Fly Specks on the Universe

By Paul Howard

“Places like Panton Hill had been referred to by Mr Clement Wragge as fly-specks on the universe, and yet, from this little fly-speck, over 32 boys had volunteered and been accepted for active service.” 1916 ‘

RETURNED WOUNDED. SOLDIERS AT PANTON HILL.’, Evelyn Observer and Bourke East Record (Vic. : 1902 – 1917), 15 December, p. 3

When Australian Prime Minister Joseph Cook announced Australia’s involvement in the First World War it was inevitable that Elizabeth Glennon’s children and grandchildren would be among those who would volunteer for service. Her two marriages had produced ten children and by the time war was declared in 1914 she also had 46 grandchildren. The war saw her youngest son Percy Glennon and seven of her grandchildren enlist during the conflict. All except Arthur Sinclair are recognised on the Panton Hill Honor  Board on display at the Panton Hill Primary School.  Arthur was a long-time resident of Diamond Creek.

Elizabeth’s connection with the Panton Hill area first began in 1863 when Elizabeth and her first husband Henry Moore Howard settled in the area after arriving from England in April 1861. They set sail for Australia shortly after their marriage in Norfolk in January that same year. Their son Arthur was born at Queenstown in 1863 following on from their first child Henry Valentine Howard who was born at Campbellfield in 1862. Their marriage saw a further five children, Sarah b.1865, Edwin b.1867, Herbert b.1869, Alfred b.1872 and Margaret b.1873. Henry Moore Howard was killed on the 18^th February 1874 in a mining accident at Panton Hill. Four years after Henry’s death Elizabeth remarried to Patrick Glennon with whom she had a further three children, Alice b.1877, Albert. b.1880, and Percy b.1882.

Percy Glennon  No. 1547 and 77307

Percy twice enlisted in the AIF during WW1. He first enlisted in Melbourne on the 16^th November 1914 on the same day as his nephew William Edwin Howard. His occupation was listed as a Fibrous Plasterer and following his training at Broadmeadows he assigned to the 8th Infantry Battalion.  He departed Australia along with William on-board the HMAT Runic on the 19^th February 1915 and left the ship in Heliopolis in Cairo.

His service in Egypt was marked by illness with Percy assigned to light duties in September 1915. Evelyn Observer and Bourke East war correspondent R. J Harris wrote in that publication on the 10^th December 1915 he came across Percy in Zeitoun near Cairo on the 27^th of September 1915. He wrote that Percy was “back from the front sick, and tells me it is getting cold in the trenches”.

Percy was declared unfit for service and returned to Australia on the 10^th of April 1917 on board the HMAT Benalla and discharged from the AIF on the 26^th May 1917. The Eltham and Whittlesea Shires Advertiser and Diamond Creek Valley Advocate wrote on the 1^st June 1917 of a welcome at the Panton Hill Public Hall to Percy and his nephew William who has also returned to Australia after being severely injured at the front. Committee Chairman Mr William McAullife in his address to the ceremony told how he had met Percy on the cricket field “where the guest of the evening was always a fine manly player, and he had also bravely gone forth to play the higher game in the same manly spirit.”

Percy again enlisted in the AIF on the 27th May 1918 with the Eltham and Whittlesea Shires Advertiser and Diamond Creek Valley Advocate on 7th June 1918 reporting in the social notes “Private Percy Glennon, of Panton Hill, has re-enlisted for active service” (p. 2).  Percy was assigned the Clearing Hospital at Broadmeadows and was discharged as medically unfit for a second time on the 15th October 1918. Percy died in Heidelberg in 1951 aged 69.
Henry Valentine Howard Jr, also known as Harry was born in Healesville in 1886, the eldest of seven children to Henry Valentine Sr and Mary Healey. At the commencement of the war Henry was married with three children and living in Panton Hill and working as a butcher, an occupation he shared with his father. He swore an oath on the 22^nd February 1915 and entered camp at Broadmeadows attached to the 23^rd Battalion 6^th Infantry Brigade. After completing training he left Melbourne for Egypt on the 10^th May 1915 on the HMAT Euripides on the same ship as his younger brother Arthur.

Henry Valentine Howard No. 28

The conditions at sea saw Henry become ill shortly after leaving Melbourne and being admitted to the on-board hospital on the 16^th May 1915 with the ship finally arriving in Alexandria on 14^th June 1915. The crowded conditions saw him having to sleep in a doorway which triggered an existing rheumatic illness. This condition combined with measles in June 1915 saw him hospitalised in Egypt until the end of August 1915. A Medical Board report on the 24^th of August saw him declared as permanently unfit for service. Henry returned to Australia onboard the HMAT Euripides arriving in Melbourne on the 1^st October 1915 and following a series of medical examinations he was finally discharged on the 10^th February 1916.

