus, 20 August 1915, p.9.; ‘The Appeal For Recruits. Meeting in Martin-Place. Don't Cheer-Enlist. State Campaign', Sydney Morning Herald, 28 October 1915, p.8.; ‘The Route March’, Illawarra Mercury, 29 October 1915, p.4.; ‘Recruiting Association’, Kiama Independent, and Shoalhaven Advertiser, 4 April 1916, p.2.; ‘Recruiting’, Illawarra Mercury, 16 February 1917, p.7.

[9] ‘Corrimal. Recruiting.’, Illawarra Mercury, 10 December 1915, p.2.

[10] ‘Coming of the Coo-ees’, The Sun, 12 November 1915, p.6.; ‘Patriotic Wollongong’, South Coast Times and Wollongong Argus, p.9.; Bill Gammage, The Broken Years: Australian Soldiers in the Great War, Canberra, Australian National University Press, 1974, p.7.

[11] ‘Route Marches. Fifty Strong. Waratahs Coming to Sydney', Sydney Morning Herald, 1 December 1925, p.13.

[12] ‘Route Marches. The Waratahs. On the Way to Sydney. A Festive Time', Sydney Morning Herald, 3 December 1915, p.7.

[13] Service Record of William Henry Irvine Gibson, p.1.

[14] ‘Route Marches. Recruits on the Road. North-West Contingent Sets Forth', Farmer and Settler, 10 December 1915, p.3.; ‘The Waratahs. Gratifying Results at Kiama', Sydney Morning Herald, 4 December 1915, p.17.; ‘The Waratah's. Now 75 Strong', Shoalhaven News and South Coast Districts Advertiser, 4 December 1915, p.2.

[15] ‘Waratahs' Route March', Shoalhaven News and South Coast Districts Advertiser, 27 November 1915, p2.; ‘The Waratahs. Gratifying Results at Kiama', Sydney Morning Herald, p.17.; ‘Jamberoo Jottings', Kiama Independent, and Shoalhaven Advertiser, 8 December 1915, p.3.

[16] Historic Helensburgh, 'Files, The Waratah March 1915', www.historichelensburgh.org.au, Accessed 5 March 2018.; ‘Waratahs. Arrive in Sydney Today', Sydney Morning Herald, 17 December 1915, p.9.; Kiama Library, 'South Coast Waratahs', www.library.kiama.nsw.gov.au/index.php/south-coast-waratahs, Accessed 6 March 2018.

[17] Service Record of William Henry Irvine Gibson, p.1.; Service Record of William Henry Irvine Gibson, p.4., B2455, National Archives of Australia.

[18] Service Record of William Henry Irvine Gibson, p.8., B2455, National Archives of Australia.; Australian Imperial Force Nominal Rolls, 1 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 23 Reinforcements (December 1915 - November 1916), AWM8 23/18/4, p.116. (original page), Australian War Memorial.

[19] 'Farewell to Captain Gibson', Kiama Independent, and Shoalhaven Advertiser, p.2.; ‘N.S Wales Lodge News, No.140, Pacific, Jamberoo, Send-off to Corporal Gibson’, Watchman, 27 January 1916, p.8.

[20] 'Farewell to Captain Gibson', Kiama Independent, and Shoalhaven Advertiser, p.2.; Service Record of William Henry Irvine Gibson, p.3., B2455, National Archives of Australia.

[21] ‘Local & General News’, Kiama Independent, and Shoalhaven Advertiser, 15 March 1916, p.2.; ‘Recruiting Association’, Kiama Independent, and Shoalhaven Advertiser, 16 February 1916, p.2.;’Send-off to Recruits’. Kiama Independent, and Shoalhaven Advertiser, 19 February 1916, p.2.

[22] Service Record of William Henry Irvine Gibson, p.9.; ‘Waratahs in France. Silly Rumors Denied.' The Shoalhaven Telegraph, 9 August 1916, p.5.

[23] Service Record of William Henry Irvine Gibson, p.9.

[24] Through These Lines, 'Research, Etaples', http://throughtheselines.com.au/research/etaples, Accessed 5 March 2018.

[25] Service Record of William Henry Irvine Gibson, p.9.; Australian Imperial Force Unit War Diaries, 1st Anzac Entrenching Battalion Unit Diary, AWM4 23/78/1, June-July 1916, p.1, Australian War Memorial.

[26] Service Record of William Henry Irvine Gibson, p.9.; Australian Imperial Force Unit War Diaries, 1st Anzac Entrenching Battalion Unit Diary, AWM4 23/78/1, June-July 1916, p.2, Australian War Memorial.; Australian Imperial Force Unit War Diaries, 1st Infantry Brigade Unit Diary, AWM4 23/1/9, July 1916, p.5, Australian War Memorial.

