Pinkstone, Victor John

Gosford District Casualties of World War One

Bragg, Edmund Allen Service Number 1494

Killed in Action 19th May 1915 Gallipoli Peninsula

Gosford District Casualties of World War One

Pinkstone, Victor John Service Number 964

Killed in Action 7th-12th August 1915 Lone Pine, Gallipoli

Gosford City Council gratefully acknowledges the voluntary efforts of

Benalyn Campbell

And Vivienne Tranter

in compiling this resource

The information in this file has been extracted from official records

held in the

The Australian War Memorial and

National Archives of Australia

(© Commonwealth of Australia [National Archives of Australia] 2013)

Further information on this soldier may be found online at:

Commonwealth War Graves

The AIF project

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NAME Pinkstone, Victor John

SERVICE NO 964

UNIT 3rd

Battalion/1st Infty Brigade/ D Coy

RANK Private

AGE at Enlistment 19 yrs 2 mths (b 1895/31700 parents Frederick & Emily J reg Cootamundra)

PLACE OF BIRTH Cootamundra, NSW

ADDRESS

OCCUPATION Farmer

DATE OF ENLISTMENT 22 Aug 1914

PLACE OF ENLIST-MENT

Randwick, NSW

PREVIOUS SERVICE

NEXT OF KIN Father;- Frederick Pinkstone, Herald Office, Cootamundra (d 1922/3963 reg Manly) Mother;- Emily Jane d Gosford 1917/3015) Eldest Brother;- F Irwin Pinkstone, “Ceratop” Orchard, Penang Mountain Eldest Sister;- Lily Pinkstone, “Ceratop” Orchard, Penang Mountain

PHYSICAL DESCRIP-TION

Height-5’8”. Weight-140lbs. Chest-34-37½”. Complexion-Brown. Eyes-Brown. Hair-Dark.

RELIGION Presbyterian

EMBARKED

DISEMBARKED

NOTES

WOUNDED/ILLNESS 12 May 1915-Wounded- Gallipoli 13 Jul 1915-re-joined unit

DIED 7-12 Aug 1915- Gallipoli- Lone Pine

BURIED 15 Aug 1915- Browns Dip, Anzac Cove, Nth Cem.Row 1 Gve 2 Re-interred;- Lone Pine Cem, Anzac, Plot 3 Row B Gve 55

MEDALS 1914-15 Star-24848, British War Medal-3081, Victory Medal-3081. Memorial Plaque & Scroll-301630.

DEPENDANTS

PERSONAL EFFECTS Letters, housewife, Silk handkerchief, draughts/ Marked testament, note book, photos/

WILL Beneficiary;- Frederick Irwin Pinkstone, “Deryanthea” Mangrove Mtn

CORRESPONDENCE Sister;- Lily Pinkstone/

Gosford Times 2nd April 1915 Editor Pinkstone, of Cootamundra "Herald", has three sons in Egypt, with the first contingent, in-cluding one of the Mangrove Mountain boys. Mr Pinkstone writes;- "On Mrs Pinkstone's side my boys represent the Hardy's, of Trafalgar fame, while on my side they represent a large family of naval men of whom General French is one. His name Pinkstone-French (Sir John Denton Pink-stone-French) He was the only one who left the navy, I believe, and took to military fighting."

Sydney Morning Herald 15th May 1915 pg 13 WOUNDED Pte. V J Pinkstone, 3rd Battalion

Gosford Times 21st May 1915 Mr V J Pinkstone, of Mangrove Mountain, is among the list of wounded Australians at the Dardanelles, also Mr Henry, of Wyong Creek, and Lieutenant Tarrant.

Gosford Times 28th May 1915 Private V Pinkstone, of Mangrove Mt., writing prior to being wounded at the Dardanelles, states that the Australians left Egypt on Easter Monday.

