It was a crooked little street with about 30 houses in a working class suburb in Sydney‘s east.
Some homes were privately occupied, the others had boarders – mostly single men – and while it wasn’t anywhere near the centre of war back in 1915, Paddington’s Bent Street was about to become deservedly famous.
Dozens of men who lived in the street fought on all major World War 1 battlefields including Gallipoli, Ypres in Belgium and The Somme in France.
There were five sets of brothers, including four from the McColl family – Alexander, John, William and Harold McColl – who all faced the horrors of war.
Only three McColls would return. In 1916, when the humble street’s contribution defending Australia’s freedom came to light, their mother explained how she couldn’t stop her four sons from signing up.
Among the 30 men from Bent Steet who went to WWI were four sets of brother, including one family of four brother. Remarkably, only five never returned
‘The boys just took it in their heads to go,’ Mrs McColl told the Sydney Mail in June of that year. Twelve months later, her second son William, 26, would die from wounds in France.
‘I didn’t like to stop them, when they were so anxious,’ she said.
‘Of course it hurt me to part with them, especially with Harold, for he was only 17 when he left. He was at the Gallipoli landing.
‘I hope they come through all right, I know they’ll all be needed before the war is over.’
Remarkably, only five of Bent Street’s 30 fighters died overseas.
Never to return: Private Daniel Wyld (left) from 3 Bent Street, Paddington, died in Egypt in March 2016 from meningitis, while Corporal John Gough, 25, was killed in action in Shrapnel Gully , Gallipoli in July 1915
Private Daniel Wyld, from 3 Bent Street, died from meningitis in Cairo, Egypt in March, 1916.
Corporal John Joseph ‘Jack’ Gough was killed in action near Shrapnel Valley and buried on the Gallipoli Peninsula alongside 13 other men.
Private Joseph Cox died from wounds sustained during an air raid in France in July 1917 in an air raid.
Sergeant William McColl was wounded in action on June 7, 2017 and died 52 days later in a French hospital at Etaples.
Private Roy Beckingham was killed in action 1917, at the Battle of Menin Road Ridge in Ypres, Belgium.
Three of the McColl brothers lived at 33 Bent Street
The men who left Bent Street to volunteer in the ‘war to end all wars’ wasn’t the result of any special recruiting effort.
One of the men’s mothers explained in 1916: ‘It was just the force of example. There aren’t many eligibles left In Bent Street.
‘But you can say this, that whatever happens, the women of Bent Street are optimists and they are never going to allow themselves to be otherwise.’
Another mother of two sons who enlisted told the Sydney Mail in 1916: ‘The women of Bent Street are proud of their boys.
‘Proud that they needed no urging to make them go, and they are ready to bear their cross, if God wills it, that their lives are needed to save the Empire and to save Australia’.
But she added, through tears, ‘If only others would follow our boys’ lead, and bring this dreadful war to a more speedy conclusion.
‘We would indeed be happy then. But tell them we believe they will come (home).’
Back then the street was a cross-section of Australian life containing shops and a coal depot, with residents ranging from magistrates, landlords, labourers, miners, and housewives.
Bent Street today, pictured from the Gordon Street end is a desirable address in a fashionable part of Paddington in Sydney’s east
Bent Street Paddington from Gordon Street back in 1916 had a coal depot, and residents who were magistrates, landlords, labourers, miners, and housewives
The first Australian Labor Party Prime Minister, John Christian Watson, lived at 12 Bent Street from 1903 to at least 1920, becoming Federal Labor’s first leader in 1901 and PM for five months in 1904.
During World War I, the house was the home of independently wealthy retired JP Saul Solomon, his wife Annie and their daughters.
More than a century later, Bent Street is these days considered a fashionable address with a ‘handsome row of terraces… in a city fringe position embraced by Paddington’s vibrant culture offerings, just a short stroll to weekend markets, wine bars, galleries, boutiques and stadiums’.
Current homeowners include fashion influencer Nadia Fairfax and her financier husband Michael Wayne who bought the ‘grand’ terrace – Cawdor at 35 Bent Street, from famous abstract painter Michael Johnson for $4.6million in 2020.
In 1916 a Sydney newspaper wrote about the men from Bent Street who went to World War I. Of those, William McColl , top left, and Joseph Cox, bottom centre would die from wounds, and Jack Gough, second right, was killed in action at Gallipoli
One of the most decorated of the Bent Street heroes was Major Hugh Connell, a 32-year-old married schoolteacher, whose brother, Able Seaman Driver Arthur Charles Connell lived at 9 Bent St.
Major Connell grew up in Bent St and went to Paddington Public School along with 11 other volunteers.
He won the Bar To Military Cross for resisting the 1918 spring German assault on Villers-Bretonneux, and received citations for leadership and personal courage.
He suffered severe wounds at the Battle of Messines in July, 1917, and was awarded the Military Cross for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty.
The 29 volunteers whose photographs were published in 1916 as ‘The Heroes of Bent Street’ included two brothers who lived at 73 Stewart Street, Paddington, which lies along Bent Street, one of whom died of wounds from an air raid in France, and a Private Francis Geoghegan who lived at 7 Gordon Street, which also lies on Bent.
