Search

              Record of Service 1914 – 1918                  

 
 

5411 Driver Alwyn Percival Flickert – 2nd Divisional Training 

The following military documentation was supplied by National Archives of Australia (NAA).  

Record of Service – Training of Driver A.P. Flickert, AIF 2nd Division

Overview

Driver A.P. Flickert, serving with the Australian Army Service Corps (AASC), followed the standard but demanding training pathway of the 2nd Australian Division. His preparation combined general soldiering, specialist driver instruction, and the harsh acclimatization required for the Western Front.

1. Initial Depot Training – Australia

Upon enlistment, Flickert entered a state training depot where he received the foundation of military life. His early training included:

  • Foot drill and discipline

  • Musketry and rifle handling

  • Bayonet practice

  • Route marching and physical conditioning

  • Field hygiene and camp routine

Driver‑specific training

As a designated Driver, he also undertook:

  • Horse handling and care

  • Harnessing and wagon management

  • Driving drills with teams and supply wagons

  • Basic maintenance of transport equipment

This phase transformed him from civilian to soldier and prepared him for overseas service.

2. Embarkation & Voyage Training

During the sea voyage to Egypt, Flickert continued daily training:

  • Physical exercises and rifle cleaning

  • Lifeboat and emergency drills

  • Marching practice on deck

  • Lectures on discipline, field conduct, and military expectations

The voyage also helped reinforce routine and cohesion within his transport unit.

3. Egypt Training Phase (late1915–1916)

On arrival in Egypt, Flickert joined the reinforcement and consolidation training that shaped the newly formed 2nd Division.

Training at camps such as Zeitoun, Heliopolis, or Tel‑el‑Kebir typically included:

  • Long desert route marches

  • Entrenching and field engineering

  • Bayonet fighting and musketry refreshers

  • Gas mask drills (introduced early 1916)

  • Night manoeuvres and extended field exercises

Driver duties in Egypt

For drivers of the AASC, this period was essential:

  • Managing horse teams in desert conditions

  • Water cart and supply wagon operations

  • Convoy movement and coordination

  • Learning to operate under heat, dust, and long distances

This phase prepared him for the far harsher conditions to come.

4. Formation & Divisional Training

As the 2nd Division reached full strength, training shifted to large‑scale coordination:

  • Battalion, brigade, and divisional manoeuvres

  • Artillery–infantry cooperation

  • Signals and communication drills

  • Supply‑line organisation and rapid deployment

Flickert’s role as a Driver placed him at the heart of the Division’s logistical backbone.

5. Arrival in France – Trench Acclimatisation (1916)

The Division’s first sector in France was Armentières, known as “The Nursery,” where new troops learned the realities of trench warfare.

Training and familiarisation included:

  • Trench rotation routines

  • Gas alarm procedures

  • Wiring and trench maintenance

  • Night patrols and working parties

  • Dugout construction and shelter management

Driver responsibilities

Flickert’s duties intensified:

  • Night‑time supply runs under blackout

  • Navigating narrow, muddy roads

  • Operating wagons under artillery fire

  • Maintaining horses in cold, wet conditions

This was the beginning of the relentless supply work that kept the Division fighting.

6. Western Front Training Cycles (1916–1918)

Between major battles, the Division rotated through frontline → support → reserve → rest. Each phase included ongoing training:

  • Live‑fire exercises

  • Grenade and Lewis gun practice

  • Bayonet fighting

  • Gas mask refreshers

  • Tactical rehearsals for upcoming operations

Driver training & duties

Throughout these cycles, Pickert continued:

  • Ammunition and ration transport

  • Forward supply under fire

  • Convoy coordination

  • Horse care in winter mud and snow

  • Later exposure to early motor transport (1917–1918)

Drivers were essential to every operation — without them, the Division could not fight.

7. Pre‑Battle Rehearsals (Major Actions 1916-1918)

Before major actions such as Pozières, Bullecourt, Menin Road, Broodseinde, and Villers‑Bretonneux, the Division conducted:

  • Full‑scale mock attacks

  • Tape‑line rehearsals marking trench layouts

  • Coordination with artillery and, later, tanks

  • Timing drills for creeping barrages

Flickert’s role ensured ammunition, rations, and engineering materials reached the front lines at the right moment.

 

Click to go back Alwyn Flickert