Hector Louis Polain

Hector Louis Polain

A group of men from the 10th Reinforcements for the 11th Battalion. Hector on left end of middle row ?
Personal Information
Date of Birth	c1892
Place of Birth	Footscray, Victoria
Death	15 Apr 1917
Place of Death	Noreuil, France
Age at Enlistment	23 years, 5 months
Description	5'5" (1.65m) tall ; 165lbs 74.843 kg ; dark complexion ; grey eyes ; black hair
Occupation	Carpenter
Religion	Church of England
Address	Nedlands Park, Subiaco, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Step Father , Mr John Alfred Hickman
Military Information
Reg Number	3148
Date of Enlistment	25 Jun 1915
Rank	Lance Corporal
Unit/Formation	11th Battalion, 10th Reinforcement
Date of Embarkation	13 Oct 1915 ‒ ?? Nov 1915
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A32 Themistocles
Fate	KIA 15 Apr 1917 Noreuil, France
Monument	Gosnells War Memorial Gosnells Road Board Honour Roll Gosnells Ward Honour Roll Villers-Bretonneux Memorial Australian War Memorial
Medals	1914-15 Star British War Medal Victory Medal

Pre War

Hector's parents Charles and Mary Annie Polain came to WA in 1897 when Hector was five years old. Charles, a consulting engineer and architect set up 'Polain & Co' in Perth. Charles died as an inmate of the Fremantle Lunatic Asylum in October 1899 aged 41 leaving Mary an estate of £300. Mary remarried shortly after Charles' death to John Alfred Hickman, then the Principle of the Roleystone School. They later moved to Nedlands.

War Service

Hector entered the Blackboy Hill camp on 25 Jun 1916, and on 1 Jul 1915 he was allocated to the 10th reinforcement draft for the 11th Battalion, and travelled with them to Egypt aboard HMAT A32 Themistocles. At some point he was appointed Lance Corporal as when he joined the battalion proper he reverted to Private. In Egypt on 29 Nov 1915, Hector was admitted to the Ras-el-tin Convalescent Hospital in Alexandria with the mumps. Improving, he was released to the 4th Australian Auxiliary Hospital on 12 Dec 1915, and then discharged to duty on 31 Dec 1915. On 9 Jan 1916 he was able to be taken on strength by the 11th Battalion which was now back in Egypt at Gebel Habieta.

On 29 Mar 1916 the battalion had travelled by rail to Alexandria, and there boarded HMT Corsican for Marseilles in southern France, arriving there on 5 Apr 1916. From there they travelled to northern France by slow train, in cattle wagons. Hector was again appointed Lance Corporal on 19 Jul 1916.

In the late Spring of 1917 the Germans began a strategic withdrawal to the Hindenburg Line to shorten their defensive line and to release troops for other fronts. As they did the allies followed them and a number of battles occurred as retreating German troops sought to buy time for the completion of their new defensive line. One such battle occurred at Lagnicourt where on 15 Apr 1917 the Germans counterattacked in force. The 11th Battalion was a part of the troops holding the northern section of the front lines that were attacked - near Noreuil. For most of the day their trenches were on the receiving end of a heavy artillery bombardment and sustained attacks on the wildly separated outposts in front of the battalion. In many cases all occupants were either killed or captured. The battalion suffered 245 casualties. Including Hector, 180 men were marked as missing in action. That he was declared Killed in Action within a few days implies that someone was able to report seeing his death or had been able to collect his pay book, but the lack of grave might indicate that he was a victim of the heavy shelling before the attack.

Speaking about the Battle of Lagnicourt in "Fremantle to France - 11th battalion AIF 1914 - 1919", Ian Gill wrote:

"The brunt of the German assault falls on 'A' and 'C' Companies on the right, with many of the posts offering stout resistance. Lt Pope, in charge of one of 'A' Company's piquet posts, fights to the death extracting a heavy toll on the enemy. He is posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross. The gaps are filled and the enemy is prevented from breaking through the 11th Battalion's line. Casualties are high with some forty-three killed, many more wounded and four officers and 160 other ranks taken prisoner. The Battle of Lagnicourt proves costly to the 11th Battalion, though German casualties are even higher."

Overall the battle was fought between 4,000 Australians and 16,000 Germans with the Australian suffering 1,010 casualties including 164 taken prisoner, while the Germans lost 2,313 including 362 prisoners of war.

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  photos courtesy L Reynolds
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  Section of the 11th Battalion's panel

Notes

Hector's Mother received a pension of 40/- per fortnight from 6 Jul 1917. While his step father was his recorded Next of Kin, his sister Ethel May was the executor and sole beneficiary of his £110 estate. As a result of unbending Military procedure, his mother received his medals.

Hector's older brother George, in June 1908 was running the Gosnells' Post Office store, but was in the Bankruptcy Court during September 1908 and April 1909, partly as a result of a fire that destroyed his Kelmscott home in February 1908. Later in 1908 he had sought to sell what remained of his Kelmscott land and buildings. "To Let or for Sale, Shop, suitable for general store; also, goodwill of a sound Store Business at Kelmscott. For particulars, apply G. E. Polain, Kelmscott."