Albert Cecil Fewtrell
Albert Cecil Fewtrell (1880-1950)
Introduction
Within organisations, there arise from time to time “larger than life figures”, who stand out and continue to do so even after their demise. In the New South Wales Railways (NSWR). one of these was Albert Cecil Fewtrell, usually known by his military rank of Major-General.
Fewtrell was the first Chief Civil Engineer of the Way & Works Branch when this position was created in 1932. He held this title for 18 years, a record unbroken over the 57 years until the position was abolished as part of a yet another short-lived restructure. He is the engineer behind the NSW Railways’ most notable landmarks.
Further, Fewtrell was of that age that allowed service in World War 1 and World War 2, and he distinguished himself in both.
Brief background
Fewtrell was born in 1885 in Chester, England, the son of John and Sarah Lilla Fewtrell. Within a year he was en-route to Australia, when his father obtained a role as a teacher with the Queensland Education Department, arriving in Brisbane in March 1886.
Fewtrell’s first school was at Woodford, a small village about 75 km north of Brisbane and he then moved around, in line with his father’s teaching appointments. He finished his high school years at Toowoomba Grammar School, winning various academic prizes. While still at high school, Fewtrell passed (with credit) the Scale Drawing examination at Brisbane Technical College. At 16 years of age he was awarded a school scholarship soon after passing the Junior University examinations. Thus. Fewtrell’s rise to engineering fame started.
Early railway career in Queensland and NSW
In 1902, Fewtrell joined Queensland Railways as Cadet Mechanical Engineer at Ipswich. However, it was said that he found the building of steam engines too monotonous, so he transferred to the civil engineering side, a sentiment that many railway civil engineers may well identify with.
Fewtrell then in 1907 obtained a position as a draftsman in Railway Construction Branch of the NSW Public Works Department, which was headed by JJC Bradfield. In 1908, he transferred to the NSW Railways, and in 1911 was promoted to Assistant Resident Engineer, Alexandria. He was further promoted to Resident Engineer, Alexandria, followed by similar positions at Goulburn and Newcastle.
Fewtrell joined the Australian Citizens Military Force (CMF) and his military training began at Ipswich in Queensland. When his engineering career took him to Sydney, he became a Commissioned Officer, commanding the 5th Field Company, Australian Engineers. However, Fewtrell’s part-time militia involvement soon turned much more serious when Australia’s involvement in World War 1 started on 4 August 1914, about a week after Britain declared war on Germany.
World War I
Railway employees required a grant of leave to enable them to enlist for the First World War. Fewtrell was granted leave on 23 August 1915 and was initially appointed as a major on 29 September.
Mining under enemy trenches was being used by both sides on the Western Front and this led to Australia offering to raise a Mining Corps in September 1915. Fewtrell was selected to command the corps and was promoted to lieutenant-colonel. The Mining Corps had a strength of nearly 1,300 men when it departed Sydney aboard HMAT A38 Ulysses on 20 February 1916.
When the Mining Corps arrived on the Western Front in May 1916, the British preference for smaller units that could be readily moved as required resulted in the Mining Corps being split up. Its three mining companies becoming independent tunnelling companies and the technical staff formed into the Australian Electrical, Mechanical, Mining and Boring Company. Fewtrell was considered too senior to command any of these units, so on 6 July 1916 he took command of the 4th Pioneers Battalion.
The 4th Pioneers was based near Armentieres at the time but was about to move to the Somme. They arrived at Albert on 28 July 1916 where they worked as a typical pioneer battalion until 24 August when the unit began to work on a 600mm light railway running from Albert to Pozieres.
The British had been reluctant to use light railways on the Western Front, believing that the trench war would soon give way to a war of movement which would not suit light railways. The transport failures during the Battle of the Somme (July-November 1916) forced a review of this policy.
The 4th Pioneers were then sent to Ypres for more light railway work. Major-General Eric Geddes, who was charged with fixing the British transport problems, visited Fewtrell at Ypres and was sufficiently impressed to suggest Fewtrell as an assistant director for the proposed Directorate of Light Railways, but General Birdwood refused: Fewtrell was needed for the Anzac Light Railways project.