Henry’s family life in Australia following his return to civilian life was marked by a series of tragic events. His first wife Ethel died suddenly in 1919 leaving Henry with four young children. He married again to Ethel Barrow in 1921 with whom he had another three children. In December 1927 after being out of work for six months Henry secured a job helping the build the railway line from Darling to Glen Waverley. He commenced work on the day of his 41^st birthday the 27^th December but that same day he slipped and fell across the trucks and was run over severely crushing both of his legs and died shortly after being admitted to hospital. Two days later his eldest son Henry William, without knowing of the death of his father, drowned in the Murray River at Nyah after attempting to rescue his girlfriend and her mother who had gotten into difficulties in the water. His son Arthur Robert died aged 14 in 1930 after accidentally shooting himself in the head at a property at Smith’s Gully.

William Edwin Howard No. 1471 and 1564

William was born in 1890, son of Henry Valentine Howard Sr. and Mary Ann Healy and was one of three brothers to enlist in WW1. Prior to his enlistment he was unmarried with his occupation was listed as a labourer. He enlisted with his uncle Percy Glennon on the 16^th November 1914 and he left Australia with Percy aboard the HMAT Runic on the 19^th February 1915 heading for Egypt as part of 8th Infantry Battalion. During much of his early time in Egypt he was confined to hospital with serious enteric fever but was eventually rejoined the 8^th Battalion at Gallipoli in late November 1915 but was soon again in hospital in Egypt suffering from rheumatism and dysentery. He left Egypt at the end of March 1916 and disembarked at Marseilles in France to join the British Expeditionary Force. William was again struck with illness shortly after arriving in France suffering from mumps, spending three weeks in hospital.

He rejoined his unit on the 21^st May 1916 but was wounded in action on the 7^th of August with a gunshot wound to the finger. He was back with his unit on the 25^th August but was again wounded in action on the 18^th of November with severe gunshot wounds to both hands, face, legs, neck,  lower jaw and right shoulder. (A court of inquiry would later find the injuries to be accidental).  He was transferred to hospital in England and discharged from hospital for return to Australian on the 16^th March 1917. He left England the following day and disembarked in Melbourne on the 12^th May and was discharged from the AIF on the 19^th June 1917.

At a welcome for William and Percy Glennon at the Panton Public Hall in May 1917 The Eltham and Whittlesea Shires Advertiser and Diamond Creek Valley Advocate reported on the 1^st June 1917 the Chairman Mr McAullife  “eulogised the deeds of the Howard family-five members of that family having fought in the trenches. He personally knew William Howard, who was always highly esteemed throughout this and surrounding districts.” (pp.3). William died in 1961 in Heidelberg.

Arthur Michael Howard No. 1591

Arthur was born at Healesville in 1894 and was the younger brother of William and Henry Valentine Jr. He enlisted in the AIF on the 20^th March 1915 and left Australia on 10^th May 1915 aboard HMAT Euripides with his older brother Henry. His occupation was listed as labourer with his father noted as his next of kin. Along with Henry he was assigned to the 23^rd Battalion 6^th Infantry Brigade.

Arthur was awarded the Anzac Medallion in May 1967. In March of that year Prime Minister, Harold Holt, announced that a commemorative medallion and badge was to be issued to surviving members of the Australian Defence Force who served on the Gallipoli Peninsula, or in direct support of the operations from close off shore during the period from the first Anzac Day in April 1915 to the date of final evacuation in January 1916. Records show Arthur served with the 6th Brigade at Lone Pine from 17th August until 15th December 1915 when he was admitted to hospital, leaving only three days before the final evacuation of Anzac troops from Gallipoli. The Eltham and Whittlesea Shires Advertiser and Diamond Creek Valley Advocate wrote on 20^th June 1919 at a Welcome Home to Returned Soldiers at Panton Hill that “Arthur Howard was an original Anzac, and was on board the Southland when it was torpedoed”.  (pp.3). The Southland was torpedoed in the Aegean Sea by the German submarine UB-14 with the loss of 40 men during its sail from Egypt to Gallipoli.

