Horace Gilchrist Lennox
Stephen LearmonthHorace Lennox had a short war. Whilst his service records indicate that he was 18 at the time of enlisting, birth records show that he was born in 1899. Horace was therefore only 16 or 17 years old when he enlisted on 14 April 1915. Horace’s father was a local policeman whilst his mother, Margaret, was a daughter of Hugh Harris senior, one of the first selectors in the Corryong district.
Horace’s father, Hugh, died while on duty as a result of a fall off his horse in March of 1907. At the time Hugh was stationed at the Mitta Police Station. Horace’s mother, Margaret, remarried sometime before 1910 as an article in the Friday 26 edition of Wodonga and Towong Sentinel carried an article stating that “substitute the name of Margaret Dignam for Margaret Lennox in the Australian wine and billiard table licences for the Corryong Coffee Palace. … The licensee, he added, had lately been married.”
Enlistment details indicate a young man, 170 cm tall, with a light complexion, blue eyes, and light brown hair. Horace, service number 2316, was assigned to the 6th Reinforcements for the 6th Infantry Battalion. After two months of training at Broadmeadows near Melbourne, he embarked on HMAT A62 Wandilla on 17 June 1915.
On 6 August 1915, Horace landed at Anzac Cove on the Gallipoli Peninsula where he joined his unit, B Company, 6th Battalion, 2nd Infantry Brigade, 1st Australian Division. As fate would have it, he landed in time to participate in the Division’s attack on Lone Pine.
The Lone Pine operation was planned purely as a diversion aimed at drawing Turkish reserves away from a major attack to be launched from the northern end of the perimeter at a place called Hill 971. The 6th Battalion War Diary for 6 August, written by Lieutenant-Colonel A. J. Bennett provides an interesting picture of the preparations for the attack that Horace was to be involved in. “Issued orders to all officers for attack at midnight on German Officers Trench and the destruction of Sniper's Trench - Bde Operation Order No 1 and Battalion Operation Order No 2, with special instructions herewith.
1530 Rehearsed taking up night positions for attack
1630 Artillery dropped a few shells on German Officer’s Trench but did no damage. Enemy replied by damaging our trenches with fire from 4.7 and 74mm guns.
1930 Engineers broke in roof of recess between tunnels D.18 and D24 also Union Trench. This was reported complete and the trench was clear
2300 Engineers exploded mine D 25 A with no apparent effect.”
The diary for the following day, 7 August, states “All parties having reported in position signal was given to attack. Immediately our men emerged from the tunnel enemy opened a heavy rifle and machinegun fire on us. The wounded men attempted to return through the openings they had just left this causing a serious block”. The Turkish trenches at Lone Pine were heavily fortified, having pine logs placed over them and dirt on top of them.
Horace’s unit was involved in the charge from Steele’s Point across to the German Officer’s Trench. During this attack, his unit was unsuccessful in reaching its objective. Two other members of his unit last saw Horace during the charge. As they never reached the German Officer’s Trench he could not have been taken prisoner and was listed as missing. The morning after the attack only 30 out of the 150 light horsemen answered the roll call.
A personal note was included in the Corryong Courier dated 28 October 1915 and read,
“PRIVATE H. G. LENNOX MISSING. In the casualty lists issued on 20th Private H. G. Lennox (son of Mrs Dignan, formerly of Corryong) is posted as missing at the Dardanelles. No particulars have been received by the relatives. Horace's many friends will join with us in hoping that he turns up again all right.”
An inquiry was held on 24 April 1916 where Horace was presumed killed in action. He has no known grave but is commemorated on Panel 26 of the Lone Pine Memorial, Gallipoli, Turkey.
Horace is remembered at the Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, the Lone Pine Memorial to the Missing, the Corryong State School Roll of Honour, and the Corryong War Memorial. For his service during the war he was awarded the 1914-15 Star, the British War Medal, and the Victory Medal.