The Anzac Light Railways were built around Albert in the winter of 1916/1917. Fewtrell became the Commanding Officer of the 1st Anzac Light Railways on 6 November 1916. It was created to control the project with the 4th Pioneers and the 6th Field Company Engineers fully committed. Labour was provided by seconding soldiers from infantry units being cycled through the rear areas for rest. When railway operations commenced, the 1st Anzac Light Railway Operating Company was formed from Australian railwaymen already on the Western Front. This was said to be the largest light railway project undertaken by British forces prior to the creation of the Directorate of Light Railways. It was handed over to the Canadians in May 1917.
With the disbanding of the 1st Anzac Light Railways, the 4th Pioneers and the 1st Field Company Engineers (who had replaced the 6th) returned to their usual work while the 1st Anzac Light Railway Operating Company became part of the Directorate of Light Railways. Fewtrell then served as the Australian representative at the headquarters of the Director General of Transport on the Western Front but fell ill in November 1917 and was sent back to Australia. His military appointment ended on 28 September 1918.
For his service, Albert Fewtrell received a DSO for his work on the Somme in August and September 1916 and was twice mentioned in despatches.
Back to the NSW Railways
Following demobilisation, Fewtrell returned to his position of Resident Engineer Newcastle, where he managed of the construction of the Zara Street Power House, which supplied electricity for the railways. He remained at Newcastle until 1926, when he was promoted to Supervising Engineer in Head Office.
In 1932 Fewtrell was promoted to Transport Commissioner and later that year, following a restructure, was given the title of Chief Civil Engineer, in charge of the Way & Works Branch and reporting directly to the Commissioner. The Way & Works Branch was responsible for the design, construction and maintenance of all track, bridges, buildings and other structures right across the NSW railway network.
NSW Railways in the 1930s
The railway network that Fewtrell assumed control over as Chief Civil Engineer in 1932 was vastly different to the fragmented NSW railways of the 21st Century. The total network was still in service across the state and it was a vertically integrated railway organisation, operating both passenger and freight services, and under the full control of the Commissioner.
However, 1932 was not a good year to take on a major role in The Railways, for Australia had plunged into the Great Depression. Despite these severe economic conditions, there was still an extensive network to maintain, totaling almost 10,000 km of track. Even with the financial restrictions, Fewtrell had an extensive works program and in the first year of his tenure as CCE, renewal works included 239 miles of track, 75 miles of rerailing and over a million sleepers.
Even in The Depression, Fewtrell’s Way & Works branch still pursued innovation with the establishment of the Rail Welding Depot at Chullora, to weld 45ft rails into 360ft lengths. This resulted in a significant reduction in the number of joints in track and hence the amount of maintenance required, while improving safety and ride quality.
There was also progress noted on completing the City Railway, Sutherland to Cronulla Line and the Bungendore to Captains Flat Branch Line.
Railway House
Also in the 1930s there were major capital works to manage, including Railway House at Wynyard, on York Street over the newly opened Station. This was built to provide centralised office accommodation for the Commissioner, chief engineers of the various branches and administrative staff.
The Railways received much criticism from private industry about the standard of design being higher than necessary, let alone its focus on safety. However, these criticisms were ignored by Fewtrell and construction proceeded to the Railway’s plans. The steel frame of this 12-storey building was fabricated in the Railways’ workshops at Chullora and then erected by Railway’s day-labour forces.
When Railway House was completed in 1936, it received the Sulman architectural award, and then the Royal Institute of British Architects’ Medal in 1939.
Hawkesbury River Bridge
In 1938 problems with the Hawkesbury River Bridge (HRB) came to a head. The bridge had showed signs of defects within 12 months of its opening in 1889 and the contractors were called back to repair some faults with the piers. Through the 1920s and 1930s, many more faults became evident. In 1938 a severe crack in in No. 4 Pier was discovered resulting in the decision to replace the bridge. Fewtrell was reading an American text book which stated that the interior of the piers of the HRB comprised rubble, and he noted this was contrary to the specification, which required concrete to ensure stability when the iron casings rusted.
