Earl Stephen Howard 1895 1928 biography
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Cort Topton Homardd 7595 7935
Earl Stephen went to school at Sisters Creek, but later moved to Flowerdale with his father and
later about 1909 moved to Mella where he became interested in competitive wood chopping, he
was able to practice extensively when clearing the land.
Earl and Les Farnham, a very close friend, were among the first to enlist, Earl on 23.9.1914 and
Les 29.9.1914 at Smithton for the 1914/18 world war, they proceeded to Claremont camp for
basic training. # 51
The 15th battalion was composed (Queensland Organization) of two Companies of Tasmanians
and six of Queenslanders, one Company of Tasmanians being under the command of Major
Snowden, the other under captain H. C. Davies. The Tasmanian companies were formed in
October 1914 and went into camp at Claremont, being the first troops to train there. In
November 1914, the Battalion concentrated in Victoria, and went into camp at Broadmeadows,
together with the 13', 14', and 16th Battalions, the Brigade being under the command of Colonel
Monash. On December 22™ the 15th Battalion embarked on the Transport “Ceramic” for Egypt,
arriving there early in February 1915.
The whole of the 4th Brigade went into camp at Aerodrome Camp, some nine miles from Cairo,
and after undergoing further training there, proceeded to Alexandria early in April to embark on
the transport Australind for Lemnos Island. On arrival at Lemnos a special course of training
had to be gone through, including quick disembarkation into boats. On the night of the 24™ April
1915, the Transport Australind, in common with the remainder of the transports at Lemnos,
proceeded to sea with the object of going to Gallipoli, half of the 15 th Battalion only being on
the Australind.
This half included the Tasmanians in the Battalion. The transport had two pontoons on board,
and these were to assist the Imperial troops to land at Cape Helles, the Australind proceeded to
the entrance to the Dardanelles, whilst the rest of the Australian convoy proceeded to Anzac.
The troops on the Australind were, therefore the only Australians to witness the landing at Cape
Helles, which was effected by the British and French troops at daybreak on the 25h of April.
From the transport, the River Clyde could be plainly seen as she was run on shore, a mile away,
while a little in rear of the Australind the Queen Elizabeth, with her immense 15 inch guns,
opened fire at the Turkish position at a range of about seven or eight miles.
After discharging the pontoons the Australind at 11 a.m. on the morning of the landing,
proceeded along the coast to Anzac Cove, where some hours previously, the first Australian
troops had landed in the afternoon, but as soon as darkness set in preparations were made to
effect the landing of all troops on transports for the shore, some two miles distance, on a
destroyer. After proceeding to within a few hundred yards of the shore, under fire the whole
time, the destroyer stopped, and the troops were transferred to smaller boats, and by this
means taken to the shore, where they arrived at about 8 p. m. As each party arrived on shore it
was directed or led to certain positions in the general line that had been decided on. As a result
of this the members of the Battalion were scattered all along the firing line, only about 500 men
being left under the command or the battalion commander.
Most of the Tasmanians remained together, and after marching for some time were directed to
"dig in". This they did on quick time as the bullets and shrapnel were flying very thick. When
day broke the firing got heavier, but the trenches had been well constructed, and the casualties
were not heavy. After holding the position for 12 hours orders were received to advance to a
position about 500 yards in front. This position was occupied at the double, and the battalion
dug in. the losses during the forward move were not heavy.
With the assistance of the Indian Mounted Battery, the Turks were held in check, no attack was
made on this part of the line during the time it was held by the 15 th Battalion, but during this
time were subject to heavy shrapnel fire, causing a number of casualties. The position they
held at the head of what was afterwards known as "Shrapnel Gully".
The battalion headquarters remained in this position until the 28h of April, when they proceeded
to the beach, for the purpose of reorganization. On arriving there, the fit of the remainder of the
battalion met them with a cheer and enquiries regarding the doings of each company, and met
with the reply that, although the losses had been heavy, the men were in good spirits, eager to
avenge their lost comrades. The battalion remained on the beach until the morning of the 29"
and members were thus able to enjoy their first undisturbed sleep since the landing.
On the afternoon of the 28th, the battalion was moving up Monash Gully, preparatory to taking
over the Pope's Hill position, which was done on the morning of the 30'. Les Farnham of G Coy
was killed some time in this action and buried at pope's Hill. #52
The position occupied by the Tasmanian Company was known as the "Death Trap", on account
of its exposed position, and the shallowness of the trenches; the ground being of a rocky nature,
a great deal of hard digging had to be done to secure a couple of feet of cover. Owing to the
fact that the Turks had a machine gun laid on the position, the digging could only be done at
night time, and even then could not be done without loss.
The line occupied was about four hundred yards from the Turkish trenches. On the Sunday
after landing orders were issued that a combined attack of the 4 th Brigade was to be made on
the enemy in front of "Pope’s I-Ell", and at 7.30, after a heavy artillery bombardment, the
Tasmanian portion of the Brigade moved forward to the attack.
The Turks were evidently prepared for the attacking party, who were met with concentrated
machine gun fire from all the guns in the vicinity, and although by this time darkness had set in,
heavy losses were suffered. However the attack was pushed home, and the position captured.
