The Plugstreet Archaeological Project The 33rd Infantry Battalion.

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The 33rd Battalion, 9th Brigade, 3rd Australian Division, was raised in January 1916 at the Armidale showground, New South Wales. Known as "New England's Own" as many of the recruits were drawn from the New England region. The Battalion's commanding officer was Lieutenant Colonel Leslie Morshead. The 33rd Battalion left Sydney, aboard the Marathon in May 1916. Arriving in The United Kingdom in early July. After four months training, the 33rd battalion crossed to France and experienced the trenches of the Western Front for the first time on 27th November 1916. The first major battle was the battle of Messines, launched on 7 June 1917, the Battalion were part of the first wave attacking the German front line near St Yvon. The battalion later saw action at Passchendaele on 12 October. In the Spring of 1918 the German Army launched its last great offensive and the 33rd Battalion was deployed in a force to defend the approaches to Amiens around Villers-Bretonneux. The saw action during the counter-attack at Hangard Wood on 30 March, and at Villers-Bretonneux on 4 April. The 33rd fought at the battle of Amiens on 8 August 1918, and took part in the rapid advance that followed including the operation that breached the Hindenburg Line at the end of September. The 33rd Battalion lost 451 men, with a further 2052 being wounded. The 33rd Battalion disbanded in May 1919.

Those who served with The 33rd Btn at the Battle of Messines. Abbott Francis Arthur Pte. d.31st Aug 1918 Abbott William Charles Pte. Abolan R. J. C. Pte. Adams   George L/Cpl. Adams George Charles Thomas Pte. Adamson C. S. D. 2nd Lt. Addison   Thomas Edward L/Cpl. Addleson John Henry Pte. Aguis Bert Pte. Ahern   John Pte. Albertson Frank William Pte. Allison Godfrey Hugh Wallis Pte. d.9th Jun 1917 Allison   Godfry Hugh Wallis Pte. d.9th Jun 1917 Allsop Ivan William Pte. d.8th Jun 1917 Allsop Norman John Pte. Anderson   Albert Alexander Pte. Arandale Victor Maurice Pte. Archer Albert John C.Q.M.S. d.4th Apr 1918 Archibald Hixon Cpl. Archibald Lambert Pearce Pte. Armstrong   Thomas Acheson Lt. d.12th Oct 1917 Armstrong William Alexander Pte. Arnesen   John Arent Pte. Austin Edward Phillip Cpl. d.13th July 1917 Ayling Frederick Clarence Sgt. Baber Ernest Edmund Pte. Bacon   William Henry d.7th Jun 1917 Bartley   Reginald Pte. d.7th Jun 1917 Bath W. J. Pte. d.7th Jun 1917 Boodle Donald Edward Pte. d.7th Jul 1917 Bourne Richard Thomas Pte. d.7th Jun 1917 Bowden   Robert William Pte. d.7th Jun 1917 Bucknall   James William Pte. Bucknell   Wilfred John Pte. d.7th Jun 1917 Butler W. Pte. d.7th Jun 1917 Byrne  MM. Arthur Pte. Cameron   James Hubert Pte. Cant   Percy Clarence Pte. d.7th Jun 1917 Cawkwell George Albert Lance Sgt. d.7th Jun 1917 Chaffey Clifford William Pte. d.7th Jun 1917 Chapman   John Ernest Pte. d.7th Jun 1917 Church   Leslie Ernest Pte. d.7th Jun 1917 Coles   Ernest John Pte. d.7th Jun 1917 Cooper   Francis William Pte. d.11th July 1917 Day   Dennis Bernard Pte. d.7th Jun 1917 Denny   George Pte. d.8th Jun 1917 Easton Thomas James Pte. d.9th Jun 1917 Flick P. Sgt. d.23rd July 1917 Fowler  MM. Christopher Edward L/Cpl. Froy Francis Bede Pte. d.7th Jun 1917 Galvin   William John Pte. Gardner Alfred George Pte. d.7th Jun 1917 Griffiths   Aubrey Edward "Grif" Pte. d.1st Sep 1918 Halliday H. C. Pte. d.7th Jun 1917 Halls   Joseph Edwin Pte. Harris   Charles Archibald Pte. d.7th Jul 1917 Hassall John Henry Cpl. d.7th Jun 1917 Hobbs J. E. Pte. d.8th Jun 1917 Holloway   Abraham Norman Pte. d.7th Jul 1917 Holloway   Thomas William Pte. d.7th Jun 1917 Hoswell William Young Pte. d.7th Jun 1917 Hutton D. W. Pte. d.8th Jun 1917 Hyde   Thomas Evan Pte. d.7th Jun 1917 Irwin  DCM. William Allan Pte. d.1st Sep 1918 Jones   Arthur Pte. Judge   Edward Hector Dvr. d.27th Nov 1918 Kable G. P. Pte. d.7th Jun 1917 Lambert   John William Pte. d.7th Jun 1917 Lennard   James Archibald Pte. d.7th Jun 1917 Lennon   Joseph Cyril Cpl. d.7th Jun 1917 Lovejoy Albert James Pte. d.7th Jun 1917 Luff John Stannon d.7th Jun 1917 Maguire   Joseph Michael Pte Mather   Alan James Pte. d.8th Jun 1917 McDonald   Alexander Pte. d.7th Jun 1917 McDougall Joseph Pte. d.7th Jul 1917 McMaster William Clifford Pte. d.10th Jun 1917 McNamara Harold Allan Pte. d.7th Jun 1917 McRae   Kenneth Pte. d.7th Jun 1917 McWilliam Andrew Pte. d.7th Jun 1917 Montgomery George William Pte. d.7th Jun 1917 Mulhall Joseph Cecil Pte. d.7th Jun 1917 Nay Robert Pte. d.10th Jun 1917 Nilsson   Neil Pte. d.8th Jun 1917 Noble Samuel Fletcher Pte. d.8th Jun 1917 O'Neill Henry Thomas Pte. d.7th Jun 1917 Parker   George Harold Pte. Partridge   Harold Henry L/Cpl. Perks John Pte Robertson   Samuel Taylor Pte. d.7th Jun 1917 Sampson I. W. Pte. d.7th June 1916 Schaefer Thomas John Pte. d.7th Jun 1917 Shalders  MM. Victor Reginald Pte. Shephard Clifton Cpl. d.9th Jun 1917 Shreeve   James William Capt. Simmons Patrick Pte. d.7th Jun 1917 Simshauser   Wilfred James Pte. d.30th Mar 1918 Sinclair   Cyril Sgt. Smith James Aloysuis Pte. d.8th Jun 1917 Stamm O. I. Pte. d.7th Jun 1917 Taylor G. T. Pte. d.7th Jun 1917 Tramby W. T. Pte. d.7th Jun 1917 Webber Alfred Pte. d.7th Jun 1917 Whitehill W. P. Cpl. d.7th Jun 1917 Wilson   Edwin Charles Pte. d.7th Jun 1917 Worgan John Robert Pte. d.7th Jun 1917 Young Robert Norman Lance Sgt. d.7th Jun 1917