Although he served with distinction his family regarded him as mischievous and his service records provide a number of examples of his propensity for trouble. When assigned to the Anzac Provost Corp in Cairo he was found guilty in July 1917 of being drunk on duty and forfeited twenty one days pay. He found further trouble in March 1918 when he was charged for having absented himself from duty with his defence that he had wanted to return to his original unit. Arthur died in 1967 and is buried at the Preston Cemetery.

Percy George Howard No. 2342 and 6872

Percy was born at Panton Hill in 1897 son of Herbert Howard and Alice Halligan and twice enlisted in the AIF WW1 but did not see service abroad due to an elbow injury and first enlisted on the 26^th February 1916. Two days after his enlistment he was jumping a fence at Panton Hill and injured his left elbow and underwent treatment for five weeks before entering camp. He underwent training and boarded HMAT Port Lincoln on 20^th October 1916 but was forced to disembark at Fremantle following complications to his injured elbow  and returned to Melbourne on the 2^nd December 1916.

Following a period of convalescence Percy enlisted again on the on the 22^nd March 1917 and left Melbourne on the 11^th May 1917 aboard the HMAT Ascanius. Once again enroute he disembarked at Fremantle and retuned to Melbourne on the 9^th June 1917. He was again discharged from the AIF  on the 16^th July 1917. The Eltham and Whittlesea Shires Advertiser and Diamond Creek Valley Advocate reported on the 22^nd June 1917 on a welcome for returned soldiers at Panton Hill where William McAullife highlighted  “the grit and determination shown by Private Percy Howard in his many unsuccessful attempts to reach the theatre of war” (pp.2)

Herbert Howard No. 3080

Herbert Frederick Howard was born in Carlton in 1894 the eldest of twelve children to Herbert Albert Howard and Alice Halligan. Herbert joined the AIF at Warragul on the 24^th November 1916 but was discharged less than a week later on medical grounds. He re-enlisted on the 8^th January 1917 and embarked from Australia on the 19^th February 1917 aboard HMAT Ballarat as part of the 37^th Infantry Battalion. He spent most of the journey in the on board hospital. Almost at the end of journey the HMAT Ballarat was sunk by a German torpedo at the entrance to the English Channel on the 25^th April 1917 but none of the 1752 lives were lost.

He disembarked in England on the 25^th April 1917 and was immediately deployed to the 10^th Training Battalion. A lingering illness saw him again admitted to hospital for several weeks. He eventually embarked to France on the 10^th September 1917 and marched into the 3^rd Australian Divisional Base Depot (ADBD) and joined the 37^th Battalion on the 23^rd September. Herbert was wounded in action on the 4^th October 1917 suffering contusions and concussions but rejoined his battalion sixteen days later. A further series of hospital admissions saw him sent to England on the 11^th March 1918 where shortly after he was diagnosed with trench fever. Herbert was admitted for medical treatment a further five times before eventually before leaving England to return to Australia in March 1919. His was discharged from the AIF on the 18^th July 1919. Herbert died in 1954 at Heidelberg and is buried next to his parents at the Queenstown Cemetery.

William Broussard

Elizabeth Glennon’s eldest daughter Sarah Howard married Frenchman Jean Broussard at Queenstown in 1880 and shortly after settled at Gympie in Queensland.  After Sarah’s sudden death in 1885 Jean returned to Panton Hill with their three children under the age of five including William. William enlisted on the 10th July 1915 and had listed his occupation as a labourer with his wife Mary Jane listed at next of kin. William’s service was cut short in August 1915 at camp in Seymour when he declared medically unfit for service. This was due to rheumatism in both his back and legs the result of working in wet mines and a fall from a horse.

Arthur Sinclair No. 4892

Arthur was born in Diamond Creek in 1893 and was one of twelve children to William Sinclair and Margaret Howard. He enlisted for the AIF on the 27^th February 1917 and was attached the 29^th Infantry Battalion embarking from Melbourne aboard the HMAT Suevic . He disembarked at Liverpool on the 21^st August 1917 and was hsopitalised suffering from mumps after falling ill during the voyage.

Arthur was deployed to France in late December 1917 and was severely wounded in action on the 10^th August 1918 suffering a shell wound to the head. He was transferred to England and left for Australia on the 20^th October 1918. He was discharged from the AIF on the 3^rd January 1919 but later enlisted for volunteer service in August 1931 for 2 years. Arthur also enlisted for service during WW2 on the 14^th April 1942 serving  on a part time basis with the Volunteer Defence Corps. Arthur died in 1971 at Williamstown.

Photo: Herbert Frederick Howard