With the help of the Australian War Memorial Daily Mail Australia has been able to locate a thirtieth man, Private Reginald Joslin Buckingham, of 15 Bent Street.
Some men who enlisted while in different parts of Australia were living in boarding houses on Bent Street before they headed off to war.
The soldiers included sergeants, corporals, a lieutenant corporal and major, but most were privates, but the 1916 report said there was ‘no snobbishness in Bent Street’.
When buying into Bent Street with her financier husband, Nadia Fairfax (left) raved about the high ceilings in the terrace they bought for $4.3m (right) which are 2.7m high
‘I let my husband go,’ one woman said, ‘because I knew it was only right that he should be there.
‘He wanted to give up his work immediately. He’s over in France now and the bad news might come to me any day.
‘But you’ve got to put a good face on it and hope for the best.’
Bent Street today
HEROES OF BENT STREET
One of the most decorated soldiers from Bent Street to have served in WWI, Major Hugh Connell (above) was wounded in action in 1917 and later awarded the Military Cross, Bar to Military Cross, Companion of the Distinguished Service Order and Mentioned in Dispatches
Sergeant William Norman McColl
Age: 26. Occupation: Reader. Address: 33 Bent Street. War service: Enlisted in the AIF in September 1914, sailed in December 1914 and was transferred to 45th Battalion. Wounded in Action, 7 June 1917. Died of wounds, 29 July 1917, at Etaples, France.
Sergeant Alexander McColl
Age: 35. Occupation: Stock and station agent. Address: 33 Bent Street. War service: Enlisted in July 1915 and was allotted to the 19th Battalion, sailing on HMAT A32 Themistocles on 5 October 1915. Returned to Australia in October 1917.
Lance Corporal Harold McColl
Age: 19. Occupation: Cap cutter agent. Address: 33 Bent Street. War service: Enlisted in September 1914 and sailed the next month. Was in the Gallipoli landing and the evacuation, was wounded and spent five months in hospital in England, then returned to the front in France. Returned to Australia in September 1918.
Lieutenant Colonel John Thomas McColl
Age: 36. Occupation: Soldier. Address: 37 Bent Street. War service: Fought on The Somme in France. Wounded in action, 9 June 1918. Awarded the Croix de Guerre, Military Cross, an OBE, Mentioned in Dispatches five times.
Two brothers from Bent Street, Albert Artz was a 20-year-old warehouseman who returned home in 1916 retired unfit, Private Frederick Artz (right), 29, served in the 12 Light Horse Regiment
Private Albert Artz
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Age: 20. Occupation: Warehouseman. Address: 25 Bent Street. War service: 2nd Battalion, 12th Reinforcements, sailing in December 1915 and returning in April 1916 after being retired unfit.
Private Frederick William Artz
Age: 29. Occupation: Tram conductor. War service: 12th Light Horse Regiment, sailed October 1914 and returned August 1916.
Major Hugh John Connell
Age: 32. Occupation: School teacher. Address: War service: Enlisted in the AIF in March 1916 and sailed in May. Wounded in action, July 1917 and returned to Australia in 1919. Awarded the Military Cross, Bar to Military Cross, Companion of the Distinguished Service Order and Mentioned in Dispatches.
Able Seaman Driver Arthur Charles Connell
Age: 30. Occupation: Machinist. Address: 9 Bent Street. War service: 1st Royal Australian Naval Bridging Train serving in the first Australian unit committed to action in World War I, which captured and occupied German New Guinea, then wen t on to fight in France, returning home in May 1917.
Warrant Officer Harold Emanuel Collins
Harold Collins, 22, a storeman who lived with his father at 23 Bent Street earned a Meritorious Service Medal, was wounded in action, came home, and then returned to the front
Age: 22. Occupation: Storeman. Address: 23 Bent Street. War service: the 1st Field Ambulance in which he was wounded, came home, then transferred to the Australian Flying Corps, sand returning in 1919. Awarded the Meritorious Service Medal.
Private Solomon George Collins
Age: 59. Occupation: Shop assistant. Address: 23 Bent Street. War service: Enlisted in 1915 with the 19th Battalion, 7th Reinforcement returning to Australia in November 1916.
Driver Edwin Herbert Cox
Age: 21. Occupation: Iron worker. Address: 73 Stewart Street. War service: Enlisted in September 1915 with the 7th Field Artillery Brigade, transferred to the 10th Field Artillery Brigade and returned in September 1919.
Private Solomon George Collins (left) enlisted as a 59-year-old shop assistant from 23 Bent Street, while Private George Dernelly, 26, (right) was wounded in action July 20, 1916 in the battle of Fromelles
Private Joseph Cornelius Cox
Age: 18. Occupation: Junior porter. Address: 73 Stewart Street. War service: Enlisted in 1915 with the 9th Field Ambulance, and Died of Wounds, 22 July 1917 in an air raid on 2nd Australian Casualty Clearing Station, France.
Second Corporal Horace Lindly Hawkins
Age: 28. Occupation: Carpenter. Address: 79 Stewart Street. War service: Enlisted in 1916 to the 1st Australian Wireless Squadron and returned to Australia, March 1919.