Gosford Times 30th April 1915 Mr V J Pinkstone, of Mangrove Mountain, writing to the Editor of "Gosford Times", from Mena Camp, Egypt, un-der date March 21, says, Inter alia:- Gosford district men who are stationed here are all well, but in common with others are very anxious to go to the front and do some real work. Our stay in Egypt is much longer than first an-ticipated or desired, yet it has given us the opportunity to see many things which previously was had only read about. One can read all the literature in the world about the Pyramids and Sphinx, &c, but not know as much about them as one can learn by one hour's personal in-spection. Since we landed, the soldiers have been put through a very severe course of training, and the way they have stood it speaks well for the physique and stam-ina of Australians. It is hard, though, to think that after all we have had to put up with, and the hardships we are willing to endure, doing all that has ever been asked of us, base reports have been circulated in the Australian papers about the Australian soldiers. If people at home believe such cruel fabrications concerning our conduct, then life will not be worth living far any of us who may return. When we read in the Sydney papers the reports made concerning us, a wave of indignation swept from one end of the camp to the other. The originator of the base reports would have has a bad time had his identity been known. We are glad to hear that season prospects are good in Gosford and Mangrove districts. We lose no opportunity of advertising where we came from, as being on of the finest fruit growing centres of the State, and if we get through and have the good fortune to return home, we will have several of our present comrades as additional settlers, they having decided to make their homes in Gosford district-that is if they find what we have told them is correct. And there's little doubt about that. Private E R Henry, of Wyong Creek wishes to be remem-bered to all friends. Drummer Perkins, late of Ourimbah, is still going strong, and is getting as fat as the drum he beats. The drummer, like the rest of us has developed a wonderful appetite. But there's plenty of good "tucker", and no one goes short. The spring has set in, and the irrigated country between our camp and Cairo is a picture, It looks like one big green lawn, a rare contrast to the sandy stretches for which Egypt is famous.

Gosford Times 18th June 1916 At The Dardanelles Letter from Private V Pinkstone Private Vic, Pinkstone, of Mangrove Mountain, writes from Lunar Park Hospital, Heliopolis, under date of 5

th

May:- I am now lying in hospital in Egypt. We left Lemnos Island on Saturday night, and arrived off our landing place very early on Sunday morning, and awoke to the tune of heavy gun fire, so, of course, as quick as possible, I was on deck watching the fun. We were travelling at a very slow rate for the shore, and all round us were troopships and warships, some of the latter engaged in peppering parts of the shore line. We could see the fire flash from the ships, and could see the shells bursting over a piece of land which jutted out into the bay a bit. The enemy had a battery of heavy guns on this point which were covering our landing place, and, of course, it was essential that they should be silenced. This little operation did not occupy our ships very long, and our landing forces were not troubled from that direction. The landing site was a long, narrow beach, with a very steep and rugged ridge rising abruptly behind it, there being only about 20 yards of beach before the climb commenced. Landing commenced about 4 am. . The 3

rd Brigade landed first, fol-

lowed in succession by the 2nd

and 1st. We landed about 8 am. The troopships steamed in to about 3 miles

from the shore, and then we were taken aboard torpedo boats which took us to within about a half or three-quarters of a mile, and then we got into pulling boats which were towed in long lines by a pinnacle from one of the warships. We were told a number of thrilling stories by the Jack Tars on the torpedo boats who had taken some of the first lot ashore. The Turks were entrenched on the beach, and our boys fixed bayonets

