Major General Sir William Throsby Bridges KCB CMG

Great Grandson of my First Fleeter GGG grandfather William Broughton.

Following on from the story of my GG grandmother Elizabeth Broughton

known as Betsy, who at the age of I 7 married Charles T hrosby of Moss

Vale.

Charles and Betsy had I 7 children.

Of these children, the 8"’ child was a daughter named Mary Hill Throsby

who later was to marry William Wilson Somerset Bridges.

Their first child was a boy they named William Throsby Bridges borne 18”’

February I861..

This is just a little of William Bridges life.

William Throsby Bridges was born at Greenock Scotland inI861, the son

an English Royal Navy captain. William was educated at Ryde on the Isle

White, at the Royal Navy School,  at New Cross, London and at Trinity

College, Port Hope Ontario, Canada.

In I877 he entered the Royal Military College at Kingston but dropped out

in 1879 after finishing his term., It was decided that he should re-join his

family who had settled back in his mother ’s home town of Moss Vale N.S. W.

He was very young when his parents had returned to Australia leaving him

to finish at the Military college. It was noticed that William was suffering

anxiety, along with being very unhappy as he was missing his family very

much, thus resulting in his grades slipping.

. Back with his family in Australia, William did many things as a very young

man before he joined the permanent artillery in I885.

One of those positions was Inspector of Roads and Bridges at Murrurundi

NS W, and in I 884 received a promotion in the larger district of

Narrabri. NSW. Here his duties involved supervision of construction and

maintenance of roads and bridges, a job which his superior later stated he

had performed in ‘a most satisfactory manner ’.

There has recently been a memorial dedicated to William placed at a

highway ‘resting area ’ near Narrabri.

William commanded respect for personal courage and administrative

capacity and outstanding intellect. He won the Queen ’s Medal as a Major

in South Africa, becoming Chief Staff Officer in 1904, Chief of Intelligence

Commonwealth Military Boar, in 1905, Australian Representative on the

Imperial General Staff in London I909, after which he was recalled to

Australia following his visits to military schools in England, America &

Canada .

He was requested to Found Australia ’s Military College after which was to

be named “Duntroon ”. This was undertaken in I910, with William being

the first commandant of the military college with the rank of Brigadier-

General. -

General Bridges established the college along the lines of the United States

Military Academy ‘West Point’. His personal impact was evident in nearly

every aspect of the college, from its location at Duntroon to its organization

and routine.

On the military board he became a relentless advocate of efficiency within

the forces.

The building of the college began in 1910 and officially opened in 1911.

The first cadet intake to the college was 31 Australians and 10 New

Zealanders.

In 1914 as Inspector-General of the Commonwealth Millatry Forces,

William was called upon to organize an expeditionary force for overseas

service and he initiated the Australian Government ’s offer of a complete

Australian division rather than existing British divisions. William organized

and named the A.I.F. (Australian Imperial Forces) and this was thus

established as a separate entity. Cabinet insisted that he should administer

and command this division, despite William ’s own recommendation of Sir

Edward Hutton.

At the Gallipoli landing, April 1915, General William Bridges division was

first to go ashore at Anzac Cove.

The General ’s habit of taking inordinate risks and exposing himself to

danger was admired by his men and remarked upon. Bridges was to be seen

doing his tours of the firing line and soon became a familiar figure to the

troops. Afterwards he realized that this was not necessary in helping to keep

up the moral of the men. He realized that it was becoming not only

increasingly dangerous but potentially fatal not only for him but for the men

around him.

‘The men are splendid fellows ’ he wrote to his wife often meeting them

coming down the steep spurs, wounded, but in good spirits.

During a discussion with other leaders regarding a particular plan of attack

General Walker had argued that the plan was not sound enough.

Again Walker put his case forward not to permit the planned attack to go

ahead.

At this point William also agreed and strode over to the telephone without

comment — in his usual silent way. It could be seen that he had also been

convinced, and in the next few minutes the statements he made while at the

telephone left no doubt about the matter. He called up General Birdwood,

then turned and said: I take it on myself; the Australian Division will not

attack. You (addressing Monash) may tell General Godley so from me.

