23. The Last to Fall
WW1 – The Last to Fall
Saluting their Service - Grahame Old
Introduction
The Battle of Amiens, which began on 8 August 1918, was the opening phase of the Allied offensive later known as the Hundred Days Offensive that ultimately led to the end of the First World War. Spearheaded by the five Australian Divisions the allied forces advanced over 11 kilometres on the first day, one of the greatest advances of the war, with the Somme battlefields and the Hindenburg Line behind them the allies pressed hard on the heels of the retreating German Army. By the middle of October, the Australian Divisions had been withdrawn from the front to rest, the war was over for most Australian soldiers however sadly for some, the final days still proved deadly. This story looks at those last days of the war and at the soldiers who had survived years of war only to fall in the closing days.
Extract from the Australian War Memorial (AWM) document relating to the last AIF soldiers to die during WW1;
The Tunnellers
The Australian Divisions may have been withdrawn from the front to rest, but there was no rest for the miners from the 1st Australian Tunnelling Company (best known for its work in mid-1917 when its men dug under the German lines at Hill 60 in Belgium). On the 4th of November 1918 when working alongside British Royal Engineers at the front they were tasked with assisting to lay a bridge over a canal to allow the Infantry to continue the advance. The German forces counter attacked and sadly three Australian tunnellers were killed in action only a week before the Armistice.
The AIF Flying Corps
There was also no rest for the Australian Flying Corps (AFC), on the same day as the tunnellers were killed, pilots from No 4 Squadron AFC became embroiled in a dog-fight with German aircraft and sadly 3 pilots never returned to base, they were later confirmed as killed in action.
Away from the Battle Front
Other Australians died away from the battle front. There were many soldiers hospitalised in France, Britain, the Middle East and Australia who died of wounds received or sickness before the Armistice. The last Australian battle deaths on the Western Front may have occurred on 4 November 1918. However, there were many more deaths in the following days, including 18 from illness and wounds on the last day of the war.
Who was the last Australian Soldier to die in the First World War?
The Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour lists 18 Australian soldiers who died on 11 November 1918. However, the time of death of soldiers was often not recorded, so it is not possible to determine the last man to die before the guns on the Western Front fell silent at 11 am on 11 November. More deaths of Australian servicemen from wounds and illness occurred in the days and weeks following the Armistice, and thousands more would die of war-related causes, including those who tragically took their own lives, in the decades to follow. Those who died before the official disbandment of the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) on 31 March 1921 are included on the 1914–1918 AWM Honour Roll and were entitled to be buried in a Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) war grave. Soldiers who were receiving a war pension and who died of war related causes following that date were eligible to be buried in a war grave and listed in the CWCG database.
Who was the last British Empire soldier to die in the First World War?
Canadian infantryman Private George Lawrence Price has long been recognised as the last British Empire soldier to die in the Great War. Price was shot by a German sniper as he stepped out of a house he had been searching for enemy soldiers in Ville-sur-Haine in Belgium – just two minutes before the Armistice came into effect.
Who was the last Collie Boys Killed in Action?
Sadly, three Collie Boys were killed in action during the closing battles of WW1. They had survived four long years of continuous fighting and were only three months away from surviving that terrible War.
George Arthur Lamerton MC. Killed in action, 10 Aug 1918 age 30.
John Arthur Fallon. Killed in action, 11 Aug 1918 age 23.
Richard Hugo Hart MM. Killed in action, 23 Aug 1918 age 31.
The last known casualty from Collie - WW1
The last known Collie Boy who died on Active Service during WW1 was;
David JONES, a mill hand from Muja Siding, enlisted into the AIF in May 1915 and joined the 16th Infantry Battalion at Gallipoli. He was hospitalised in England with Influenza on 8th February and died on the 26 February 1919.
CWGC listing of two WW1 soldiers buried in war graves - Collie Cemetery
The CWGC lists two WW1 soldiers who died of illness contracted whilst on active service, who are buried in war graves in the Collie Cemetery. (their deaths occurred post WW1). One was a Collie Boy the other enlisted from Coolgardie;
2621 Corporal Lawrence Alfred Sweeney
Collie Boy Lawrence Alfred Sweeney enlisted in April 1916, after training he was posted as reinforcement to the 51st Infantry Battalion AIF. In December 1916, dangerously ill, he was hospitalised in France and then England. He was diagnosed with spinal meningitis and returned to Australia in July 1917. Lawrence Sweeney was discharged from service in October with an invalid pension, he never recovered from his illness and died on 12 July 1921. His date of death made him ineligible for inclusion on the AWM Roll of Honour, however as his death was due to illness contracted whilst on active service he was eligible to be buried in a CWGC war grave in the Collie Cemetery.
1638 Private Henry Albert Surridge
Henry Surridge enlisted for WW1 service from Coolgardie in 1915 he gave his age as 34 years on enlistment even though he was 47. Harry Surridge saw active service at Gallipoli and then France (Pozieres) with the 11th Infantry Battalion. He was badly wounded at Pozieres with a gunshot wound to the heel. Invalided to Australia he was discharged in December 1917 with a 50% invalid pension, he moved to Collie sometime after his discharge. Sadly, he died in 1919 and was buried in the Collie Cemetery, as his death was war related, he was eligible for a CWGC war grave. Henry Surridge was also eligible for inclusion on the AWM Roll of Honour and is remembered on panel 64 (protocol of the time was returning WW1 AIF soldiers who died of war related injuries prior to 31 March 1921 would be included on the 1914-1918 Honour Roll).
Henry Albert Surridge Obituary
Collie Mail (Perth, WA: 1908 - 1954), Saturday 20 September 1919, page 5
A MILITARY FUNERAL
THE LATE PTE HARRY SURRIDGE
On Saturday afternoon last the funeral took place of Pte Harry Surridge, No 1638, who died at the Isolation Hospital, Collie, on Thursday afternoon of last week. Deceased was a member of the original 11th Battalion, 3rd Brigade, A.I.F. he was at the landing at Gallipoli and also at the evacuation, afterwards proceeding to the Western Front. He was one of "the original 11th Battalion who were successful in taking the first three lines of trenches at Pozieres. Westralians and Queenslanders took part and out of 946 going over the top only 339 were left after the fight. He was wounded and gassed at Pozieres and for the last 21 months had been an inmate of the Base Hospital undergoing treatment, and he was well and popularly known in that institution. The late Mr. Surridge was a fine built-man, being 6ft lin. in height and 16 stone in weight. The cortege left Mr. H Doyle's private mortuary in Forrest Street at 3 p.m. and in addition to numerous private citizens, there were between 10 and 30 returned soldiers in uniform present to pay their last respects to their departed comrade. The pall-bearers were Messrs Spencer, Hopkins, Wood, Hunter, Leyland and Samuels, all returned men in uniform. The service at the graveside was conducted by the Rev. Father Broidy who, in a short address, spoke in very high terms of deceased soldier. He said the departed one must have been a brave and good man for the manner in which he had done his duty for his country. Bugler T. Butcher then sounded the Last Post, which was most impressive. The coffin was covered with the Union Jack and the Australian Flag, surmounted with the tunic and hat of the deceased. The coffin also bore the good old 11th Battalion's colours - chocolate and blue. Mr. M. A. Guelpa was the chief mourner being first cousin of deceased. A large number of floral tributes were received amongst them being a beautiful artificial wreath from the local R.S.A.
Footnote: In 1919 the now RSL was known as the RSA – Returned Soldiers Association.
Remembered Forever at the Collie Cardiff RSL Sub Branch
‘Lest we Forget’