In a quiet location inside Cooma’s Centennial Park cemetery, stands a memorial to the Fallen; however, behind this obelisk is a dedication plaque and diorama to honour one of the region’s residents who fought in World War I.
He was the only member of the British and Commonwealth forces to hold the unique honour of being awarded four bravery awards, the Military Medal with four bars.
He was Corporal Ernest Albert Corey of the 55th Battalion.
This is a story of outstanding courage under fire and demonstrates all the qualities of the Anzac legend, and every student of Australian history needs to hear his story.
Ernest Albert Corey was born on 20 December 1891 at Numeralla, near the Snowy Mountains town of Cooma, New South Wales.
He was the eighth child of Tom and Ellen Corey and received his early education at the small Thubergal Lake Primary School.
After leaving school he began employment as a Blacksmith’s Striker with Martin Smith in Cooma, and as he grew into a young man, he became influenced so much by the sacrifices made by the Australian forces on Gallipoli, that he decided to join the “Men from Snowy River” recruitment drive from Cooma to Goulburn in January 1916, and enlisted on the on 13 January 1916, in Goulburn.
After undergoing initial recruit training at the Goulburn army camp, Ernie, as he liked to be called, embarked on board HMAT “Port Sydney” with the Fourth Reinforcements 55 Battalion on 4 September 1916, and after further training at the 14th Training Battalion at Hardcott camp at Saulsbury Plain, in Wiltshire, he was ready for the task. On 8 February 1917 he went to France with the Battalion and was soon into action near the small village of Doignies, where the Australians took heavy casualties.
Because of these casualties, there soon was a shortage of stretcher bearers, so Ernie and 30 others volunteered to help and it was in an action near Queant, on 15 May, that Ernie was to distinguish himself in the battle there. His action that day that saw him and four other stretcher bearers awarded the Military Medal. This is what was said about Ernie’s action on that day:
“During the enemy attack on the front line facing Queant, Private Corey, whilst acting as a stretcher bearer, showed great courage and devotion to duty. Although under direct enemy observation, he carried out his duties continually for 17 hours without rest, and in a manner worthy of the highest commendation. Although an untrained stretcher bearer, he, together with the rest of the bearer party saved by first aid, the lives of seriously wounded men. The Commander of the 54th Battalion wrote an appreciative letter for help given, and specially mentioned the stretcher bearing party for their work”.
The 55th Battalion continued the push toward the Somme under Monash’s leadership and were again in the thick of the action at Polygon Wood on the 25 September 1917, and once again Ernie showed tremendous courage that came under the notice of his Commander for his fearless dashes to the wounded, even after heavy artillery fire and machine gunning from the German pill boxes.
Ernie appeared to have a charmed life as he gave first aid in the open putting his own life in danger and carried men to safety. For his actions that day he was nominated for a Distinguished Conduct medal, but the fact that he was a non-combatant he was awarded only a Bar to his earlier decoration. Here is what his award entailed:
“This stretcher bearer showed great courage, devotion to duty and untiring energy in the attack at Polygon Wood on 26 September 1917. The greatest danger did not deter this man from doing his duty when his services were required and he tended the wounded and carried them to safety continuously throughout the engagement, often under very heavy artillery and machine gun fire throughout the whole operation. He set a fine example of bravery and coolness to all ranks”.
Ernie, now promoted to Corporal, became ill from an infection and was evacuated back to England where he spent 90 days in a British hospital before returning to the 55th Battalion who were now heavily involved in the action at Peronne, on 1 September 1918.
Once again, Ernie was prominent with the stretcher bearing and was becoming a bit of a legend with his Battalion as he was awarded a second Bar to his Military Medal. Darryl Kelly in his book “Just Soldiers” had this to say about Ernie when he won a third Bar to his medal at Bellicourt, near the Hindenberg line, in which Ernie’s war was over after this action.
“The German artillery opened up catching the Australians in the open. Men scattered to the safety of the shell holes but many of the wounded lay where they fell. Ernie spied his company commander lying in an exposed position, trying to control the flow of blood from the stump that was once his leg. “I’ll get him” Ernie shouted as he ran forward in the direction of the wounded officer scurrying from shell hole to shell hole, he crossed the open ground crawling the last 50 metres or so to reach the officer’s side. Corey wasted no time applying preliminary first aid to his leg”.
On 30 September 1918 Ernie’s incredible luck ran out when he was wounded in the thigh and leg by an artillery blast. He was stabilised at the Casualty Clearing Station before being hospitalised at the British Hospital at Le Haure before being evacuated for further surgery at Bristol, England.
Ernie returned home to Australia on 30 April 1919 and was discharged in June 1919. When asked what was his favourite memory of World War I, Ernie never hesitated to mention taking part in the London Victory March with flowers on his bayonet and hearing the French people calling out “Bon Australia”.
Ernie, now recovered from his damaged leg took up employment at a contract rabbiter, before moving to Canberra to work as a Camp Caretaker. On 24 September he married Sarah Jane Fisher in St Gregory’s Catholic Church and they had a daughter called Patricia.
From 1927 to 1940 Ernie worked with the Government prior to the outbreak of World War II. In 1940, Ernie again enlisted in the Army and was a sergeant in the 2nd Garrison Battalion and posted to Port Kembla to guard the steel works there.
By 1951, Ernie was crippled by osteoarthritis and admitted to the Queanbeyan Private Nursing home. He passed away on 25 August and was buried with full military honours in the ex-services section of the Woden cemetery.
Much more could be written about Ernie Corey. But as mentioned in the introduction to this story, the people of Cooma and the Maranoa district ensured he would never be forgotten by the erection of the wonderful memorial to him in the Cooma cemetery.
His courage and dedication to the men of the First AIF is enshrined in the true spirit of the Anzac legend, and nobody would argue that with his unique record of four Military Medals his courage will stand for eternity, and he was indeed, although a non-combatant, could be called one of Australia’s greatest soldiers of World War I.
