Moil - A tribute to the fallen
by Garey Neenan
Moil
The Northern Territory Place Names Committee makes recommendations to the Minister for the naming places within the Territory. Guidelines cover the naming of places after people for posterity. Around 1968, the suburb of Moil was gazetted and a decision was taken to name the streets of Moil after Territory soldiers who did not return from the Great War.
Today, Moil stands as a living memorial to a few of those who lost their lives.
The Northern Territory Place Names Committee makes recommendations to the Minister for the naming places within the Territory. Guidelines cover the naming of places after people for posterity. Around 1968, the suburb of Moil was gazetted and a decision was taken to name the streets of Moil after Territory soldiers who did not return from the Great War.
Today, Moil stands as a living memorial to a few of those who lost their lives.
Boyle Street
Named after Neil Stuart Boyle, an engineer who worked in Darwin before the enlisting in 1915 and commissioned at the rank of Lieutenant . Boyle saw action in Galipolli and the western front in France, was wounded twice. On 1 September 1918, he received a gunshot wound to the head and died from his wounds at 8th General Hospital, Rouen France.
He was buried in St. Sever Cemetery (Plot C, Row 3, grave No. 2), Rouen, France
Garr Street
Named after brothers William and Matthew Garr, two of 14 children of Filipino origin and two of four brothers who volunteered for service.
The brothers enlisted in 1915 and saw action on the western front of France and Belgium.
William was killed in action on 30 November 1916 by a high explosive shell and buried at at Longrueval Road Cemetery, Belgium. Matthew was killed in in Belgium on 29 September 1917 and his body was not recovered.
Palencio Garr was discharged in Australia soon after enlisting and Glamor Garr returned to Australia in 1919, having been awarded the Military Medal for bravery at Villers Bretonneaux in July 1918.
Byrne Circuit and Bryne Park
Montague "Montie" Charles Byrne was a Darwin born and bred stockman at Brocks Creek with family ties to Tipperary Station. He enlisted in Darwin in early 1916 and traveled overseas to France later that year. Byrne was killed in action on 7 May 1917 during on the Hindenburg Line near Bullecourt. His remains were never found.
Wilson Crescent and Wilson Park
Born in Mernda Victoria, Norman Claude Wilson worked in Darwin as a Surveyor's Assistant before enlisting in late 1914. Wilson served at Galipolli and suffered a gunshot wound to the shoulder. He spent the remainder of the war in the Middle East, contracting malaria in September 1918, and dying from the disease a month later in Damascus.
Beck Street
Thomas Frederick Beck was born in London was employed in Darwin as a cook before enlisting in December 1915. Beck received a shrapnel wound to his back and left side, and died from his wounds in the 3rd Canadian Field Ambulance Station on 3 September 1916 before being buried at the Waloy-Baillon Cemetery in France.
Budgeon Street
Named after William Ernest Budgen who was born and in Darwin and work as a fitter and turner at the railway workshops at Parap.
The Budgen family are acknowledged pioneers in the Darwin area and their family is documented in the Northern Territory Dictionary of Biography. Budgen's mother operated the Terminus Hotel in Cavenagh street, which was located where the Civic Centre now resides. She was a founding member of the Red Cross in Darwin and established the first cinema which operated, twice a week, in the old Town Hall.
Budgen enlisted at the age of 20 years in March 1916, travelling to France in February 1917. He was reported missing in action on 11 April 1917. Reports from the unit diary describe the attack on Bullecourt on this day where an advance on the German lines was made in the snow, followed by a heavy counter attack by the Germans.
A report from a Private JR Jones stated that he had seen Budgen on the evening of 11 April while making their way back to their lines. Budgen appeared to have a stomach wound. He was last seen between Lagnacourt and a sunken road.
A Court of Inquiry held on 7 November 1917 determined that Budgen had been killed in action and his body was never found.
Pott Street
Born in Brisbane, Pott worked in Darwin as a railway porter and was a member of the Darwin Cable Guard, the first defence presence in northern Australia after the Northern Territory came under control of the Commonwealth in 1911, protecting underwater telecommunications line to Java.
