THE Anzac landings at Gallipoli on April 25, 1915, are remembered by all Australians.
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However, for many Victorian soldiers, including hundreds from Ballarat, the Great War story really began in October 1914.
Daniel Robert Weeks and the 8th Battalion, recruited mainly from Ballarat and the surrounding districts, set sail from Station Pier on October 19, just over 100 years ago, as part of a convoy bound for Egypt.
Regimental Sergeant Major Weeks survived the second wave landing at what would later be called Anzac Cove, and ultimately the war, living in Ballarat until he died in 1938, aged 67.
On Sunday, descendants of those servicemen who were part of that first convoy, attended a commemoration of the departure at Princes Pier at Port Melbourne.
They included Jennifer Weeks (granddaughter) from Ballarat, Brian Weeks (grandson) and his wife Faye from Geelong, Colin Easton (great grandson) from Willaura and Dorothy Easton (granddaughter) from Melbourne.
“We were feeling proud to acknowledge the memory of the send-off and of our great grandfather, or in Mum’s (Dorothy) case grandfather,” Colin Easton said.
“Family lore is that Daniel Weeks led the march through the city to the pier to embark for the war but I couldn’t guarantee that. What I can guarantee is that his service number was number 1 in the entire AIF.”
RSM Weeks was born in England in 1871 and enlisted with the London Regiment of the Royal Fusiliers as a 20-year-old. He served with distinction for 21 years, including 12 years in India and Tibet, and retired in 1912 having attained the rank of Colour Sergeant.
Having mustered out, he migrated to Australia. Not long after his arrival he joined the army reserve (then called the Citizens Military Force) as an instructor and was posted to Ballarat as a staff sergeant major of the 70th Infantry.
Just 13 days after Australia formally declared war on Germany on August 4, 1914, Weeks volunteered with the Australian Imperial Forces and received the rank of Regimental Sergeant Major – the highest non-officer rank within the army.
He was wounded in action during fighting on the Gallipoli Peninsula when he was shot in the left shoulder by a sniper. While wounded, he was promoted to the office of Lieutenant but returned to Australia to recover (curiously enough on a ship called the Ballarat).
After three operations, he was back in action on the Western Front but was then posted to England as an instructor and returned to Australia in 1918 due to ill health.
RSM Weeks continued as an instructor after the war with 8th Battalion in Ballarat until he retired in 1931.
gavin.mcgrath@fairfaxmedia.com.au