DVD Now Available On the 22nd of July 2010 Pte. Alan James Mather of the 33rd Battlion was laid to rest with full military honours in the presence of members of his family, almost two years after his remains were recovered from the battlefield at St Yvon by members of the Plugstreet Archeological Project. The film of the burial service and wreathlaying at the Menin Gate is now available to purchase on DVD. This broadcast quality video runs for 60mins and is region free. The footage was taken by the Team's own film crew, who had priority positions at both the funeral service at Prowse Point and at the Menin Gate on the previous evening when members of Alan Mather's family and representatives from the Australian Military laid wreaths. An emotional time as it was the final ceremony at which Pte. Mather could be counted amongst the missing, as the following day he was laid to rest in a marked grave. Click for details. All profits from sales of this film will be used towards the post-production costs of a documentary detailing the archaeological process of his discovery and identification which will be available to pre-order soon.

Digging Up Plugstreet Richard Osgood and Martin Brown The compelling story of the Australian soldiers of the 3rd Infantry Division who journeyed to England in 1914, and who fought and died on the Western Front during the First World War. Using archaeology as the vehicle for their story, Martin Brown and Richard Osgood follow in the footsteps of the 'Aussies', from their training on windswept Salisbury Plain to the cheerless trenches of Belgium, where they 'dug-in' north-east of Ploegsteert to face the Germans. It presents a unique window into the world of the men who marched away to fight the so-called 'war to end wars More information on: Digging Up Plugstreet

Pillars of Fire: The Battle of Messines Ridge, June 1917 Ian Passingham Gentlemen, we may not make history tomorrow, but we shall certainly change the geography.' So said General Plumer the day before 600 tons of explosives were detonated under the German positions on Messines Ridge. The explosion was heard by Lloyd George in Downing Street, and as far away as Dublin. Until 1918, Messines was the only clear cut Allied victory on the Western Front, coming at a time when Britain and her allies needed it most: boosting Allied morale and shattering that of the Germans. Precisely orchestrated, Messines was the first true all-arms modern battle which brought together artillery, engineers, infantry, tanks, aircraft and administrative units from a commonwealth of nations to defeat the common enemy. So why is its name not as familiar as the Somme, Passchendaele or Verdun? General Sir Herbert Plumer, perhaps the most meticulous, resourceful and respected British general of WW1, is also unfamiliar to many. This book examines the battle for the Messines-Wytschaete Rid More information on: Pillars of Fire: The Battle of Messines Ridge, June 1917

Bullecourt 1917: Breaching the Hindenburg Line Paul Kendall The assault upon the formidable Hindenburg Line at Bullecourt in April and May 1917 by three British Divisions - the 7th, 58th and 62nd - and three Australian Divisions was initially designed to assist Allenby's Third Army break out from Arras. This book tells the full story of a battle that can be seen as an archetype of the horrors of trench warfare. The controversial first Bullecourt battle of 11th April came to be regarded as the worst Australian defeat of the War, when Australian infantry assaulted without artillery and tank support. They were badly let down by the British tanks - but the British tank crews were let down in their turn by their own commanders, who put them in the forefront of the attack in Mark II training tanks, prone to malfunction and not armour-plated. Significant numbers fought their way into the German lines at Bullecourt against all odds, including legendary ANZAC soldiers Major Percy Black, Captain Albert Jacka and Captain Harry Murray. The Australians achi More information on: Bullecourt 1917: Breaching the Hindenburg Line

If you know of anyone who served with this unit at the Battle of Messines, please complete the form below so that they can be remembered. Required fields are marked *                      Surname:             * Of the veteran.. First Name:          Middle Name(s): Nick Name:        Rank:                  Galantry Awards: DSO, MID etc. Service Number: Service:               * British Army/AIF/NZ/RFC/Civilian. etc. Unit:                     Regiment/Squadron etc. Sub unit:              Battalion/Section/Flight/etc. Home:                 prewar address/town/village Date of Death,     if during the war. Web Link,           If you have a webpage about your relative please provide the address. Please tell us about your relative: name of submitter:* Your name. email:                   @ Please type in the code shown here:   If you are unable to read the code please click here. If you have any photographs please scan or digitally photograph your orginials and send a copy by email attachment. NB. All entries are checked manually before appearing online to prevent spam and inappropriate content. There will be a delay before your submission appears on the website.

Links War Diary of the 33rd Infantry Battalion.