Pott enlisted in April 1915 and served in Galipolli and France. He was a competent rifleman and became a successful sniper. While in France on 29 July 1916, he received multiple gunshot wounds and died from his wounds in the 4th Field Ambulance on 5 days later.
In Darwin on 16 August 2917, a story appeared in the Northern Territory Times and Gazette (old NT News) claiming CJ Kirkland had two letters written by Pott after being shot. The story reported that Pott penned the letters after becoming stranded in no-mans land for a number of days.
Named after Neil Stuart Boyle, an engineer who worked in Darwin before the enlisting in 1915 and commissioned at the rank of Lieutenant . Boyle saw action in Galipolli and the western front in France, was wounded twice. On 1 September 1918, he received a gunshot wound to the head and died from his wounds at 8th General Hospital, Rouen France.
He was buried in St. Sever Cemetery (Plot C, Row 3, grave No. 2), Rouen, France
Garr Street
Named after brothers William and Matthew Garr, two of 14 children of Filipino origin and two of four brothers who volunteered for service.
The brothers enlisted in 1915 and saw action on the western front of France and Belgium.
William was killed in action on 30 November 1916 by a high explosive shell and buried at at Longrueval Road Cemetery, Belgium. Matthew was killed in in Belgium on 29 September 1917 and his body was not recovered.
Palencio Garr was discharged in Australia soon after enlisting and Glamor Garr returned to Australia in 1919, having been awarded the Military Medal for bravery at Villers Bretonneaux in July 1918.
Byrne Circuit and Bryne Park
Montague "Montie" Charles Byrne was a Darwin born and bred stockman at Brocks Creek with family ties to Tipperary Station. He enlisted in Darwin in early 1916 and traveled overseas to France later that year. Byrne was killed in action on 7 May 1917 during on the Hindenburg Line near Bullecourt. His remains were never found.
Wilson Crescent and Wilson Park
Born in Mernda Victoria, Norman Claude Wilson worked in Darwin as a Surveyor's Assistant before enlisting in late 1914. Wilson served at Galipolli and suffered a gunshot wound to the shoulder. He spent the remainder of the war in the Middle East, contracting malaria in September 1918, and dying from the disease a month later in Damascus.
Beck Street
Thomas Frederick Beck was born in London was employed in Darwin as a cook before enlisting in December 1915. Beck received a shrapnel wound to his back and left side, and died from his wounds in the 3rd Canadian Field Ambulance Station on 3 September 1916 before being buried at the Waloy-Baillon Cemetery in France.
Budgeon Street
Named after William Ernest Budgen who was born and in Darwin and work as a fitter and turner at the railway workshops at Parap.
The Budgen family are acknowledged pioneers in the Darwin area and their family is documented in the Northern Territory Dictionary of Biography. Budgen's mother operated the Terminus Hotel in Cavenagh street, which was located where the Civic Centre now resides. She was a founding member of the Red Cross in Darwin and established the first cinema which operated, twice a week, in the old Town Hall.
Budgen enlisted at the age of 20 years in March 1916, travelling to France in February 1917. He was reported missing in action on 11 April 1917. Reports from the unit diary describe the attack on Bullecourt on this day where an advance on the German lines was made in the snow, followed by a heavy counter attack by the Germans.
A report from a Private JR Jones stated that he had seen Budgen on the evening of 11 April while making their way back to their lines. Budgen appeared to have a stomach wound. He was last seen between Lagnacourt and a sunken road.
A Court of Inquiry held on 7 November 1917 determined that Budgen had been killed in action and his body was never found.
Pott Street
Born in Brisbane, Pott worked in Darwin as a railway porter and was a member of the Darwin Cable Guard, the first defence presence in northern Australia after the Northern Territory came under control of the Commonwealth in 1911, protecting underwater telecommunications line to Java.
Pott enlisted in April 1915 and served in Galipolli and France. He was a competent rifleman and became a successful sniper. While in France on 29 July 1916, he received multiple gunshot wounds and died from his wounds in the 4th Field Ambulance on 5 days later.
In Darwin on 16 August 2917, a story appeared in the Northern Territory Times and Gazette (old NT News) claiming CJ Kirkland had two letters written by Pott after being shot. The story reported that Pott penned the letters after becoming stranded in no-mans land for a number of days.