At Anzac Day we pay homage to the soldiers who sacrificed so much for their country, but one soldier’s death – and the incident surrounding it – has largely been forgotten in the forging of the Anzac legend.

“There were abrasions on the chin and the bridge of the nose, and an entrance wound of a bullet on the right cheek, above the angle of the mouth. The lower jaw was fractured in front, and the tongue was much lacerated; the left, internal jugular vein was torn. The bullet passed out the lower part of the left side of the neck and then entered the left shoulder fracturing the collar-bone and shoulder-blade, and was found on the outer side of the shoulder more or less broken up and flattened out.”

Private Ernest William Keefe’s end was reported in a lot more detail than most soldiers’ deaths in World War 1, but his story isn’t widely known almost a century on.

That’s because his demise didn’t happen on the battlefields of Europe, or in the trenches of Gallipoli. He was killed in gunfire at Sydney’s Central Station when rioting soldiers were fired upon by their comrades.

It was breakfast time on Valentine’s Day 1916 when about 5000 soldiers camped at Casula went on strike over a new training syllabus being instituted. With their protest having no effect, the men marched out of the camp and onto Liverpool, the principal training camp of the Commonwealth. The strikers were joined by the troops there, and soon 15,000 were marching.

As one soldier told The Sydney Morning Herald after the riot: “Things were very good in Liverpool camp up till the order was issued that the men would have to put in an hour and a half’s extra parade each day. This came as a surprise to those who had conscientiously obeyed all orders and instructions from their officers… although during the last week very strenuous work has been meted out to them. As an instance, men leaving drill or fatigue at 4 pm were ordered to stand by for picket or entrenching work which would take them throughout the night to carry out. In some cases men have been asked to do 27 hours’ work without break.”

The striking soldiers headed to Liverpool Station and boarded trains to the city. Some had a few roadies before heading off. Police Sergeant Denis Coates, stationed at Liverpool, told the Coroner’s Inquest into Keefe’s death, “the conduct of some of the soldiers at Liverpool was very riotous. They broke ranks and rushed the bar of the Railway Hotel, and took £140 worth of liquor from the bar. They broke a plate glass window, and rolled casks of beer into the street and consumed the contents.” After they cleaned out the Railway Hotel, they tackled the Commercial Hotel and the Golden Fleece, then raided the pie cart at Holsworthy Bridge.

The first trainload of soldiers reached the city on the 11.13 train. On the platform soldiers formed columns of four and marched through the streets, following flag-bearers and accompanied by trumpets, making their complaints known. As they went through the streets, fruit carts were raided, and cars commandeered.

In the evening the scenes grew rowdier. German businesses like Kleisdorff Tobbacconist on the corner of Hunter and Castlereagh Street and The German Club in Phillip Street had their windows smashed in. Also attacked, with no apparent German link, were the Philadelphia Fruit Company and GT Forage, tool dealer, in the Queen Victoria Markets.

At 8.15 Lieutenant-Colonel Logan, who was stationed at the Agricultural Show Grounds, led 150 troops to Central Station to help restore order. He reminded his men that the mutineers were comrades, and told them to use the butts of their rifles rather than bayonets.

Logan and his men worked to keep trouble-making civilians from loitering at the station and encourage soldiers on their return to Liverpool. One soldier who wasn’t in a hurry to leave was Private Keefe. He was seen wandering the assembly platform in a dazed condition.

Logan claimed that after being asked to move on to his departure platform a third time, Keefe clapped his breast pocket and explained, “I’ve got enough here to give me permission to remain.”

His mother, Kate Keefe, had told the inquest her son owned a revolver since his time as an overseer on the Solomon Islands, and he kept it for revolver practice at camp.

At 10.30pm Private Keefe was gathering with mutineers in the eastern archway of the station. Logan warned unless they cleared the archway for the departure platforms, he would take action.

On the count of three, Logan’s men charged with rifle butts. The mutineers drove them back with a fire hose. Civilians joined in throwing bottles and stones.

Shots were fired from the eastern arch. Logan claimed they came from Keefe, though he didn’t see it himself. Twenty-five rounds were fired by Logan’s soldiers in self-defence. Several men were injured. Keefe fell to the ground by the fire hose, dead. More shots were fired from the crowd as his body was carried to the refreshment room. His revolver was never recovered.

The Acting City Coroner, Mr A Gates, found that “the deceased, Ernest William Keefe, died from the bullet wound in the head, justifiably inflicted upon him by a military picket, then in the lawful execution of their duty in maintaining the public peace and suppressing a riot of mutinous soldiers and civilians.”

He said, “It is hoped that the mutinous soldiers will, by their bravery on the battlefield, wipe out the stigma attached to their name, owing to their participation in these calamitous proceedings.”

Mrs Keefe told the inquest, “My son always used to say there was nothing to complain of at the camp, and that he did not know what the men wanted to make a bother about.” She said Ernerst was engaged to be married and used to contribute to her support, and described him as “a generous and good-hearted lad.”

Keefe was buried at Waverley Cemetery. Today his name is remembered on the Roll of Honour at the Australian War Memorial.



Chris Ryan