When morning broke it was found that there were not sufficient men to occupy the ground
captured. The R.M.L.I. were, therefore, ordered to occupy the position on the left of the
Tasmanians, but owing to the heavy fire they could not advance far enough to be of any use in
protecting the left flank, with the result that the Tasmanian right flank was in touch with the
Battalion, but the left flank was exposed. The Turks taking advantage of this, pushed their
troops in but were unable to recapture the trenches, although they fought stubbornly all day.
On the night of the 4th May, after being without sleep for two nights, the members of the 15™
on were ordered to retire. The retirement was effected without loss.
The losses during the two days had been exceptionally heavy, and owing to the exposed
position water and food could not be brought forward except at great risk.
After retiring one day's rest was allowed, however Earl of H Coy set about digging a trench
when he was shot by a Turk sniper through the neck as he raised his pick, the casualty form
lists the following details:
5/5/15 received from "Devanha" Paralysis right arm 8/5/15 admitted to Deaconess
Hospital, Alexandria 29/5/15 G. S.W. neck, Admitted to convalescent camp, Mustapha
5/7/15 Embarked per "Ballarat" Alexandria to Australia for discharge. Authorized by
Medical Board.
At the time Earl was in the convalescent camp at Mustapha, when the orders of the 15"
Battalion were to hold the post at all costs. Then commenced one of the hardest fights the
Tassies had been into to date.
Line after line the Turkish troops came forward, only to be shot down by the defenders of
Quinns' Post, ably assisted by the troops on their right and left, who not being engaged in front,
assisted the 15th by their fire from the flanks.
With only 500 men in the trenches at Quinn’s, and 10,000 attacking, it seemed impossible for
the position to be held, but the orders were to "stick to the post" and stick to it they did.
Eventually the Turks were forced to retire, leaving over 5,000 dead in front of Quinns' alone.
Earl on his return to Tasmania, was finally discharged on 16"June 1916 at Hobart, being
medically unfit through wounds received in action, not due to misconduct. Total service 1 year,
268 days, service abroad 250 days.
It would appear Earl could not just stand down as he enlisted again in the army on the 11"
October 1916 (No 118 8) and was sent to Claremont were he obtained the rank of Corporal
Instructor, he was again discharged on 6™ July 1917 (No T4734), serving 263 days, being
medically unfit, not due to misconduct.
Item in the Smithton Newspaper in 1938:
Mr. Earl Howard has written to his brother Fred of this town that he is to enter the Caulfield
Repatriation Hospital for special treatment. Earl and Les Farnham, who was killed at the
landing of Gallipoli, were the first two volunteers to be accepted from Smithton.
Earl was wounded at Gallipoli, but re-enlisted from Smithton and was again wounded. ( this
error wounded a second time was the result of the discharge papers noted, medically unfit due
to wounds). Later he went to Canada, and missed the medal, which the Smithton Red Cross
committee had secured for each local volunteer.
In 1932 he re-visited Smithton and received the medal from Mrs. Ward. For some time he has
been in the Repatriation Hospital at Hobart. #53
Earl could not settle down after the war, so he went to Canada in 1919, working his way down to
the U.S A. where he was employed by Western Division railways as a conductor. He later
moved to Hollywood as a Script writer, where he came in contact with many famous actors.
Among those was Tom Mix who spent considerable time with Earl and Tom presented a large -
photograph framed for Earl. There it was that Earl acquired the knowledge of story writing and
radio building. He later moved to Utah where he stayed with a Mormon family, by the name of
Garcia # 54
Earl returned to Tasmania in 1922 and took up residence in Hobart, where he spent
considerable time on his hobbies of radio and writing, receiving an Amateur Operators
certificate of proficiency in Radio-Telegraphy No. 470 dated 6" December 1928 and later
obtained an Experimental licence No. 1018 23™ September 1930 to operate a amateur radio
station, transmit and receive valve radio at 25 watts call sign 7 ET.
Earl produced many radio sets for interested persons, and when time permitted he wrote short
S%a /4 stenes, they were printed in Smith's Weekly newspaper and the periodical "Australian Journal".
He wrote under his own name and also under a ghost name "Anon U, Myss". Some of these
stones included "Twenty Thousand Pounds", "Exactly at Three", "Test Case", "Symptoms of
Sin, "The Art of Story Writing". # 55
At this time he was a clerk of the court at Hobart, when he met and married Pearl Elaine
Tomlinson, a daughter of Sydney Morgan George and Kate Pike Tomlinson (Ackerly) on the
17" December 1927. The ceremony took place at the Baptist church Moonah, Rev. Raymond
Farier officiated and was witnessed by S. M. G. Tomlinson and H Liddall. There were two
children to this marriage. Earl Garcia b. 28" March 1933, June Pearl b. 15" December 1937.
#56
While retaining an interest in writing and radio Earl built a motor boat which was used for racing
and pleasure. Earl was a member of the general committee of the Motor Yacht Club of
Tasmania in 1930-31, in later years he buiit a caravan and this was used to tour around
Tasmania. #57
Earl lived in many addresses around Hobart, but with his failing health due to war wounds he
had sustained and was finally admitted to Caulfield Repatriation Hospital in Melbourne. Pearl
and family also move to Truganini Road, Carnegie, so they could be close to Earl, however after
a short period of iliness he died 14" June 1938, age 42. Earls' body was transported to
Somerset, Tasmania and buried in that cemetery. # 58
Extract from
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