Maitland-born Digger Joseph Stratford has been named the first Australian soldier ashore at Gallipoli at dawn on April 25, 1915.
Stratford’s service records at National Archives Australia prove he was born in Maitland and he worked as a labourer.
His mother’s 1914 address was listed as Lismore.
Private Studley Gahan told a northern NSW newspaper in 1916: “Joe Stratford was the first of Australia’s troops ashore at Gallipoli.
“Lieutenant Jones was second, and I was third.”
Full article available at Maitland Mercury, April 24, 2014.
