Harold Richard Noel Webber (1923 - 1942)

This profile won Profile of the Week the Third week of February 2014.

Harold Richard Noel Webber is an Anzac who served in World War Two.

Harold Richard Noel Webber was Killed in Action during World War II.

Biography

Anzac Hero~Kokoda Track~1942~Private Harold Richard Noel Webber:Australian Army Service Number:NX71761

Charlie (Cyril) Hedges has kept a promise he made to the mate Harold Richard Noel Webber, who saved his life on the Kokoda Track on 20th October 1942 after Harold took the full brunt of a mortar bomb that backfired and killed him whilst returning fire at the Battle of Templeton's Crossing.

It was a old war photo taken in Tel Aviv 1941 that led Beverly to locate her uncle’s mate Charlie Hedges, who was still alive in 2011 aged 91 years. In the jungles of New Guinea during World War II, Charlie Hedges made a promise to his mate.

Charlie and his comrade, Harold Webber, agreed that if one of them was to die, the other wouldn’t dare waste their tobacco. Tobacco was a precious resource, and Charlie, who didn’t even smoke prior to joining up for service, took the pledge very seriously.

When Harold, aged 19 years, was accidentally killed on the infamous Kokoda track, Charlie dutifully retrieved the well-loved leather pouch from his friend’s pocket. As promised, he shared the contents with his fellow soldiers, and they all rolled a smoke in Harold’s honour.

Charlie then tucked the pouch away into his own pocket for safe keeping. There it would stay for the remainder of the war.

When he was discharged from battle, Charlie brought the pouch back home with him to Australia and the Hedges family took guardianship of the special memento, hoping to one day hand it over to a member of Harold’s family.

After a lifetime of searching, 91-year-old Charlie thought that day would never come. But it did come, on a wet and windy Anzac Day 25th April,2011 in Sydney Australia. At a reunion of his battalion, the well-known local veteran returned the pouch to Harold’s niece, Beverley Melchior. “It was the proudest and most fulfilling moment of my life,” an emotional Ms Melchior said. It was a special day for Charlie too, who had travelled from Yass to Sydney with his family to observe his last Anzac Day.

“He was my closest mate [in the war],” Charlie said from his home at Linton Village last week. “I still tense up [when I think about that day].” Max Hedges has heard many a tale about his father’s adventures while at war, including the fateful day his friendship with Harold was sadly cut short. He retold the spine-tingling story for the Tribune last week: On October 20, 1942, Charlie, Harold and Cecil Creswick were operating the mortar bombing to return fire at the Japanese. It was decided that Harold would fire, so he loaded the mortar into the chamber.

The bomb was faulty and it backfired, instantly killing him. “I was told later by Cecil, that it was the very first one that Harold had ever fired one,” Ms Melchior added.

“Charlie and Cecil Creswick were approximately three metres away and were shielded as Harold took the full brunt of the explosion and saved their lives.”

The significance of Harold’s ultimate sacrifice was not lost on Charlie, according to his proud son. “Dad was spared,” Max said. “He was going to fire the gun and Harold said ‘no, I’ll do it’ and it blew him up. He would often talk fondly about his mate.”

Returning Harold’s beloved tobacco pouch to Harold’s family was the least Charlie could do for the bloke who saved his life. The poignant gesture has given Beverley, who has always felt like something was missing, important closure.

“I have always been interested in finding out the circumstances surrounding my uncle’s death…I can’t explain why I have been so driven to find out more about Harold but I had an inner feeling that something didn’t add up.

“I had a gut feeling while looking at an old photo taken at Tel Aviv, of Harold and a couple of his army mates. One mate in particular stood out and I felt closeness to this person.”

That mate was Charlie, and Ms Melchior set out searching for him, hopeful of finding the key that would unlock the secrets surrounding her uncle’s death. A keen family historian, she was able to track down Charlie’s daughter, Helen, who put her in contact with Max.

“Charlie and his son Max searched through all the years to find a Webber relation, but were never successful, until I finally contacted them in April last year,” Ms Melchior said. “While chatting with Max I was getting goose bumps and then he told me that he was actually holding Harold’s pouch in his hands while we spoke.”

Today, Ms Melchior is the one holding her uncle’s treasured pouch. Everything is as Charlie had hoped it would be 68 years ago. A man of his word, Charlie Hedgers has kept his promise all these years.

Footnote:In 1942 the 2/2nd Battalion Mortar Platoon carried their mortars and a supply of bombs with them from Port Moresby over the Kokoda Track. These bombs fired and exploded normally. The bombs were designed to prime when fired and explode on landing. The resupply of bombs was made by air drop.

It would appear that when the bombs landed, the shock of hitting the ground primed them. When the already primed bombs were dropped into the barrel, they exploded. There were some mortar crew casualties before the problem was solved. Charlie Stevens from the memoirs of Carl Parrott.

Harold was born in 1923. He was the son of Walter Webber and Elsie Green.

Sources

• Roll of Honour

• Photo of Australian soldiers taken while on leave in Tel Aviv from left to right NX71761 Private Harold Richard Noel Webber NX40197 Private Thomas Stoddard; and NX39668 Sergeant Cyril John Hedges of the 2/2 Australian Infantry Battalion

Acknowledgments