We miss him most, who loved him best
By Marg Powell, Specialist Library Technician, Metadata Services | 11 December 2016
When Christina Ingham’s two eldest sons enlisted in 1915, she was solely supporting her other 6 children, with one more due that year. She cherished the letters they wrote from so far away, and along with postcards, photographs and a diary, now donated to the State Library of Queensland for us all to share.
Studio portrait possibly of brothers William and Benjamin Ingham, 1913-1915. Inscribed on rear 'To Dear Auntie with love from Essie & Charlie'.
Portraits of brothers Benjamin and William Ingham, published in The Queenslander Pictorial:
Private William John Ingham #2397 - 9th & 49th Infantry Battalions
William, age 21 landed in Egypt in time to join the reinforcements for the 9th Infantry Battalion on Lemnos Island in December 1915, not knowing that his younger brother Benjamin had also enlisted, just a few weeks after his 18th birthday.
William penned a rollicking poem about his quest for enlistment, from their camp at Mudros, as the allies were preparing for evacuation from Gallipoli.
Poem written by William Ingham, to his mother dated 4 December 1915
29901, William and Benjamin Ingham papers, State Library of Queensland.
Private Benjamin Joseph Ingham #4552 - 15th & 47th Infantry Battalions
Benjamin enlisted in September 1915 and embarked with the 15th Infantry Battalion for Egypt in January 1916. By this time the allies had withdrawn all personnel from the Peninsula, and were regrouping to form new Divisions to serve in France.
The two brothers eventually found each other in Cairo in May 1916, and William wrote to his mother saying he tried to have his brother assigned to the same battalion, but Ben was quite happy with the group of men with whom he had already shared so much with.
Postcard showing a village in the desert, Upper Egypt, from William and Benjamin Ingham Papers, 1915-1916.
William kept a diary of his activities with the 49th Infantry Battalion from January 1916 and his entry for 8 August notes the casualties for that day, as pictured below.
Diary entry, dated 8 August 1916, kept by William Ingham, 49th Infantry Battalion.
Item 82: 29901, William and Benjamin Ingham papers, State Library of Queensland.
His brother Ben was wounded in the shoulder during heavy bombardment at Pozieres less than 10km away, on 6th August 1916. Also suffering from amnesia and tremulous shell-shock, Ben was evacuated to England where he was admitted to the Brook War Hospital in Woolwich.
Letters he wrote home talked of him feeling well, but Ben was never considered fit for active service again. While Ben continued to convalesce in England, William remained with his Battalion through the notorious winter of 1916/17 and continued to write home.
Letter from Benjamin Ingham, convalescing at Brook War Hospital, Woolwich, England, to his mother Christina Ingham in Toowoomba, dated 13 September 1916.
Series 2. Correspondence 1916. Part of 29901, William and Benjamin Ingham papers, State Library of Queensland
In February 1917 as Ben was waiting to be repatriated home, William was severely wounded in the front line at Flers and died at the 45th Casualty Clearing Station, age 22. William Ingham was buried at Dernancourt, 3km SSW of Albert.
Photograph of the original grave and commemorative cross for William John Ingham, as supplied by the War Graves Commission. It has since been replaced by a contemporary headstone, located at the Dernancourt Communal Cemetery Extension.
Series 7: Postcards. Part of 29901, William and Benjamin Ingham Papers, State Library of Queensland
Read more ...
- 29901 William and Benjamin Ingham papers 1915-1921
- Service record: Ingham, William John, 9th & 49th Infantry Battalions
- Service record: Ingham, Benjamin Joseph, 15th & 47th Infantry Battalions
- AWM: Australian Red Cross Wounded and Missing Files: William John Ingham
- AWM: Unit Diaries: 47th Infantry Battalion, August 1916
- AWM: Unit Diaries: 49th Infantry Battalion, August 1916
- Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The information in this blog post has been researched by State Library staff and volunteers, it is based on available information at this time. If you have more information that you would like to share or further research uncovers new findings, this post will be updated.
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