while still in the boats and loosened their packs, and when the boats got near shore they did not wait for orders, or for gang planks to be thrown over, but just jumped over the side up to their waists in water, waded ashore, dropped their packs, and went into it with cheers and yells, and they did not stop to fire a shot until they were at the top of that ridge, and in possession of three machine guns and two artillery field pieces. Then they took advantage of whatever cover they could, and put in about the liveliest time ever they could be called upon to go through. Reinforcements were coming up all the time, so on they went, driving the enemy before them, and thinking of nothing in the world but to get the best of them. By the time we got ashore and firing was well over the second ridge, and our Brigade was held in reserve just over the first ridge to cover the retreat of the firing line if such were necessary. While sitting concealed amongst the scrub there we had a good view of the far ridge, with enemy shrapnel bursting over it from one end to the other, and it seemed to me that there could not be a living creature on this side of that ridge, but our boys were over the top, and the shrapnel was to get any supports who may have been going up to help in the firing line. Our second line were well under cover of the small ridges awaiting orders to advance. Spent bul-lets were flying around and over us as we lay there waiting and anxious to go forward, and one went within an ace of getting the chap on my left, striking the butt of a tree immediately behind him. While we were there word was passed along that the scrub was all mined, and to be careful when advancing to keep to the beaten tracks. About ten o'clock a message came back for reinforcements for the firing line, and we moved forward. On account of having to keep to the tracks of course we had to go in Indian file, so it was neces-sarily a very slow game. There were members of practically every unit mixed up together, and as for keep-ing in our sections and companies, it was impossible. Most of our battalion went out on to the left flank, but I, amongst some others, got right out on the right flank, and when we got up near the line the bullets were whizzing round us like hailstones, only heavier. It was tough work climbing over those hills and gullies, and by the time we arrived in the danger zone we were only too pleased to get down to it and have a spell for a bit. Well, we crawled up gradually in between times while the shrapnel was not bursting over us and spreading its death dealers round us, and at last got up pretty close. Here we had to lay low for some time. I expected all the time to get one of the shrapnel bul-lets in me. Three shells burst very close to me, and it nearly made me sick to hear the groans which went up after each one. Stretcher bearers were being called up all along the line, but there was not the slightest hope of stretcher-bearers ever getting up there to their assistance. A piece of shell landed very close to my left ear, and hit a small pebble, which struck me on the temple. At first I thought I was shot, but when I felt it I found a lump had risen about the size of a marble, and that brought me back to life again. I had given my-self up for dead before that. For the left, reinforcements were being called, so we made a move in that direction, and come at last upon a trench in which a machine gun section had taken up a strong position. There was a major of the 10

th Bat-

talion here, and he ordered us to go behind the trench and lay down until nightfall. It was now about 1 o'clock. We settled ourselves down, and I found I could hardly keep awake, in spite of bursting shells, 7c. I was gradually getting to sleep when a major came back from the firing line and asked us could we fight. I answered that we could, and that there were none of us wounded. I had hardly got the words out of my mouth when, whack! I felt a trickle down my leg, and a funny sort of pain, so I rolled over and slithered down the gully, and made my way along a rough track, which reminded me very much of some of the gully climbing I used to do at Mangrove, and eventually reached the dressing station, and had my leg bandaged up. I was very much relieved when the AMC chap told me that the bullet had gone right through. The thought of having a bullet probed out did not appeal to me at all! Two New Zealanders assisted me down to the beach, and with numerous others I was towed to the Seang-Choon. Aboard were 600 wounded, and only three doctors and ten AMC orderlies, so you can imagine what sort of a a job the doctors had. They worked like Trojans. Some of the cases were pitiable. One chap had a shrapnel bullet pass behind both eyes, and was blind. Others had numerous wounds in the face and body. When I saw how things were I felt that there was absolutely nothing wrong with me, and I wanted to go back again. However, that could not be done, and here I am. One thing I'd like to say is that I was never more proud of being an Australian than I was when I have seen them fighting out there, and then again when we were coming back wounded. The doctors expressed their surprise at the cheerfulness of our boys. And really, to hear them you'd think they were discussing some game of football or cricket, only they cracked more jokes about this lot than either of the two games could give material for. I would like to have had the man who dubbed us "Joe Cook's Tourists," and let him see what his "tourists" could really do when they were asked to; and think they have completely wiped out the bad name which so cruelly given them by our war correspondent. It is up to him to write such an article now as he never dreamed, he would be able to-that is, if he had been lucky enough to dodge the enemy's bul-lets and shells.

Gosford Times 16th July 1915 Letters From The Front Private Vic. Pinkstone, of Mangrove Mt., who was wounded in the first charge of the Australians at the Dardanelles, writes from the Convalescent Home at Helouan:- "Have been discharged from Lunar Park, and am now enjoying myself at the Convalescent Home at Helouan. The home is a large hotel, which had been built for the tourists who visit this part of the worlos for the sulphur baths. Some of our chaps have been brought here for this treatment too, an dI heard one chap this morning say that he was very much better since coming here. He could lift his arms above his head for the first time for six weeks, having lost use of them from a bullet wound. This place is a great contrast to Lunar Park. We get as much to eat here at one meal as we used to get all day at the Park, and what's more, we have natives to wait on us, whereas at the Park we had to do our own work. This place will do me until I'm fit to go and account for a few Turks. The latest arrivals from the front say that there is no danger of getting shot now, as they are very strongly entrenched and it is very few who get hit. Our chaps are holding their own alright now, and it will cost the Turcks a pretty penny and a good many lives before they turn our chaps out of their country. Personally, I think they will leave when the Turks are on the other side of teh Bosphorus, and not before. My leg has healed up OK, now, and I can walk now almost without limping, so I guess I'll be getting back to the front very soon.

