An Aussie Frontiersman in Belgium.
Many Frontiersmen have heard of Dick Reading’s exploits in fighting for the Belgians against the German invaders in the Yser Campaign of 1914, but you probably have not.
From Bangalow in NSW, Dick Reading was a newspaper man who was working for a Manchester newspaper at the outbreak of the war. As an enthusiastic member of the Legion of Frontiersmen’s famous Manchester Troop, he was impatient to get to the front and do his part. He and one of his Legion comrades paid their way to Belgium and joined the Belgian army.
Incidentally, just a month or so later, the Manchester Troop deployed to Belgium and joined the Belgian 3rd Lancers as a unit, but that’s another story.
Here’s a series of his letters and other articles published as an article in the Kyogle Examiner newspaper in January 1915 – https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/234293265?
“BANGALOW MAN IN BELGIUM. FIGHTING WITH THE FORCES.
Dick Reading, a brother to Messrs. George and Fred Reading, and who was a resident of Bangalow some 10 years ago (says Bangalow “Herald”) has been fighting prominently in the Belgian army and covering himself with honour. As “Dick” was deservedly popular while here and made many friends, the following short account of his adventures should prove interesting.
In September last a letter was received from him as follows: —
“Corps Mitrailleuse,
4 Company,
St. Anne-st.,
Antwerp, Belgium. _
Just a brief note to let you know that I have joined the Belgian army. I offered myself to the English army on the declaration of war; I was refused because I was too old, then joined the Legion of Frontiersmen, did five weeks hard training — riding, shooting, and squad drill each day — we were inspected by General Bethune. Favourable report, but no action. Told to wait. Well, two or three of us thought we had waited long enough, and Dr. McDougall and myself came straight away to Belgium six days ago. Were accepted in the army the very day we came, put in the Corps Mitrailleuse (Hotchkiss quick-firing gun). We both are now corporals, and next week we go in armoured motor cars, with the mitrailleuse, four in each car. All this in less than a week. In that time, in spite of not knowing the language, save a word or two, I have pretty well learned all about the mitrailleuse — how to take it to pieces, put it together again, sighting, firing, and I think I shall be able to do justice both to the gun and myself when the time comes.
The training and work have been hard, but I like both. I was never so well in my life — strong, fit and hearty, and the Sisters of this Convent look after us just as sisters would.- They are really fine women — simple, good and go out of their way to do anything that would tend to your comfort. We work hard with the guns morning and afternoon; bed about 8.30, reveille at 5 a.m., and have little time to spare. Today we saw a battle in the air, or rather a German aeroplane that flew over Antwerp was fired on by the forts here — without effect, I’m sorry to say, for the German aviators kept out of range.
I will write you again after my first engagement. My love to all relatives and friends on the North Coast, Au revoir.”
The next heard of our hero was a description of his exploits as Corporal Reading in an armoured motor car outside Antwerp. Every day they sallied out- looking for stray bands of Uhlans. The motor was in charge of a Belgian lieutenant, and carried a machine gun. The lieutenant in an interview said : “He (Dick) is mad to fight. He fears no bullets. He sees nothing but Germans to kill. We see the Germans and I am no longer lieutenant. He poke me in the back and say ‘Go on there. After them. We catch them all.’ He will hunt the Germans all day.” The lieutenant paused and went on: “He will hunt the Germans by himself. One time we see Germans in the fields where the car cannot go. He jump from the car. He forget his rifle. Over the hedge in one jump. Across the field like a hare, alone. After the Germans.”
(Richard used to do the hundred yards and the hurdles in very good time).
“I lose sight of him altogether. I wait ten minutes, twenty minutes. No Corporal Reading. I wait half-an-hour; three-quarters. He come back, a German prisoner in front. He had taken him rifle and all.”
The next we heard of Dick was in a paragraph in a Manchester paper as follows: —
A WOUNDED EDITOR.
Mr. R. Reading, editor of the Manchester “Sporting Chronicle,” has been brought back to Manchester — his coming back to the latter city was really a great stroke of luck, for he had no idea when in France to which hospital he was being conveyed — with both legs fractured as the result of a sortie with the Belgians against the Germans on the Yser. He is doing very nicely, I am glad to inform many inquiring friends ; and it was rare to hear his old, hearty laugh the other night when the army hospital bearers conveyed him from the train to the ambulance cars, and hearing him speak to his friends, remarked : “Why, he’s a —— Englishman!” Mr. Reading was the one Englishman among the band of wounded Belgians, and our soldiers could not understand it. “Have you been fighting for the Belgians?” asked one of the bearers; “I have,” was the answer.
‘Well, I’m damned!” was the summary comment, followed by “Plucky beggar!”
And he was a “plucky beggar” of whom we are all proud. We could not have spared him.
— W.L.S. in the “Sporting Chronicle” 30/10/’14.
Finally the “Daily” Despatch” of November 25th has the following —
BELGIUM’S GRATITUDE.
High Honour to be Conferred on Soldier-Journalist.
The Belgian Army have nominated for the distinction of Chevalier de l’Ordre de Leopold, Mr. Richard Reading, of the “Sporting Chronicle” who was wounded while serving as a corporal with the Belgian Army.
Mr. Reading is at present a patient in the military hospital at Whitworth street Manchester. He was brought to the city a few weeks ago suffering from severe injuries to both legs, received in the course of a skirmish near Dunkirk, the armoured motor car party of which he was a member, being ambushed by the Germans.
Mr. Reading does not know whether this was the occasion in respect of which the decoration is suggested and is awaiting a letter from General Drubelle, commander of the 3rd Division of the Belgian Army. It is understood that a pension of 100 francs accompanies the honour.
The esteem in which Corporal Reading was held by his Belgian comrades and superior officers was indicated, not only by his popularity, of which various evidences have come to light, but by his early promotion to the rank of corporal. During the few weeks he was fighting with the Belgian forces he figured in many stirring episodes, forming one of the adventurous band of men who carried on such a devastating guerilla warfare against the German patrols.
At the outbreak of war he joined the Legion of Frontiersmen in Manchester, but becoming impatient for active service, he went over to Belgium, and there got enrolled in the famous Corps de Mitrailleurs. In an armoured motor car, he and his companions went hunting Uhlans, and it was on one of these expeditions that the little party were trapped. They were able, fortunately, to make their escape amid a hail of bullets. With one exception they were all wounded and apart from being shot in both legs, Corporal Reading had his legs broken as the result of being dragged along the road while hanging on to the back of the car in a successful effort to escape capture.