On his way to meet Monash, walking briskly south along the beach with

William in front along with White & Casey shortly behind, the party reached

the mouth of Shrapnel Gully and made their way towards its head. A party

of men of the Ist Light Horse Regiment passed them on the way down to the

beach, and advised particular caution on the next stretch of the path.

William took note of this advise and was midway across the gap when he

pitched and fell. A stretcher-bearer saw him drop and dashed out to drag

him into cover.

William had been shot by a sniper while in the trenches of Gallipoli in

Monash Valley on 16"’ May 1915. The injury tore through his right thigh. He

was eventually stretchered to the hospital ship ’Gascon ’ and was 3 days

before he succumbed to the horrendous wound and gangrene .

Although William did not live to realize it, that same day he died, he was

created K. C.B.

Monash had been only twenty yards away when the wounding took place

and was to write to William ’s wife saying that quote ’William was in a very

bad way and no hopes are entertained for his recovery ’. Monash ’s letter

was not written until two days after William had died as it was not known for

some days after, that William had finally succumbed to his wound.

William was buried with a quiet but impressive ceremony at Chatby Military

Cemetery  Alexandria. in Egypt. The casket was lowered into the ground

during the playing of The Last Post.

General Godley, who had also visited William on the hospital ship the

Gascon was to write later that, quote:

“I cannot tell you how distressed we all are about it. William had gained

the confidence and admiration of the whole Army Corps, and had proved

himself a most able and excellent divisional commander. He was absolutely

fearless in action, and has set a most splendid example to all his men, of

devotion to duty and soldierly resolution.....

General Godley and General William Bridges had worked very well

together with Godley admitting to feeling the loss of Bridges very deeply

adding that If the General did not recover Australia would have ‘lost one of

her best and gallantest sons.... A brave and able leader and commander ’.

A month later however, back in Australia, it was suggested in the House of

Representatives that the General ’s body be returned to Australia for burial

within the grounds of Duntroon, to which the Prime Minister at the time

Andrew Fisher agreed, subject to the approval of Lady Bridges.

In July I915, General Bridges ’ remains were exhumed from his resting

place and transferred to a hermetically sealed, lead-lined hardwood casket

and loaded onto the ship P. & O steamer Arabia.

Lady Bridges had stipulated she wanted no publicity given to the actual

transference of her husband ’s body from Egypt and stressed not to know by

what ship it was being conveyed. It was her wish moreover that the

General ’s body be re-buried on the hill behind the Royal Military College at

Duntroon and that the ceremony be performed by officers and cadets of the

college.

Major General Sir William Throsby Bridges, K. C.B., C.MG., died on 18"’

May I 91 5 from wounds received on Gallipoli Peninsula whilst in command

of the Australian Imperial Force.

A Gallant and erudite soldier, he was the first Commandant of this College,

where in recognition of faithful service, his remains were publicly interred

on 3'd September I915.

William had a hobby of canoeing, which he pursued as frequently as he

could on the Yarra River. In 1908 he fulfilled a long-standing ambition by

navigating the rapids of the Snowy River from Dalgety NS W to Buchan, Vic.

An astonishing voyage of nearly 200 miles accomplished with three friends

and 2 canoes.

Bridge ’s career was essentially that of an able staff officer who had had few

opportunities to command troops before being placed at the head of a

division. A shy and sensitive man, he attempted to mask himself behind an

aloof diffident manner. He was not therefore a popular commander, though

his personal courage was respected.

Williams ’ legacy was enormous. The effects of his creation of the AIF and

his founding of Duntroon would be felt for decades. An aloof man that

many found difficult to like, he nonetheless won wide spread respect.

On ANZAC day there is a special ceremony held at his gravesite by the

Officers and Cadets of Duntroon College.

He is rightfully acknowledged as Australia ’s First notable AIF General and

founder of A Australia’s first Imperial Force.

Major General Sir William Throsby Bridges KCB CMG.

KCB Knight (Commander of the Bath) of the British Empire.

CMG Companion of the order of St. Michael & St. George.

 

Susan Circuitt.