anmef

Oh dear, sad story alert. This must be Pockley, Brian Colden (1890–1914), who died 100 years ago on 11/9/1914, the first Australian Officer to die in New Guinea. See links etc at oa.anu.edu.au/obituary/pockley-brian-colden-16339 .

" Brian Colden Antill Pockley was born at North Sydney, New South Wales, on 4 June 1890. Pockley studied medicine at the University of Sydney and was a medical practitioner when the First World War broke out in 1914. At the age of 24, he applied for a commission in the Australian Imperial Force and was appointed as a captain in the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force (ANMEF). He departed Australia to serve with the ANMEF in German New Guinea on 19 August 1914.

Captain Pockley was part of the first landing force of the Naval Brigade at Kabakaul on 11 September 1914. During the advance towards a German wireless station, Able Seaman William Williams was shot in the stomach, becoming the first Australian casualty of the First World War. After tending to Williams, Pockley gave his Red Cross armband to another naval serviceman, Stoker Kember, so Kember could carry Williams to the rear. Shortly afterwards, Pockley was also wounded.

Pockley and Williams were taken aboard HMAS Berrima, where they both died that afternoon. The author of "The Australians at Rabaul", S.S. Mackenzie, later wrote, "Pockley's action in giving up his Red Cross badge, and thus protecting another man's life at the price of his own, was consonant with the best traditions of the Australian army, and afforded a noble foundation for those of Australian Army Medical Corps in the war."

Pockley, with Williams, was buried at Herbertshohe cemetery on 11 September 1914. On 11 July 1919 Brian Pockley's remains were reinterred at Rabaul Cemetery on 11 July 1919, with full naval and military honours. In 1950 his grave was among the First World War graves that were relocated to Rabaul War Cemetery (Bita Paka), Papua New Guinea. Pockley's brother, Lieutenant John Graham Antill Pockley, served with the Australian Army in the First World War and was killed in action, in France, on 30 March 1918. "

From the AWM site - www.awm.gov.au/people/P10675788/biography/

beachcomber australia State Records already knows who Pockley is and his sad story, which is why they used his portrait in their exhibition. See the context here - nswanzaccentenary.records.nsw.gov.au/index.php/in-service...

Pockley's story is also highlighted in the exhibition "Life Interrupted: Personal Diaries from World War I' at the State Library of NSW - www.sl.nsw.gov.au/events/exhibitions/2014/life_interrupte... (which is where I first encountered his story).

The centenary Commemorative Service on 11/9/2014 in Rabaul in PNG is available on ABC iView until 26 September. There is a tribute by Brian Pockley's great nephew from about 35:00 - iview.abc.net.au/programs/australia-goes-to-war-rabaul-19...

I knew nothing about the ANMEF and German New Guinea until a few months ago when researching these ANMM photos. Possibly Captain Pockley is visible in the marchers? www.flickr.com/search/?w=33147718@N05&q=anmef

The Pockley family are a notable Sydney family, particularly in medical circles. Captain Pockley was a student at Shore school and there is a small memorial to him near the present day carpark of the sports grounds (First World War Memorial Playing Fields) on the corner of Alpha Road and Sailor's Bay Road, Willoughby. The Brian Pockley Memorial Prize is awarded annually at the school.
His papers, donated by the family, are at the State Library NSW.

College St looking south-ish? Hyde Park on the right. Boomerang St (see tram lines) on the left. 1917 interactive map - www.nla.gov.au/apps/cdview?pi=nla.map-gmod71-a3-sd&rg...

hi good pic

beachcomber australia Thank you for your suggestion beachcomberaustralia. We also thought it may be the area around St Mary's Cathedral, where Hospital Road and Art Gallery Road meet.

Good find - just in time for WW1 centenary. This was on Tuesday 18 August 1914.

ps - I was completely wrong with the location (see above comments). It is as described it the blurb. GoogleMapsStreetView - goo.gl/maps/w3RxC . See the sandstone pillars. I wonder if Mr Hood? was on the verandah of the just-built (1914) Captain Cook Hotel - goo.gl/maps/aeeDi

GoogleMapsStreetView - goo.gl/maps/w3RxC

[https://www.flickr.com/photos/51979177@N02] beachcomber australia Think you're both right :)

More snapshots from this campaign in New Guinea in the remarkable Rodoni Collection via the UON Special Collections - [https://www.flickr.com/photos/uon/sets/72157651638124931]

Also see