Lyle aubrey Blackman, William and Frances' ninth child, in war and peace

Lyle Aubrey was educated at Ballarat State School and Grenville College. He and his cousin John Reginald both joined the famous 8th Battalion, when it recruited from Ballarat and its surrounding district. They are both on the nominal roll of the original battalion when it sailed on HMAT A24 'Benalla', from Melbourne, on 19 October 1914.

• Blackman LA 2nd/Lt 'D' Coy
• Blackman JR 523 L/Cpl 'E' Coy - who has his own page

Both served in Gallipoli, as original ANZACs, and with distinction in France.  Both would have been eligible for the 1915 Star, rose to the rank of captain, won the Military Cross (JR with bar) and were wounded in action.

Left: Men of the 2nd Australian Infantry Brigade walking down the Port Melbourne pier to embark on HMAT Benalla (A24) (right), and HMAT Hororata (A20) (left), for service overseas. Source: Australian War Memorial (AWM) Ref: C02793

Right: HMAT A24 Benalla at sea on   19 October 1914 of 11,118 tons and 14 knots. Formerly of the P & O SN Co London. Commonwealth control ended 6 August 1917. Source: AWM Ref: PB0246

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His Military Cross

The follow extracts from the War Diaries of 8th Battalion records LA Blackman's award of the Military Cross.

Source: 8^th Battalion War Diaries, The National Archives, London, WO95/3240
Source: 8^th Battalion War Diary, Australian War Memorial

Battalion Nominal Roll for 29 July 1918 shows that Lieut. LA Blackman headed the list of 'A' Coy officers as Company commander. He is not listed in the Nominal Rolls for August and September 1918. There is no evidence of him being gazetted captain. Lyle's Military Cross action and photograph is recorded in Austin, Ron, 'Cobbers in Khaki: History of the 8th Battalion 1914-1918’, Slouch Hat, McCrae, Victoria, 1997

'The stubborn enemy defences caused Brigadier General Hearne to telephone Colonel Mitchell to ask if the 8th Battalion could capture the hill. Mitchell replied, “Yes I can, if you allow me to make my own dispositions and the time of the assault.” Hearne agreed to this proposals, so Mitchell then arranged for an attack to be launched against the enemy posts, using extended line formation, without auxiliary support. This was done with maximum of noise from the attackers and resulted in the battalion securing the high ground just on dark. The right flank of the attack was confronted with some isolated enemy posts, which were quickly and methodically removed by the efforts of the company commander Lieutenant Lyle Blackman and one of his platoon commanders, Thomas Anderson. Most of Blackman’s officers became casualties and when Blackman was wounded in both legs, the shoulder and arm, he could have been excused any further participation in the action. But this was not Blackman’s style, and he continued to fight his company, even leading it in a bayonet charge, before he was ordered to report to the RAP by his CO.'

Above right: LA Blackman in the uniform of a second lieutenant, similar to those worn by Duntroon Military Academy. The photo was taken before embarkation: in 1914 Australian units were short of uniforms and the diagonal Sam Brown belt and officers were provided Khaki shirts in France or just before leaving Egypt.

Source: Austin R, ‘Cobbers in Khaki: History of the 8th Battalion 1914-1918’, Slouched Hat, Reprinted 2004, page 202

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The Official History of the action records:

'At all events when the 1st Division’s centre, Campbell’s company of the 8th and Fowler’s of the 7th, worked uphill south of these Germans, and, by order of Capt. Kitchen, the left centre under Lieut. Gordons attacked them, the Germans facing Gordon gave way and in something like panic ran back over the hill. “We outflanked old Fritz,” reported Campbell, “and got behind him.” But the Victorians were too tired to give chase. They had fought for a mile and a half after a hot, dusty march of a dozen miles loaded with battle-kit, extra ammunition, greatcoat, waterproof sheet, and two days’ rations, and had eaten only such food as they could snatch in the short interval at Bayonvillers or Harbonnieres. And they had lost heavily, especially in officers: in addition to those already mentioned, Lieuts. Hamblett, an outstanding officer, and Caddy of the 7th, and Vial of the 8th had been killed, and Capt. Kitchen mortally wounded. 74

⁷⁴ In the 7th Lt W. J S G Poole (Melbourne) also was killed and Lt. F. J. Smedley (Hawthorn, Vic ) mortally wounded. Lts J V Larhin (Ballarat) and H. C. Dyer (Hawthorn, Vic of the 8th were killed farther back. Two company commanders of the 8th. Capt. C. L Fox (Melbourne) and Lt L A Blackman (Ballarat) were wounded - the former severely, the latter carried on.'

Source: Bean, CEW, ‘The Official History of Australia in the Great War, Vol. VI, May 1918 to Armistice’, p.638-640, Angus and Robertson, Sydney, 1943

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The official recommendation for the award of the Military Cross records:

During a period of convalescing, from a wound in the arm, in England he met and later married Vida Vickers. Later he took her out to Australia to live in Ballarat.

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Captain LA Blackman, MC, returned to Australia on 10 May 1919 and to his partnership in W.D. Hill and Company, Estate Agents, which he had held since 1914. Lyle was heavily involved with the South Street Eisteddfod for music and elocution competition, to which he gave 58 years service - as clerk from 1906, assistant Secretary (c. 1911) and then permanent secretary from 1921. At the time of his death, in November 1964, Lyle was living at 46 Victoria Avenue, Ballarat. He was cremated at Ballarat Crematorium. Right: A letter from Lyle Blackman, the accountant of WD Hill. Source: National Archives of Australia - Gift to the Nation - Service Records

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The town of Ballarat published a book outlining the war service of its soldiers who appear to be linked to the trees of Ballarat's Avenue of Honour (Remembrance Drive). The following entry, an addition stapled in to the book, is attributed to Lyle A. Blackman Tree No 114. However, errors suggest that this entry could refer to Captain James R Blackman, along with the photograph (see below) attributed to Private Leslie Crompton Blackman.

• Neither Lyle nor James were killed in action and therefore should not have had a tree dedicated to them.
• The photo below shows an officers uniform.
• Lt James R Blackman was wounded on 28 June 1918 not 28 March 1918.
• In August 1918 it is likely that Lyle was in hospital having been severely wounded. His MC was not announced until 20 October 1918.

The record details:

		'Lyle A Blackman, born at Miners Rest, was a captain in the 8th Battalion. In the War he served in Egypt, Gallipoli, England and France. He was wounded on 28 March 1918 and admitted to 3rd London General Hospital, returned to duty and was wounded on a second occasion at Pozieres and admitted to the Le Treport Hospital, then again to the 3rd London General Hospital. Captain Blackman was awarded the Military Cross for gallantry and devotion to duty, at Buckingham Palace in August 1918.' Quite what can be attributed to whom remains to be decided.
Above: JR Blackman

Biographical detail

• Portrait of Lyle at SLV: L Blackman, assistant Secretary of the South Street Executive Committee 1911. Portrait. Roberts Collection. Envelope 11. MSS. Ask librarian at desk.
• Obituary in "Vic. Hist. Mag", vol.37, no.1, Feb 1966 (SLT 994.5005 V66)
• Biographical notes in "Ballarat & district citizens and sports at home and abroad " by M. M. McCallum, p. 10 (SLT 920.0945 M12)

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This page was created by Richard Crompton and maintained by Chris Glass	Version A.2 Updated 28 November 2009