Don Roulston Buzzard

Appendix 5.3.1
Monte Video No. 2 Depot Convalescent Camp

Monte Video Camp [88]

Monte Video Entrance

John Corrie’s introduction to the Monte Video Camp would have been similar to another soldier, Keith Tunks who wrote a letter to the Argus newspaper Melbourne, published on 8th January 1916, describing life at Monte Video. Of particular interest is the grading of cases received at the camp from all battlefields across Europe.

In an attempt to get the men fit to return to active service, the Army provided a range of medical treatments and workshops [Appendix 6.0]. For those category “C” soldiers, who were considered unfit for further duty, and were to be repatriated to Australia, many educational and re-training classes were run to enable them to take up useful employment when they got back home.

The towns people of Weymouth embraced the Australian troops stationed at Monte Video and observe Anzac Day on 15th April every year. An article by the British Broadcasting Commission describes the bond formed by the troops and the town people during WW1.

At Wareham, about 25 miles east of the Monte Video, another camp, Depot No. 4, was set up and the category “C” cases were also sent there to await repatriation back to Australia. This camp moved to Hurdcott in November 1917. Both Monte Video and Wareham have small cemeteries of Australian men who succumbed to their injuries.

John Corrie’s injuries was classed as a category “C” and as his injury could not be remedied, he was repatriated to Australia.

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[88] Australian War Memorial