COUNSELL, Cyril Gilbert Holt
| Service Number: | 3535 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 10 April 1916, Adelaide South Australia Australia |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 32nd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Rose Park, South Australia, 7 November 1895 |
| Home Town: | Adelaide, South Australia |
| Schooling: | St Peters College, Adelaide, South Australia |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Sailly-le-Sec, France, 15 May 1918, aged 22 years |
| Cemetery: |
Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery Plot I Row B Grave 8 |
| Memorials: | Adelaide National War Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Brighton Arch of Remembrance, Brighton WW1 Roll of Honour, Hackney St Peter's College Fallen Honour Board, Ilfracombe District Honour Roll, Ilfracombe Memorial Rotunda |
World War 1 Service
| 10 Apr 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Adelaide South Australia Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 12 Aug 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 3535, 32nd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ballarat, Adelaide | |
| 12 Aug 1916: |
Involvement
AIF WW1, Private, 3535, 32nd Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '17' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Ballarat embarkation_ship_number: A70 public_note: '' |
|
| 5 May 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 3535, 32nd Infantry Battalion, Bullecourt (Second) | |
| 31 Jul 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 3535, 32nd Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres | |
| 26 Sep 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 3535, 32nd Infantry Battalion, Polygon Wood | |
| 25 Apr 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 3535, 32nd Infantry Battalion, "Peaceful Penetration - Low-Cost, High-Gain Tactics on the Western Front" |
From the book Fallen Saints
Cyril Gilbert Holt Counsell of Brighton, South Australia was born at Rose Park in 1896. He was educated at the Reverend Moore’s school at Glenelg before attending the Collegiate School of St Peter where he served a period of two years in the senior cadets.
After leaving Saint Peter’s in 1911 he was employed in the office of Mr J A Riley in Adelaide for 12 months before leaving to work on Edward Goode’s sheep station ‘Barooka’ near Kingston, South Australia. He later worked for his uncle, Charles Counsell, as the overseer of ‘Lyndon’ sheep station at Barcaldine, Queensland until he returned to Adelaide to enlist in the AIF.
On 10 April 1916 he was posted to B Company, 2nd Depot Battalion, at Mitcham Camp where at the beginning of July he joined the 8th quota of reinforcements for the 32nd Battalion; this quota sailed from Adelaide aboard HMAT Ballarat on 12 August.
He disembarked at Devonport, England on 30 September, and was attached to the 8th Training Battalion. While there he was admitted to No 10 Camp Hospital at Hurdcott and upon recovery proceeded to France in December; he was taken on the strength of the 32nd Battalion in the field on 7 February 1917.
When the Germans withdrew in early 1917 the battalion participated in the follow-up but missed most of the heavy fighting to breach the Hindenburg Line. During the second battle of Bullecourt the 8th Brigade was deployed to protect the 5th Division’s flank and in September took part in the Battle of Polygon Wood, Belgium.
After being wounded in action on 1 October 1917 Private Counsell was admitted to 3rd Australian Field Ambulance with wounds to his head and back and transferred to 18th General Hospital; Camieres the following day. He rejoined his unit in the field on 14 October and was granted leave in England 10-27 February 1918 and upon his return resumed his position as a Lewis Gunner in B Company.
Private Cyril Counsell was killed in action near Sailly-le-Sec on 15 May 1918; he was 20 years of age.
His cousin Lieutenant George Smith of the 11th Battalion when killed in action at Gallipoli in May 1915 was also only 20 years of age.
Submitted 11 March 2016 by Robert Kearney
Biography
Cyril Gilbert Holt Counsell of Brighton, South Australia was born at Rose Park in Nov 1895. He was educated at the Reverend Moore's school at Glenelg before attending the Collegiate School of St Peter where he served a period of two years in the Senior Cadets. After leaving St Peter's in 1911, he was employed in the office of Mr J A Riley in Adelaide for 12 months before leaving to work on Edward Goode's sheep station 'Barooka' near Kingston, South Australia. He later worked for his uncle, Charles Counsell, as the overseer of 'Lyndon' sheep station at Barcaldine, Queensland until he returned to Adelaide to enlist in the AIF.
On 10 April 1916, he was posted to B Company, 2nd Depot Battalion, at Mitcham Camp where at the beginning of July he joined the 8th quota of reinforcements for the 32nd Battalion; this quota sailed from Adelaide aboard HMAT Ballarat on 12 August.He disembarked at Devonport, England on 30 September, and was attached to the 8th Training Battalion. While there, he was admitted to No 10 Camp Hospital at Hurdcott and upon recovery proceeded to France in December; he was taken on the strength of the 32nd Battalion in the field on 7 February 1917.
When the Germans withdrew in early 1917, the Battalion participated in the follow-up but missed most of the heavy fighting to breach the Hindenburg Line. During the second Battle of Bullecourt, the 8th Brigade was deployed to protect the 5th Division's flank and in September took part in the Battle of Polygon Wood, Belgium. After being wounded in action on 1 October 1917, Private Counsell was admitted to 3rd Australian Field Ambulance with wounds to his head and back and transferred to 18th General Hospital, Camieres the following day. He rejoined his unit in the field on 14 October and was granted leave in England 10-27 February 1918 and upon his return resumed his position as a Lewis Gunner in B Company.
Private Cyril Counsell was killed in action near Sailly-le-Sec on 15 May 1918; he was 20 years of age.
His cousin Lieutenant George Smith of the 11th Battalion was killed in action at Gallipoli in May 1915; he was 20 years of age.
Details from Attestation Papers
Served 2 years as a Cadet
Age at Enlistment - 20 yr 6 months, Height - 5' 5", Weight - 138 lbs, Fresh Complexion, Blue eyes, Fair hair
Attached to papers - wriiten consent from his Father to enlist
Taken On Strength 32nd Batt, 8th Reinforcements
Embarked 12 August 1916
30 December 1916, Proceeded to France from Davenport
1 October 1917, Wounded in Action, Etaples GSW to Head/Back
1 October 1917, Admitted and transferred to 2nd Casualty Clearing Stattion from 3rd AF Ambulance
2 October 1917, Admitted to 18th GH GSW Back, Camiers
5 October 1917, Trasferred to 6th Convalescent Hospital
10 October 1917, Marched in ex Hospital U, Havre
13 October 1917, Marched to Unit
1 November 1917, Pte Counsell Rejoined Unit
14 February 1918, On leave UK
28 February 1918, Rejoined Unit
15 May 1918 Killed in Action, France
Source: National Archives of Australia and the manuscript of "Fallen Saints" by B. Kearney
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