Indeed, Fewtrell maintained that he was personally responsible for locating this defect and avoiding a major rail catastrophe, saying in the Engineers Salary Case in 1949:
“If I had not located this defect, a major catastrophe unequalled in Australia would have resulted no later than 1942. One or two fully loaded trains could have crashed through the bridge.”
The problems that Fewtrell and his Way & Works Branch were soon to become much more critical with the advent of WW2 in September 1939 and even more so with the entry into the war of Japan in December 1941, thus bringing hostilities closer to Australia’s doorstep.
Military Service Continues
Fewtrell continued to serve in the militia as a colonel during this inter-war period, including the positions of Commanding Officer 1st Field Brigade, Commander Royal Engineers, Commanding Officer 9th Australian Infantry Brigade, and Chief Engineer, 1st District Base.
Fewtrell’s ongoing involvement with the Australian Militia would not have been easy, given his high levels of command and the time demands of his role as CCE. However, Fewtrell gives us some idea in his response to a question in the Engineers Salary Case of 1949. When asked whether his subordinate officers assumed a lot of responsibility, “That is my method. It is army organisation – delegation of commands.” So, the next level down in the Way & Works Branch AND the militia must left to their own initiative much of the time. Certainly, Fewtrell does not sound like the “micro-manager”, so prevalent in 21st Century management ranks.
World War II
World War II saw Fewtrell again serve his country, re-enlisting for full time service in the Australian Army on October 9, 1941, attaining the rank of Major-General. His service positions included Commandant of Eastern Command Base from and General Officer Commanding NSW Lines of Communication.
Fewtrell’s final post is irrelevant, for he was essentially in charge of the Army’s administrative and logistics functions across NSW, which included keeping the system operating for the movement of troops and supplies. Equally, there was a role to hinder Japanese movements should the expected invasion occur. The piers of the first Hawkesbury River Railway Bridge were ready to be blown up, to stop the railway being used by the feared invaders. Thus, during his two-year tenure in command of the Army’s Lines of Communication, Fewtrell maintained his involvement with the Hawkesbury River Railway Bridge.
In September 1943, after 35 years in the militia and Australian Army, Fewtrell retired from the military. It was reported that the Premier of NSW, Mr. McKell, commended Fewtrell, noting “His extraordinary knowledge of New South Wales gained while an engineer in the service of the State Railways, combined with his military experience, had made him an ideal man for his command.”
Major-General Fewtrell was given a farewell parade by the Army and then resumed his position as Chief Civil Engineer.
Back to the Hawkesbury River Railway Bridge
The major task facing Fewtrell when he returned to the railways was the completion of the Hawkesbury River Rail Bridge. This was a critical task, for the bridge was carrying up to 100 trains a day and this really taxed the already poor condition of the structure. Trains were restricted to 14 miles per hour (23 km/h) and finally 4 miles per hour (6 km/h), with only one train at a time allowed on the bridge. The complete design, foundation work and fabrication of the new bridge were undertaken by the Railways. There is no doubt the bridge is a substantial structure: 785 m (0.49 mile) long, with 2 x 44.81 m (147 feet) trusses, 2 x 135.64 m (445 feet) trusses and 4 x 105.92 m (347 feet) trusses, all on concrete piers supported on caissons.
The steel spans were constructed adjacent to the bridge site on the northern side of Long Island, raised to the correct height, placed onto barges and floated out to the piers at high tide. Indeed, it was noted that this very much like a military operation, with the construction technique being set out in models in the site offices. Again, we can see the essence of Fewtrell’s character coming through, as very much the “front-line” manager, for he rode each span as it was floated out and lowered into place on the new piers.
Over 500 men worked on the project and its completion was a major achievement, given the limitations on man power, materials and equipment during WW2. It was also noted as a major technical achievement at the time of its construction, with its large riveted steel trusses and its footings were still among the deepest in the world. It remains the longest purpose-built rail bridge in the NSW network.
