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Esca Bateup - Information

When war with Germany was declared, Esca was living with his family at 60 Cameron St in Paddington. Born in Picton, he later worked as a labourer in Sydney. Shortly, after volunteers were called for, Esca enlisted in the AIF at Rosebery Park on the 7th of September 1914, aged 21. Boarding the HMAT Ulysses, he departed Melbourne on the 22nd of December 1914 as a Private with the 13th Battalion.

Esca joined the Anzacs waiting in Egypt. As plans were developed to attack the Turks on the Dardanelles, the troops were mustered. Esca landed at Anzac Cove on the afternoon of the 25th of April, evading the barrage of bullets to get ashore. The next day, as the troops were trying to dig in along the gullies and ridges, Esca was wounded, hit in his left thigh. He waited in agony on the beach for days in the hot sun. The amount of wounded was unexpected, and headquarters had difficulty in evacuating them. He finally made it to Egypt and on the 30th of May, was admitted to the 17th General Hospital in Alexandria. Recovering, he was moved to the Mustapha Convalescence Depot. However, in late August he reported back to hospital with venereal disease. In an attempt to deter VD cases, men were sent back to Australia for treatment, in great shame and with suspended pay. He departed Suez onboard the Wiltshire on the 31st of August. After treatment, Esca returned to training at Longwarrin Camp. However, following his brutal experience at Gallipoli, he was having difficulty complying with army discipline. Consequently, he broke camp on several occasions in January and February. On the 15th of April he left camp, and by June was proclaimed a deserter. On the 12th of July, he was arrested, and fronted a Court Martial on the 25th of July. He was sentenced to 100 days imprisonment. He was then discharged from military service on the 8th of February 1917.