Battalion History Book of The Australian 13th Brigade AIF To Villers - Bretonneux
Tiaro is a small Australian town located between Gympie and Maryborough in Queensland.
In the late 1800's the town sprang to life as an overnight stop for gold wagons making the rough arduous journey from Gympie Gold Fields to the seaport in Maryborough.
These days the town rallies its tourism ranking by offering free overnight camping accommodation.
Fame does not often come to Tiaro, but on the 6th June 1876, on a farm close to the town, Thomas William Glasgow was born.
Educated in Gympie he took up a clerical position with the Queensland National Bank.
As life dictates the Bank could have been Glasgow's calling except for his interest in horses and military pursuits.
In 1893, Glasgow joined the Wide Bay Regiment Queensland Mounted Infantry as a trooper.
Back in those days, countrymen joined Light Horse military units as a part time recreation.
Also enjoying these weekend amusements was a close friend of Glasgow's, Brudenell White.
On the 19th October 1899, recreational military life became serious with the proclamation of the South African Boer War.
Glasgow joined immediately as a Lieutenant in a company commanded by Captain Harry Chauvel.
During the Boer War, Glasgow was awarded the Distinguished Service Order medal for his duty.
After the War, in 1903 he continued his amateur soldier pursuits organising the 13th Light Horse Regiment at Gympie.
Australia had greater endeavours for his friend Brudenell White who in March 1908 joined the staff of the chief of intelligence, Colonel William Bridges.
On the 4th August 1914, the First World War was declared.
Glasgow was the first person in Gympie to join the Australian Imperial Force (AIF).
He was second in command of the 2nd Light Horse Regiment.
Glasgow landed with the Regiment at Anzac Cove.
After the evacuation of Gallipoli the AIF was enlarged.
Glasgow gained promotion to the rank of Colonel (temporary Brigadier-General) and the command of the 13th Brigade AIF.
Brigadier-General Glasgow's 13th Australian Infantry Brigade, was made up of the following battalions: · 49th Battalion (Queensland) · 50th Battalion (South Australia) · 51st Battalion (Western Australia) · 52nd Battalion (South Australia, Western Australia & Tasmania) After the formation of the 13th Brigade in Egypt they were transferred to the battlefields on the Western Front.
Glasgow's Brigade had costly encounters with the enemy at Mouquet Farm days after the Battle of Pozieres.
The Brigade was reinforced and in 1917 followed with difficult victories at Noreuil and Messines.
In the beginning of April 1918, the Western Front was in turmoil.
German forces had broken through the Allied lines; most expected the Germans to advance to the Channel Ports and Paris.
Allied commanders had to rally every available force.
Most Australian divisions were out of the lines when the Germans had first undertaken their offensive called Operation Michael at the end of March 1918.
The Australian 4th Division was urgently sent to the front, this force included the Glasgow's 13th Brigade's 49th Battalion (Queensland), 50th Battalion (South Australia), 51st Battalion (Western Australia), and the 52nd Battalion (South Australia, Western Australia & Tasmania).
On the 5th April 1918, they fought the decisive Battle of Dernancourt on the railway embankment near Dernancourt, south of regional French town of Albert.
The under strength Australian Brigades (numbering about 4,000) fought four German Divisions totalling about 25,000.
Situated on the western side of the Nacre River valley, the Australians formed a defensive line at the railway embankment, from which they held back German attacks.
The Australian Battalions soon found themselves outflanked by German forces to their rear.
They were ordered to hold on at all costs but by midday the 48th Battalion was facing annihilation and the senior officer ordered a withdrawal.
This action cost the 12th and 13th Brigades (4th Division) 1,100 casualties.
On the 24th April 1918, the 13th Brigades' Commander Brigadier General William Glasgow received an urgent order to march his brigade towards the sound of the guns.
A renewed German attack had taken Villers-Bretonneux, threatening Amiens and the Allied line of defence and the thrust towards Paris had to be halted at all costs.
Glasgow had only a few hours to reconnoitre, plan the counter-attack, brief his men and send them forward to meet the enemy.
These Battles resulted with the Brigades of the 4th Division halting the largest-ever German attack on Australian troops at Dernancourt on 5 April 1918.
Following three weeks later, the successful advance of the Glasgow's 13th Brigade and 'Pompey' Elliott's 15th Brigade which were triumphant in the retaking of Villers-Bretonneux.
The Honour of which resulted in the Villers-Bretonneux Australian National Memorial being made at this site.
The Memorial lists 10,773 names of soldiers of the Australian Imperial Force with no known grave who were killed between 1916, when Australian forces arrived in France and Belgium, and the end of the war.
Not long after the end of the war Glasgow become a Senator of the Australian Parliament.
In 1939, Glasgow was appointed first Australian High Commissioner to Canada.
Returning to Brisbane in 1945 he died in 1955.
