Victorian grazier held the line at all costs
Capt. Frederick Tubb recklessly stood on the parapet of the trench, revolver in hand, shouting words of encouragement to the 10 men under his command as he fired at the approaching Turkish soldiers.
The Turks had attacked their position, Goldenstedt’s Post, in the dark hours before dawn; showering Capt.
Tubb and his men with a barrage of grenades and bullets.
A crucial diversion intended to tie up the enemy’s resources and distract them from the main Anzac push, the trench at Lone Pine had been captured by the Australians on August 6, 1915.
On August 9, outgunned and outnumbered, facing a concerted counter-assault from a determined Turkish force, Capt. Tubb was ordered to hold the line at all costs.
Born in the Victorian town of Longwood in 1881, Capt. Tubb was a grazier and horseman of some prowess. Following the outbreak of war, he enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in August 1914, and was appointed to the 7th Battalion with the rank of 2nd lieutenant. Three days before he and his men would make their historic stand at Lone Pine, he was promoted to the rank of captain.
Under the furious Turkish assault, two soldiers charged with throwing back and smothering enemy grenades were mutilated by explosions; both died of their wounds.
Still the line was held, but only just. In a series of almost simultaneous explosions the barricade was damaged, four men were killed or wounded, and a fifth had his rifle shattered by the force of the concussion.
But Capt. Tubb, suffering from shrapnel wounds to his head and arms, maintained the defence; his already insufficient force reduced to three men.
Suddenly, a massive explosion virtually destroyed the sandbag barricade. Seeing an opportunity, the enemy charged but Capt. Tubb held them off — shooting three Turkish soldiers with his revolver — while his companions Cpls Burton and Dunstan rebuilt the shattered defences.
Again, another massive explosion ripped the sandbag barricade apart, killing Cpl Burton and blinding Cpl Dunstan.
With lightning speed, Capt. Tubb rallied troops from the next post, rebuilt the barricade, and with the help of the reinforcements held the position until the enemy lost heart and gave up the assault.
Capt. Tubb was awarded the Victoria Cross for his valiant efforts, as were Cpls Dunstan and Burton. It is the only time three Australian soldiers fighting side by side have all received the award, such was the significance of their courageous actions. In the official citation for his VC, the newly promoted Capt. Tubb was referred by his former rank of lieutenant.
Injured, Capt. Tubb was sent home in April 1916, where he received a hero’s welcome. But by December he had rejoined his battalion in France after persuading a medical board he was still fit for duty. Promoted, Major Tubb and his company attained a crucial objective and captured a cluster of nine pillboxes at the Third Battle of Ypres in Belgium on September 20, but he was wounded by sniper fire and later by Australian artillery that fell 200m short.
He died on the same day.
