1236 PTE David William Skimmings – WW1 (AIF)

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DAVID was born at Frederickton NSW in 1891 to parents Samuel and Mary Skimmings.

At age 24 he volunteered for service in the AIF and enlisted on 7 February 1916 at Kempsey NSW.

His occupation was labourer and he was working as a farm hand.

David was already married to Emelda Mary Clark when enlisted and had two daughters, with the family living at Telegraph Point NSW.

He travelled to Newcastle NSW and encamped at Broadmeadow where the 36th Battalion was being raised.

This unit was colloquially known as ‘Carmichael’s 1000’ as the Minister for Public Information at the time was Ambrose Carmichael, who supported the raising of the unit from rifle clubs of NSW.

He also joined the unit as a captain and went overseas with it.

The 36th Battalion was finally formed and left Sydney NSW on 13 May heading to Devonport UK where they arrived on 9 July.

David was part of the unit for this voyage.

The Battalion then conducted training at Camp 28, Larkhill UK until 22 November when they embarked to Le Havre in France.

David had been allocated to D Company in the Battalion and by 29 November the unit had moved to Armentieres (France), near the front line trenches.

On 4 December, the unit moved into the front line trenches facing the Germans, relieving the 34th Battalion.

Thus began a pattern of alternate rest and relief on the front line trenches where the 36th Battalion relieved mainly the 34th Battalion, a sister unit in the 9th Brigade, every one to two weeks.

The trenches were freezing, wet, muddy and full of water as it was winter and this winter was described as one of the worst remembered in France.

While in the trenches the unit conducted offensive patrols on foot into No Mans Land and the German trenches, which was a risky business of ongoing casualties.

The German shelling of their trenches was also a source of continuing casualties.

The unit continued with the ongoing reliefs in the front line trenches and on 25 May 1917, was back in rest at Nieppe (France).

It was on this day that David reported sick with hearing problems.

He was evacuated back to the 9th Australian Field Ambulance (Pont d’Achelles, France) for treatment, where he was diagnosed with a middle ear infection (otitis media).

This middle ear infection was caused by continually being exposed to chronic wet and cold conditions, and or with the effects of high explosives from artillery shelling.

From here he was evacuated to the 2nd Australian General Hospital (Wimereaux, France) then by 2 June invalided to the 1st East General Hospital in England.

On 25 June, David was admitted to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital (Dartford, England) where he remained for recovery until deemed well enough to be released on 23 August to the 2nd Australian Command Depot (Weymouth, England).

While a middle ear infection can be successfully treated by antibiotics now or with minor surgery it was a debilitating illness in WW1 often leading to deafness.

He had been reclassified as unable to continue military service and awaited repatriation back to Australia which was to take a year.

On 31 July 1918, he left England for Sydney arriving there on 29 September where he was placed in the 2nd Military District Depot until being medically discharged from the AIF on 14 December 1918.

Due his war injuries David was to become a totally and permanently incapacitated (TPI) pensioner.

David returned home to Telegraph Point but his marriage broke down and in 1924 he and his wife were divorced. Later David moved down to Limeburners Creek NSW and then to Fosterton, at Orange Grove.

Here he met his future wife, Olive Anne Hicks, and they were married in 1932.

He worked as a forestry officer and they moved to Main Creek NSW, living there for many years where they raised their children, Faye and Clive.

On his retirement they moved into Dungog where he remained until his death on 25 May 1966 at Dungog Hospital.

David was buried in the Dungog General Cemetery (Presbyterian Section).

His wife, Olive, was laid to rest next him in 2006.

As a returned soldier from WW1 his headstone was erected by the Office of Australian War Graves and is a bronze plaque.

David was entitled to the following medals: British War Medal 1914-20; Victory Medal.

David is recorded on the Telegraph Point Public Hall First World War Roll of Honour, which is mounted in the Public Hall at Telegraph Point.

By Martin HOLMES CSM