Two tribute statues of Glasgow, which are located in Brisbane, commemorate his life.
In the late 1800's the town sprang to life as an overnight stop for gold wagons making the rough arduous journey from Gympie Gold Fields to the seaport in Maryborough.
These days the town rallies its tourism ranking by offering free overnight camping accommodation.
Fame does not often come to Tiaro, but on the 6th June 1876, on a farm close to the town, Thomas William Glasgow was born.
Educated in Gympie he took up a clerical position with the Queensland National Bank.
As life dictates the Bank could have been Glasgow's calling except for his interest in horses and military pursuits.
In 1893, Glasgow joined the Wide Bay Regiment Queensland Mounted Infantry as a trooper.
Back in those days, countrymen joined Light Horse military units as a part time recreation.
Also enjoying these weekend amusements was a close friend of Glasgow's, Brudenell White.
On the 19th October 1899, recreational military life became serious with the proclamation of the South African Boer War.
Glasgow joined immediately as a Lieutenant in a company commanded by Captain Harry Chauvel.
During the Boer War, Glasgow was awarded the Distinguished Service Order medal for his duty.
After the War, in 1903 he continued his amateur soldier pursuits organising the 13th Light Horse Regiment at Gympie.
Australia had greater endeavours for his friend Brudenell White who in March 1908 joined the staff of the chief of intelligence, Colonel William Bridges.
On the 4th August 1914, the First World War was declared.
Glasgow was the first person in Gympie to join the Australian Imperial Force (AIF).
He was second in command of the 2nd Light Horse Regiment.
Glasgow landed with the Regiment at Anzac Cove.
After the evacuation of Gallipoli the AIF was enlarged.
Glasgow gained promotion to the rank of Colonel (temporary Brigadier-General) and the command of the 13th Brigade AIF.
Brigadier-General Glasgow's 13th Australian Infantry Brigade, was made up of the following battalions: · 49th Battalion (Queensland) · 50th Battalion (South Australia) · 51st Battalion (Western Australia) · 52nd Battalion (South Australia, Western Australia & Tasmania) After the formation of the 13th Brigade in Egypt they were transferred to the battlefields on the Western Front.
Glasgow's Brigade had costly encounters with the enemy at Mouquet Farm days after the Battle of Pozieres.
The Brigade was reinforced and in 1917 followed with difficult victories at Noreuil and Messines.
In the beginning of April 1918, the Western Front was in turmoil.
German forces had broken through the Allied lines; most expected the Germans to advance to the Channel Ports and Paris.
Allied commanders had to rally every available force.
Most Australian divisions were out of the lines when the Germans had first undertaken their offensive called Operation Michael at the end of March 1918.
The Australian 4th Division was urgently sent to the front, this force included the Glasgow's 13th Brigade's 49th Battalion (Queensland), 50th Battalion (South Australia), 51st Battalion (Western Australia), and the 52nd Battalion (South Australia, Western Australia & Tasmania).
On the 5th April 1918, they fought the decisive Battle of Dernancourt on the railway embankment near Dernancourt, south of regional French town of Albert.
The under strength Australian Brigades (numbering about 4,000) fought four German Divisions totalling about 25,000.
Situated on the western side of the Nacre River valley, the Australians formed a defensive line at the railway embankment, from which they held back German attacks.
The Australian Battalions soon found themselves outflanked by German forces to their rear.
They were ordered to hold on at all costs but by midday the 48th Battalion was facing annihilation and the senior officer ordered a withdrawal.
This action cost the 12th and 13th Brigades (4th Division) 1,100 casualties.
On the 24th April 1918, the 13th Brigades' Commander Brigadier General William Glasgow received an urgent order to march his brigade towards the sound of the guns.
A renewed German attack had taken Villers-Bretonneux, threatening Amiens and the Allied line of defence and the thrust towards Paris had to be halted at all costs.
Glasgow had only a few hours to reconnoitre, plan the counter-attack, brief his men and send them forward to meet the enemy.
These Battles resulted with the Brigades of the 4th Division halting the largest-ever German attack on Australian troops at Dernancourt on 5 April 1918.
Following three weeks later, the successful advance of the Glasgow's 13th Brigade and 'Pompey' Elliott's 15th Brigade which were triumphant in the retaking of Villers-Bretonneux.
The Honour of which resulted in the Villers-Bretonneux Australian National Memorial being made at this site.
The Memorial lists 10,773 names of soldiers of the Australian Imperial Force with no known grave who were killed between 1916, when Australian forces arrived in France and Belgium, and the end of the war.
Not long after the end of the war Glasgow become a Senator of the Australian Parliament.
In 1939, Glasgow was appointed first Australian High Commissioner to Canada.
Returning to Brisbane in 1945 he died in 1955.
Two tribute statues of Glasgow, which are located in Brisbane, commemorate his life.