The new bridge was opened by the Premier of NSW, Mr McKell, on 1 July 1946, with the first train across the new bridge hauled by Locomotive 3810, which had been built in the NSW Railways’ workshops. This was appropriate, as the new Hawkesbury River Bridge had also been constructed by the Railways own staff.
Baker Gold Medal
Fewtrell wrote a paper on the construction of the Hawkesbury River Railway Bridge and for this the Council of the Institution of Civil Engineers in 1949 presented him with the Baker Gold Medal, which was awarded every three years for outstanding civil engineering work.
Fewtrell was the first Australian engineer to win this award but was still quite modest in his response: "I accept the honour not only for myself but for the Railways Department whose staff helped to build the bridge.”
Interestingly, this award of the Baker Gold Medal to Major-General Fewtrell even rated a mention in the Women’s Weekly. One cannot imagine the Women’s Weekly of the 21st Century mentioning anything related to engineers or engineering, with its much different concept of who is a “celebrity”.
The NSW Railways after World War II
Even with the completion of the Hawkesbury River Railway Bridge, Fewtrell’s problems were far from over. Heading the Way & Works Branch would have presented a major management task for Fewtrell and his engineers, for they had almost 10,000 kilometres of track to maintain, with some 15,000 employees.
Further, the NSW Railways system had greatly increased traffic during WW2 but operated with reduced staffing and maintenance funding. This continued after the war, with the NSW Railways Annual Report of 1949 including the following maintenance issues: • Shortage of staff and materials • Critical shortage of rails • Heavy locomotives taken off North Coast Line due to condition of 80lb rails
The critical shortage of rails that Fewtrell faced forced the Railways to look at suppliers from overseas, even from Australia’s former wartime enemies of Japan and Germany. In the end, the Railways settled on a French supplier – perhaps a bad decision in the longer term, given a broken French rail was the likely cause of the Spirit of Progress derailment near Bowral in 1969.
Track maintenance was not the only issue facing Fewtrell and his branch, for the 1949 Report also listed a number of major construction works underway or planned, including new lines, such as the City Circle and Eastern Suburbs, Southern Suburbs, South Eastern Suburbs, the duplication from Kingsgrove to Herne Bay, a new bridge over Parramatta River at Meadowbank, and removal of the remaining spans of old Hawkesbury River Bridge
Engineers Salary Case
In 1949 the Association of Railway Professional Officers of Australia mounted a case for substantial salary increases for engineers. Fewtrell was a key witness and his evidence was reported in the Sydney papers, giving us some further insights to his character.
Fewtrell was quite dismissive of the responsibilities of chief engineers of government enterprises. He cited the head of the Snowy River Scheme, who received about double Fewtrell’s salary, noting “When you get down to tin tacks, the Snowy River scheme comprises only tunnels and dams.”
Another of Fewtrell’s comments in the Salary Case may sum up his opinion of himself: “There are no heavier duties than mine anywhere in the Commonwealth.” While he was no doubt trying to push his case as hard as possible, this does seem like more than a touch of arrogance.
Circular Quay
Fewtrell’s reference to Circular Quay is worth pursuing, for this also shines the spotlight on the man and his role as CCE. One of the most contentious issues with the completing the City Circle was the design of the Circular Quay Station, which attracted a good deal of attention and controversy, with Fewtrell in the box seat. The NSW Government set up the Circular Quay Supervisory Committee in 1938, with Fewtrell as chairman and here we see some of his character coming through quite strongly.
The NSW Railways had prepared a design for the station, with Fewtrell’s signature on the plan. However, there was an alternative scheme proposed by the government authorities’ panel of architects, which Fewtrell criticised as “Most Stupid”, maintaining that the architects “couldn’t design a tomato house”.
This did not endear Fewtrell to the NSW Government and led to a great degree of public criticism of him in the press. The Daily Telegraph reported that the Minister for Local Government, Mr Cahill, said that Major-General A. C. Fewtrell’s criticism of a design for the Quay railway was “most undignified”. Personally, I would side with the substance of Fewtrell’s comments but not necessarily how they were expressed. Perhaps with his very senior military background and his CCE role, he had reached the stage where he “couldn’t suffer fools gladly”.
