Fallen Hero

• Tim Barrett, Grade 6
• Short Story
• 2013

Introduction – 1919

My name is Charlie J Hunter. I’m a Drover from the outback. I served in the horrible war in the nasty trenches


Chapter 1 – August 1914

I was a young drover when the war began. Dad picked up the paper with the headline : WAR DECLARED.
I thought the Germans were savages. I rushed into town on Darky hitched to the buggy. I was so fast I nearly crashed into the Town Hall. I ran up the steps, into the hall and walked to the recruiting desk. I was only fifteen but I said I was nineteen.

The Officer at the desk said “Son, ya really gonna lie to get in? I’d like to see you try”.

At home Mum was furious. “You’re not going, don’t want you in pieces”.
Dad said “My Dad survived the Boer War, let ‘im go”. But then Dad changed his mind and said “You’re too young, the AIF’s age limit is 19-29”


Chapter 2 – October 1915

It was horrible at home. People yelled at me “coward” or “boo”. I was sixteen now and I needed to go to war. The older boys were at Gallipoli. I tried and tried to go off but Mum found out every time. It was all too much. So one day I decided to join up for good.

The Town Hall was teeming with volunteers. It was now or never.
“How old are you”, the Officer asked.
“Nineteen but I look sixteen”, I said.
“Congratulations” he said “welcome to the 7th Batallion AIF”.

At home I broke the news to Mum and Dad. I felt in my pocket. I found a train ticket to Duntroon.



Chapter 3 - October-November 1915

At the station I was boarding the troop train to Duntroon. Chug, chug, chug - the train started moving. I waved to Mum and Dad out of the window. I was on the train for hours. I arrived at Canberra station where I met Tommy Parker from Bourke.

We went through rigorous training. Days went by. We were taught to march, salute, work a gun, tie bayonets to guns and to shoot. We completed training and given uniforms.


Chapter 4 – December 1915

We rocked from side to side on the boat. I hated the cramped, dark space in the sleeping quarters. We stopped in South Africa for supplies. Then we rocked our way to France.

We arrived in France on Boxing Day. I saw British soldiers being rushed around from place to place in trucks and trains. Wounded soldiers screamed in pain. Troops had no arms, no legs, no eye, smashed faces, loss of memory, ‘shellshock’ and dyslexia from schrapnel.


Chapter 5 – January 1916

We were in the trenches now. The most horrible and nasty place ever. The shells were so loud you fell over in the thick, deep mud. One day I received a care package from the Australian Comforts fund. We got pyjamas, socks, beanies, scarves and a magazine.


Chapter 6 – February 1916

In those horrible trenches we saw huge rats. They were as big as cats, even bigger! We had no rat traps or poison so we blew them up with cordite, an explosive substance.

We dreaded going “over the top”. Our nightmares became real one day. The sergeant blew the whistle when the first ray of light came over a shell hole. We ran out of the trench. Bullets whizzed over our helmets. Machine guns rattled and rattled in this hell on earth. We scurried back into the trench like rabbits during a forest shooting. Many men died while being carried to safety on the stretchers.


(from the diary of Charlie J Hunter)