[27] 1/19 RNSWR Association Inc, 'First World War History', www.rnswr.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/THE-FIRST-WORLD-WAR.pdf, Accessed 6 March 2018.; Australian Imperial Force Unit War Diaries, 1st Infantry Brigade Unit Diary, AWM4 23/1/9, July 1916, pp.1-6., Australian War Memorial.

[28] Australian Imperial Force Unit War Diaries, 1st Infantry Brigade Unit Diary, AWM4 23/1/9, July 1916, pp.8-11., Australian War Memorial.

[29] Australian Imperial Force Unit War Diaries, 1st Infantry Brigade Unit Diary, AWM4 23/1/9, July 1916, pp.12-15., Australian War Memorial.; Australian Imperial Force Unit War Diaries, 1st Infantry Brigade Unit Diary, AWM4 23/1/9, July 1916, pp.140-148., Australian War Memorial.

[30] Service Record of William Henry Irvine Gibson, p.9.; Australian Imperial Force Unit War Diaries, 1st Infantry Brigade Unit Diary, AWM4 23/1/9, July 1916, p.15., Australian War Memorial.

[31] ‘War Casualties’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 25 August 1916, p.8.

[32] ‘Pvte. W. Gibson', Kiama Independent, and Shoalhaven Advertiser, p.2.; ‘New South Wales Lodge News. No 140, Pacific, Jamberoo. A Tribute to a Hero.', Watchman, p.6.; ‘Roll of Honour', South Coast Times and Wollongong Argus, 22 September 1916, p.13., ‘Jamberoo Council, Vote of Sympathy’, Kiama Independent, and Shoalhaven Advertiser, 23 August 1916, p.2.

[33] ‘Soldiers Letters. Pte W Bedford.', Kiama Independent, and Shoalhaven Advertiser, 23 September 1916, p.2.

[34] ‘Soldiers Letters', Kiama Independent, and Shoalhaven Advertiser, 27 September 1916, p.2.

[35] Australian Red Cross Wounded and Missing Files, William Henry Gibson, pp.2, 5. Australian War Memorial.

[36] Service Record of William Henry Irvine Gibson, p.9.; Service Record of William Henry Irvine Gibson, p 12., B2455, National Archives of Australia.

[37] ‘Local & General News’, Kiama Independent, and Shoalhaven Advertiser, 24 June 1916, p.2.; ‘Liberty. Those Against Conscription. Rowdy Miners Meeting', Sunday Times, 13 August 1916, p.2.; ‘Municipality of Wollongong. National Service Referendum', Illawarra Mercury, 6 October 1916, p.7.; ‘South Coast Organisation', Australian Worker, 6 December 1917, p.4.; ‘Recruiting’, Illawarra Mercury, p.7.; ‘Jamberoo Red Cross’, Kiama Independent, and Shoalhaven Advertiser, 27 July 1918, p.2.; Joan Beaumont, ‘Australians and the Great War; Battles, the Home Front, and Memory’, Teaching History, Vol. 49, Issue 1, March 2015, pp.22-25.

[38] ‘Peace Rejoicings at the Port ', Illawarra Mercury, 15 November 1918, p.2.; ‘The Good News. The Signing of the Armistice. How It Was Received In Wollongong', Illawarra Mercury, 15 November 1918, p.4.; ‘Peace Celebrations’, Illawarra Mercury, 11 April 1919, p.6.; ‘Jamberoo Welcome’, Kiama Independent, and Shoalhaven Advertiser, 12 January 1918, p.2.; ‘Jamberoo’, Kiama Independent, and Shoalhaven Advertiser, 21 August 1918, p.2.

[39] Service Record of William Henry Irvine Gibson, p.20., B2455, National Archives of Australia.

[40] Service Record of William Henry Irvine Gibson, pp.21-27., B2455, National Archives of Australia.

[41] ‘At Jamberoo', Kiama Independent, and Shoalhaven Advertiser, 18 April 1917, p.2.; ‘Memorial Service. ANZAC Day, Jamberoo', Kiama Independent, and Shoalhaven Advertiser, p.3.

[42] ‘Pvte. W. Gibson', Kiama Independent, and Shoalhaven Advertiser, p.2.; ‘Roll of Honour', South Coast Times and Wollongong Argus, 20 July 1917, p.13.; ‘Memorial Service. ANZAC Day, Jamberoo', Kiama Independent, and Shoalhaven Advertiser, p.3.; ‘ANZAC Day', Kiama Independent, and Shoalhaven Advertiser, 28 April 1917, p.2.; ‘In Memoriam', Kiama Independent, and Shoalhaven Advertiser, 28 July 1917, p.2.; ‘Roll of Honour', South Coast Times and Wollongong Argus, p.13.

[43] ‘In Memoriam', Kiama Independent, and Shoalhaven Advertiser, p.2.