TREBILCOCK, Richard Ernest MC (1880-1976) Richard Ernest Trebilcock, son of Richard Trebilcock and Oceancma nee Richardson was born on 30 June 1880. His older brother, also Richard Ernest Trebilcock, died as the result of accidental scalding, at the age of three in 1879, the year before Richard's birth.
He was educated at Geelong College enrolling on 27 July 1897 with an entry address of Leopold, Victoria. He passed his matriculation examination in 1897.
He married Hester Eustace Tymms, daughter of Robert and Anna Tymms, at Ballarat in 1907.
During World War I, he was working as a solicitor at Kerang when he enlisted in the AIF, embarking for France on
HMAT A54 Runic on 20 June 1916.
The war historian, C E W Bean, wrote extensively of his service at Messines on 7 June 1917:
'The advance of the 10th Brigade also, north of the Douve, had met opposition at a point where it was expected, near Betlheem Farm. Here during the long halt the second and third waves of the 38th Battalion had formed up immediately facing the second German line ('Ungodly Trench'), their task being to capture this and Betlheem Farm, whose ruins, surrounded by several tree-lined hedgerows, lay 300 yards beyond.
The second wave, under Captain Trebilcock, would move straight on to Betlheem Farm and the Black Line, the third under Captain Fairweather1 following to mop up and form a strongpoint in the Douve valley. The few Germans in 'Ungodly Trench' ran back a little way and settled in shell-holes beyond a hedge. As Fairweather's company approached, they opened fire, covered by a machine-gun shooting from some point which could not be immediately located. It held up the right, but to the left front was a hedge and row of trees lining a cart-track to the farm. Behind the trees lay a concrete shelter, and near this, beside the last tree in the avenue, Fairweather presently noticed a large flurry of smoke. It was the gun. Taking a sergeant and two Signallers, he crept over some shell-holes to the hedge, scrambled through it, and ran forward behind it until he was in rear of the blockhouse. Half-a-dozen men bolted as he got there. On a concrete emplacement beside the blockhouse stood the gun, steaming, with a belt of unexpended cartridges beside it.
In the shelter a German officer and soldier were calling 'Kamerad!' Fairweather and his companions, lifting the gun from its emplacement, fired it at the fugitives who sank into shell-holes 150 yards far ther on. The German infantry who had been holding up Fairweather's troops, and who had lost heavily through their rifle-fire, then began to run, and the Victorians pushed on through several hedges and across a road, and almost immediately came upon a German field gun in a small hedged field. They shot two of its crew and captured the gun complete.
A little beyond Betlheem Farm the troops captured another gun abandoned by a party of the enemy who had tried to drag it away. The 10th Brigade here reached its sector of the Black Line, the main defensive line to be held along the captured ridge. Fairweather's company began to dig a Strong-post
between Betlheem Farm and the Douve, and Trebilcock's and Latchford's2 a trench east of Betlheem Farm joining that of the New Zealanders between 'White Spot Cottages' and a small hedged field known as the 'Zareeba'. The line here chosen was slightly in advance of the intended position of the Black Line and connected with the New Zealand posts subsequently placed on the Black Dotted Line. From the German dump at Betlheem the 38th obtained extra shovels and other stores and all the wire required for the work. ...
(Next Day) The bombardment increased again shortly after 5 o'clock. Captains Fairweather and Trebilcock, holding th Black Line in the Douve valley, reported that the dust and smoke hid everything. At 6.25 Fairweather sent word that the Germans were counter-attacking in force 'on the right of the Black Line'.' Trebilcock was awarded the Military Cross for his actions, gazetted on 25 August 1917, the citation reading:
'He led his company with great dash to its objective, greatly inspiring the men by his disregard of danger and his cheerfulness under heavy fire, and other trying conditions. He consolidated and held his post for over two days, by his great determination and courage greatly assisting the efficient conduct of the whole operation.' Bean also wrote of his time at Second Passchendaele.
Trebilcock was invalided home to Australia, embarking on 19 October 1918.
His Battalion's battle honours were Messines 1917, Ypres 1917, Polygon Wood, Broodseinde, Poelcappelle, Passchendaele, Somme 1918, Ancre 1918, Amiens, Albert 1918, Mont St Quentin, Hindenburg Line, St Quentin Canal and France and Flanders 1916-1918.
The Bendigonian described his war service in an item dated 20 September 1917 entitled:
'CAPTAIN R. E. TREBILCOCK, Of Kerang, winner of the Military Cross.' The item continued:
'Captain Richard Ernest Trebilcock was born at Leopold, near Geelong, 36 years ago, his father being Mr. Richard Trebilcock, a well known resident of the district.
He studied, for the law and was admitted to practice in 1904, three years later joining Messrs. Connelly, Tatchell and Dunlop, at Kerang, the well known firm of solicitors, in which he still retains his interest. He became identified with the Citizen Forces in 1909, as lieutenant, and speedily proved himself to be a particularly enthusiastic and capable officer. Early in the war he offered his services, which were availed of in January, 1916, on the formation of the 38th Battalion, when he went into camp at Bendigo. He was selected for special training at Duntroon in April of the same year, and subsequently attained his captaincy, and on the 20th June he sailed with the battalion from Australia. After a further period of training in England he crossed to France in November, 1916, and proceeded to the front where he has since remained.
He was reported to have been slightly wounded during the strenuous Messines operations, but heremained on duty, and later secured the Military Cross. Details of the exceptional services for which he was awarded this high. distinction are not available. Captain Trebilcock is married. His wife, who is living quietly with their two young children at East Malvern, was a Miss Tymms, daughter of Mr. A. Tymmns, formerly a well, known jeweller, of Elizabeth Street, Melbourne.' His brothers, John Augustus Trebilcock (1873-1958), and
Frank Trebilcock (1886-1968), were also educated at Geelong College.
1Captain Francis Edward Fairweather, the son of John and Annie Mabel Fairweather,
of Heidelberg, MC and Bar, 38 Bn, was killed in action on 29 September 1918 in the
attack with the Americans on the Hindenburg Line. He was awarded the MC for Messines. he was re-interred at Templeux-le-Guerard British Cemetery, France, Grave II.F.41.
2Captam EW Latchford, MC, MSM, 38 Bn, of Ascot Vale and Armadale.
Sources: The Bendigonian‘ (Bendigo) 20 September 1917 p2; Geelong Collegians at the Great War’ compiled by James Affleck. pp 329-330 (citing C E W Bean, 'The Official History of Australia in thr War of 1914 - 1918 The AIF in France 1917'; The Pegasus; National Archives).