Private Herbert Alfred Credgington
Age: 28. Occupation: Boundary rider. Address: 8 Bent Street. War service: Enlisted in 1st Battalion, 21st Reinforcement sailed in 1916. Wounded in Action, 10 August 1918, returned to Australia, May 1919.
Private Joseph Cox (left) enlisted aged 18 and died from wounds in an air raid in France in 1917 and
Private George Edwin Dernelley
Age: 26. Occupation: Carter. Address: 5 Bent Street. War service: While serving in the 2nd Battalion in France, was wounded in action July 20, 1916 in the battle of Fromelles, in which almost 2000 Australians were killed or died of wounds, the greatest loss by a single division in 24 hours during the entire First World War. Returned to Australia, 1918.
Private Daniel Wyld
Age: 22. Occupation: Beltmaker. Address: 3 Bent Street. War service: 19th Battalion, 8th Reinforcement sailing in December 1915. Died of Meningitis in Cairo, Egypt on March 25, 1916.
Among the men killed in action at Gallipoli and buried there with their names marked ona cross are Private Jack Gough, a 25-year-old engine driver from Bent Street
Second Corporal John Joseph Gough
Age: 25. Occupation: Engine driver. War service: Enlisted to the 1st Field Company Engineers and sailed in October 1914. Killed in Action on 9 July 1915 near Shrapnel Valley, Anzac, Gallipoli.
Private Francis Edward Geoghegan
Age: 34. Occupation: Bootmaker. Address: 7 Gordon Street. War service: Enlisted in November 1915 and served in the 20th Battalion, 12th Reinforcement , returning to Australia, May 1919.
Private George James Holden
Age: 19. Occupation: Tobacco packer. War service: Allotted to the 31st Battalion and sailed in February 1916. Wounded in Action, 22 July 1916 at Pozieres, France. Suffered from frostbite and trench foot and returned to Australia, May 1919.
Private William Livio, 18, (left) from 6 Bent Street served in the 59th Battalion and was awarded a Military Medal, while Private Matthew McCabe from 32 Bent Street (right) served in the 2nd Battalion, returning to Australia, 1915
Private Roy Beckingham
Age: 18. Occupation: Labourer. War service: Sailed in April April 1916 and fought in the 17th battalion, but subsequently suffered from Trench Foot. Killed in Action on the first day of the Battle of the Menin Road Ridge, on September 20, 1917, at Ypres, Belgium.
Sapper Fred Raymond Kyle
Age: 44. Occupation: Miner. War service: Enlisted in the AIF in 1917 and was allotted to the Tunnellers Company, April Reinforcements but did not embark. Discharged in Australia, November 1917.
Private Frederick Arthur Thomas
Age: 20. Occupation: Labourer. Address: 17 Bent Street. War service: 2nd Infantry Battalion, 12th Reinforcement, sailing in December 1915 and serving until his return to Australia, March 1920.
Private Roy Beckingham, 18, (left) was killed in action in the Battle of Menin Road Ridge at Ypres in 1917 and George Holden, 19, (right) was wounded in action at the First Battle of Pozieres
Private George Edwin Graham
Age: 28. Occupation: Tram Conductor. War service: Enlisted in 1915, served with the 17th Battalion, then transferred to the 55th Battalion. Returned to Australia 1919.
Private Reginald Joslin Buckingham
Age: 27. Occupation: Clerk. Address: 15 Bent Street. War Service: Enlisted in May 1918 and served in the 16th to 27th Reinforcements, and was promoted to acting sergeant.
Private Mathew Palmer McCabe
Age: 22. Occupation: Carter. Address: 33 Bent Street. War service: Enlisted January 1915 and allotted to the 2nd Battalion, returning to Australia, August 1915.
Private William Henry Livio
Age: 18. Occupation: Carter. Address: 6 Bent Street. War service: Enlisted February 1916 and was allotted to the 59th Battalion, serving until his return to Australia in May 1919. Awarded a Military Medal.
Driver Francis Vincent McKewen
Private Francis Vincent McKewen (left) from 35 Bent Street (right) served three years in WWI after enlisting in 1916 and being allotted to the 36th Battalion
Age: 25. Occupation: Driver. Address: 35 Bent Street. War service: Enlisted in 1916 and allotted to the 36th Battalion, serving until his return to Australia, November 1919.
Private William Charles Middeldyk
Age: 22. Occupation: Denrist. Address: 22 Bent Street. Enlisted January 1916 and was allotted to the Divisional Train Reinforcement, sailing in April and serving until his return to Australia, February 1918.
Private John Sims
Age: 41. Occupation: Builder. Address: 39 Bent Street. Enlisted February 1916 and allotted to the 3rd Pioneer Battalion, sailing in June and serving until his returned to Australia, January 1918.
Private Edward Taylor
Age: 22. Occupation: Labourer. Address: 31 Bent Street. War service: Enlisted January 1915 and sailed in March. Wounded in action, on June 4, 1915 at Gallipoli and lost his left eye. Returned to Australia, March 1916.
