Pte
Malcolm Tait Spiden
Information about birth
|
Year of birth: 1893 |
|
Place of birth: Thinoomba, Queensland, Australia |
General information
|
Profession: Stockman |
Army information
|
Country: Australia |
|
Force: Australian Imperial Force |
|
Rank: Private |
|
Service number: 3482 |
|
Enlistment date: 17/10/1916 |
|
Enlistment place: Maryborough, Queensland, Australia |
|
Units: — Australian Infantry, 47th Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
|
Date of death: 12/10/1917 |
|
Place of death: Defy Crossing, Belgium |
|
Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
|
Age: 24 |
Cemetery
|
Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood Plot: VII Row: C Grave: 2 |
Distinctions and medals 2
|
British War Medal Medal |
|
Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 2
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Enlistment place |
My story
Private Malcolm Tait Spiden served in the Australian Infantry 47th Battalion, part of the 12th Brigade of the 4th Australian Division.
The 12th Australian Brigade participated in the First Battle of Passchendaele. On the 12th of October 1917, the 4th Division advanced from the Broodseinde Ridge, East of Zonnebeke, towards the Keiberg Spur, South of Passchendaele. This in order to flank guard the 3rd Australian Division, which had to capture the village of Passchendaele itself. Two Battalions of the 12th Brigade, the 47th en 48th Infantry Battalions, had the objective to protect the right flank of the II ANZAC Corps attack of the 3rd Australian Division.
At zero hour, 5.20 a.m., the 47th advanced. However the advance was no sinecure. Moments before the attack a German barrage came crashing down on the start line and the Battalion’s headquarters. This alerted the 47th of a German attack. The German shelling caused considerable casualties. Amongst others nearly all signalers and runners had become casualties, thus crippling all further communication. On top of the German shelling the heavy rain had made the ground very muddy and the shell holes became slimy and waterlogged death traps. Many wounded soldiers who tripped and fell in a shell hole never surfaced again. Despite these difficult conditions, the 47th attacked towards the first objective.
Moving out of Decoy Wood, the men went on to the first objective, towards the village of Passchendaele. The 47th came under fire from pillboxes at Vienna Cottage and Assyria. The latter German strongpoint was in the sector of the 9th Australian Brigade, of the 3rd Australian Division, and had to be taken out by 9th. But the 9th had made almost no progress. In the meanwhile the 47th Battalion was losing men due to snipers and machine-gun fire. While the 47th went onward the German artillery started targeting the attacking parties with renewed intensity. Despite heavy losses the 47th managed to capture the strongpoint at Assyria, greatly diminishing the threat on the right. But the wet, muddy nature of the ground rendered it very difficult for the men to move forward and moving supplies to forward positions was neigh to impossible.
The 3rd Division on the left of the 47th and 48th was forced to retreat and left the left flank open. Two German counter-attacks, one at 4 p.m. and one at 5 p.m., were driven off by Lewis gun teams and rapid rifle fire. Due to the withdrawal of the 3rd Division, the left flank was under increasing pressure. The Germans gained momentum and were able to recapture Assyria. With Assyria firmly back in German hands the right flank of the 47th and 48th was in the air. This led to the withdrawal of the 47th and 48th Battalions. They withdrew alongside the railway back to their starting positions near Defy Crossing.
Private Malcolm Spiden fell victim to German shelling on 12 October 1917 south of Passchendaele. He was killed in action while the 47th took part in the First Battle of Passchendaele. Private Malcolm Spiden was buried in the field along the Ypres-Roulers railroad just east of Defy Crossing. His remains were exhumed after the war and interred at the Buttes New British Cemetery in Polygon Wood.
The 12th Australian Brigade participated in the First Battle of Passchendaele. On the 12th of October 1917, the 4th Division advanced from the Broodseinde Ridge, East of Zonnebeke, towards the Keiberg Spur, South of Passchendaele. This in order to flank guard the 3rd Australian Division, which had to capture the village of Passchendaele itself. Two Battalions of the 12th Brigade, the 47th en 48th Infantry Battalions, had the objective to protect the right flank of the II ANZAC Corps attack of the 3rd Australian Division.
At zero hour, 5.20 a.m., the 47th advanced. However the advance was no sinecure. Moments before the attack a German barrage came crashing down on the start line and the Battalion’s headquarters. This alerted the 47th of a German attack. The German shelling caused considerable casualties. Amongst others nearly all signalers and runners had become casualties, thus crippling all further communication. On top of the German shelling the heavy rain had made the ground very muddy and the shell holes became slimy and waterlogged death traps. Many wounded soldiers who tripped and fell in a shell hole never surfaced again. Despite these difficult conditions, the 47th attacked towards the first objective.
Moving out of Decoy Wood, the men went on to the first objective, towards the village of Passchendaele. The 47th came under fire from pillboxes at Vienna Cottage and Assyria. The latter German strongpoint was in the sector of the 9th Australian Brigade, of the 3rd Australian Division, and had to be taken out by 9th. But the 9th had made almost no progress. In the meanwhile the 47th Battalion was losing men due to snipers and machine-gun fire. While the 47th went onward the German artillery started targeting the attacking parties with renewed intensity. Despite heavy losses the 47th managed to capture the strongpoint at Assyria, greatly diminishing the threat on the right. But the wet, muddy nature of the ground rendered it very difficult for the men to move forward and moving supplies to forward positions was neigh to impossible.
The 3rd Division on the left of the 47th and 48th was forced to retreat and left the left flank open. Two German counter-attacks, one at 4 p.m. and one at 5 p.m., were driven off by Lewis gun teams and rapid rifle fire. Due to the withdrawal of the 3rd Division, the left flank was under increasing pressure. The Germans gained momentum and were able to recapture Assyria. With Assyria firmly back in German hands the right flank of the 47th and 48th was in the air. This led to the withdrawal of the 47th and 48th Battalions. They withdrew alongside the railway back to their starting positions near Defy Crossing.
Private Malcolm Spiden fell victim to German shelling on 12 October 1917 south of Passchendaele. He was killed in action while the 47th took part in the First Battle of Passchendaele. Private Malcolm Spiden was buried in the field along the Ypres-Roulers railroad just east of Defy Crossing. His remains were exhumed after the war and interred at the Buttes New British Cemetery in Polygon Wood.
Sources 9
|
"Battle scarred : The 47th Battalion in the First World War", Deayton C., Newport, Big Sky Publishing, 2011, pg. 167-187. Sources used |
|
"The Third Ypres Passchendaele. The Day-by-Day Account", McCarthy C., London, Arms & Armour Press, 1995, pg. 113. Sources used |
|
AIF-project https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/search Sources used |
|
Australian War Memorial https://www.awm.gov.au/advanced-search?query=spiden+malcolm&people=true Sources used |
|
CWGC https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/480461/spiden,-malcolm-tait/ Sources used |
|
Image https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/199885411?q=spiden&c=picture&versionId=219182583 Sources used |
|
National Archives of Australia https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/DetailsReports/ItemDetail.aspx?Barcode=8091187&isAv=N Sources used |
|
The Long, Long Trail http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/ Sources used |
|
War Diary Australian Infantry 47th Bn. https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1345059 Sources used |