Gosford Times 6th August 1915 Private Vic. Pinkstone, of Mangrove Mt, has recovered from wounds received at the Dardanelles, and is going back to the front.

Gosford Times 27th August 1915 PRIVATE V PINKSTONE Private Victor Pinkstone, of Mangrove Mountain, writes from Zietoun:- I have been discharged from Helouan Convalescent Camp, and have landed in about the last place that the Creator started to make. I feel positively certain that it was never finished. The place itself is bad enough, but the treatment we get is ten times worse. One would imagine that it was a crime to get wounded by the way we are treated here. There are guards everywhere, and woe betide him who is five minutes late into camp at night. One fellow was sen-tenced to 168 hours' detention for being an hour and a half late the other night; he was quite sober, too, and offered no resistance or anything like that. I reckon that it is a rank injustice. Don't you? I spent a very pleasant six days at Helouan, with nothing to do and more than enough to eat. I could hardly realise that I was a soldier while I was there, it seemed like an ordinary hotel, with me as one of the boarders. It is very hard to realise that we are under the same administration here as at Helouan. A number of names were taken yesterday of chaps who wanted to go back to the front next Tuesday, so I put mine in to save me from going off my heat out in this place. The 3

rd Expeditionary Force has arrived here, and they

seem to have got a very peculiar idea of what sort of a time we got at Gallipoli. One of them went to one of the hospitals with a tent mate of mine yesterday, and when he got in side and saw the number of beds oc-cupied he went white to the gills, and almost fainted. There were 3000 men in that hospital, and when he was told that there were more than twenty such hos-pitals in Egypt, it was too much for him. Of course, the patients are not all Australians.

Gosford Times 10th September 1915 Killed in Action PRIVATE VIC PINKSTONE Private Victor Pinkstone, of Mangrove Mountain, who enlisted shortly after the war broke out, is reported to have been killed in action at Gallipoli between 7

th and 12

th August. We remember well the day Vic-

tor walked into our office with his swag on his back to say "good bye". He said he had heard the Empire's call out in the orchard at Mangrove where for several years he was doing pioneering work along with his elder brother, Fred. He was only 19 years of age, the youngest of three brothers in the firing line. Deceased had previously been wounded, and the last letter we had was from the hospital at Zietoun, in which he stated that he had almost recovered and hoped soon to be back with his mates in the Gallipoli trenches. His other two brothers are both in the hospital. They are sons of our good old friend, Mr Fred Pinkstone, proprietor of the Cootamundra "Herald" and the three went with the first Expedition, landing on the peninsula on the historic 25

th

April. After six hours in that terrible encounter Victor got a bullet through one of his legs. A couple of months later he returned to the firing line, and now we have the sad news that the gallant young sol-dier has been killed.

Gosford Times 17th September 1915 A letter to hand, written by the late Private V J Pinkstone, of Mangrove Mt., in which he says:- "I am happy that I am once more on my way to have another slap at the Turkx; and I am hoping to have a longer stay this time than I had before!". Poor Vic saw but six hours' action after the first landing.

Gosford Times 1st October 1915 HOW VIC PINKSTONE DIED Particulars of the late Private Victor Pinkstone have been sent from Gal-lipoli y his brother Norman, who was with him when he died. A small party of men were left in charge of a Turkish captured trench. They were only a handful and had had a hard fight to hold it all the night before. At daylight Norman left Vic in charge of his section, and went back to his post. Word then came to Norman that poor Vic had been wounded. When Norman got back to him, Vic said, "Don't worry, Norman I'm done for. Say goodbye to everyone for me. Just give me a drink. I'm in no pain. All feeling has left me". There is a little consolation in knowing he did not suffer. He was wounded in the back with schrapnel, and was paralysed. Norman was knocked out a few hours afterwards-picked up insensible from shock from a bomb that burst at the back of him and he was carried off to the hospital. Sid Pinkstone was wounded about the same time.

Abridged record/s courtesy of the National Archives of Australia (NAA) Series No: B2455 Item Barcode: 8014821























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Pinkstone, Victor John