Stuart Sharp considers that “the evidence suggests a degree of arrogance, which would have been typical of any head of branch at that time. He scoffed at outsiders, believing in the informal railway cultural notion that only Railway officers knew what was best for customers.”
In the end, another design was accepted for Circular Quay Railway Station and the City Circle was finally opened on 21 January 1956. Sadly, Fewtrell had died some five years previously and did not see the completion of a project obviously dear to his heart.
Under Fewtrell, the Railways continued its involvement in major projects, and in 1949 he signed off drawings for the buildings for the Wangi Power Station, when the NSW Railways had a key role in the electrical power generation for NSW.
The end of the journey
Major-General Fewtrell died on 16 October 1950, aged 65, still in the position of Chief Civil Engineer. The cause of death was a coronary occlusion, which Stuart Sharp notes may have been linked to the bitterness and other feelings which Fewtrell must have felt at the time.
His death was reported right across NSW and interstate, and by the Institution of Civil Engineers in London. The Minister for Transport, Mr. W. F. Sheahan, said, "The country will be poorer by the death of a great engineer, a great administrator, and a great soldier.”
As well as family and the usual run-of-the-mill politicians, Fewtrell’s funeral on 17 October 1950 was attended by the NSW Governor, Lieutenant-General Sir John Northcott, high-ranking military officers and senior government officials. His pall bearers comprised three lieutenant-generals, three major-generals and two brigadiers. This must be indicative of Fewtrell’s standing amongst his military peers, when the Governor and eight high-ranking officers took part in the ceremony with only a day’s notice.
Legacy
Major-General Fewtrell left a significant legacy, which is evident in two ways: the tangible and intangible.
So far as the tangible is concerned, the Hawkesbury River Railway Bridge stands out. Over 72 years on, the Hawkesbury River Railway Bridge is still performing well and is a vital part of the interurban, country and freight railway networks. Indeed, it was remarked that, “The Hawkesbury River Bridge is to the railways what the Sydney Harbour Bridge is to the road authorities.”
Likewise, Railway House is still standing looking very much it was back in 1936, a tribute to its sturdy design and quality of construction.
His intangible legacy is more difficult to assess. However, one could cite engineer training in the Way & Works Branch, which continued successfully from Fewtrell’s time until the NSW Government decided to fragment the NSW rail system in 1989.
The Newcastle Morning Herald report on the opening of the Hawkesbury River Bridge noted: “A feature of the construction of the bridge was the absence of any technical disorder. The engineers and workmen operated to a well organised plan which Mr Fewtrell said was a result of his army training. “The delegation of command to junior officers has been woven into the Civil Engineering organisation of the NSW Railways. It has proved good training for young civil engineers who joined the services.”
No doubt many civil engineers in the Way and Works Branch in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s would agree they benefited from this military office approach, which continued beyond Fewtrell’s time and up until the NSW Railways disintegrated. Whereas professional engineers of other branches in the Railways tended to be mainly placed in design or other office roles, Way & Works civil engineers after graduation had the option of direct track maintenance engineering positions in the field. In my case, at age 21, I was appointed as Distrct Engineer, Goulburn, with the responsibility for 80 kilometres of track on the Main South Line and 50 fettlers, and by the age of 23 I had 350 men under my control in the north-west of NSW, with 900 km of track, bridges and buildings
The success of Fewtrell’s engineer policy could also be seen in the number of Way & Works Branch civil engineers who advanced to senior executive positions in the railways and other government and private organisations.
So, Major-General Albert Cecil Fewtrell, high ranking civil engineer and officer: a story worth telling, and one hopes that memories of him will live on for many years.
Acknowledgements
Assistance was received from Trevor Edmonson and John McNamara on Fewtrell’s WW I career, and from Stuart Sharp on Fewtrell’s later role as CCE. Bill Phippen’s book on The Hawkesbury River Railway Bridges is also an invaluable resource. And, as usual, the National Library of Australia’s resource, Trove, was an excellent source of information.
To access Albert Fewtrell's employment record use this link:
Frank Johnson
02 September 2024
