The AIF Project

'In the trenches east of BULLECOURT from the night 9th/10th May to the morning of 13th Private Thorne displayed remarkable courage and devotion to duty. he was one of the ration party whose duty it was to carry water and food to the lines from NOREUIL. This work involved many trips both day and night for the weather was hot and water was badly needed and the I all too few. Frequently the party was heavily shelled, and the route they had to take was strewn with corpses. This man set a fine example by the willingness with which he started out on his long journey again after having already completed one. He had practically no sleep for 3 nights. When the Battalion came out of the line it was feared that men had been left behind wounded. He made one of a party to return and search. he worked at his task from early morning and was twice buried. On one occasion he, his mate and the patient were all buried together. He did not desist until all the area had been searched and no more cases could be found. He arrived back at VAULX at 7p.m. thoroughly exhausted.'