Roy Malcolm

Born in Balranald, New South Wales, Roy Herke Beaty Malcolm was a 20-year-old clerk living in Melbourne when he enlisted in the AIF on 24 February 1915. He was attached to the 6th Field Ambulance when he left for the war on HMAT Ajana on 4 June.

Roy joined the military campaign at Gallipoli in late August. He is upbeat and cheerful in two letters home, published in the Riverina Recorder (8 Dec. 1915 and 8 Mar. 1916). In the latter, he gives an engaging firsthand account of tactics used when the troops evacuated Gallipoli. He also mentions the delightful 1915 Christmas he spent on Lemnos.

Following Gallipoli, Roy was appointed lance corporal on 29 February 1916. He embarked for France on 2 June 1916 and was promoted to corporal with the 12th Field Ambulance in France on 19 July, then temporarily appointed to sergeant in November.

Roy was awarded the Military Medal in May 1917 for his initiative and ‘fearless conduct’, which made him ‘largely responsible for the successful evacuation of the wounded under conditions of extreme difficulty’ in the battle at Ypres. In December, he was awarded the medal for ‘bravery in the field’. He was promoted to company quartermaster sergeant in January 1918.

Venereal disease was common among soldiers, and penicillin was still two decades away. Roy was invalided for close to two months with syphilis during 1918. He had barely rejoined his unit when the armistice was struck in November 1918, bringing a halt to combat.

Roy returned to Australia from England on the Runic in April 1919.