OLDHAM, Walter Herbert
| Service Number: | 8091 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 5 June 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Lieutenant |
| Last Unit: | 56th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Lambton, New South Wales, Australia , 17 July 1894 |
| Home Town: | Stockton, Newcastle, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Shop Assistant |
| Died: | Killed In Action, France, 1 September 1918, aged 24 years |
| Cemetery: |
Fouquescourt British Cemetery, France II AA 10 |
| Memorials: | Lambton Fallen Soldiers HR, St Paul's Church Stockton HR, Stockton Soldiers Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 5 Jun 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 8091, 2nd Australian General Hospital: AIF | |
|---|---|---|
| 13 Oct 1915: | Embarked Private, 8091, 2nd Australian General Hospital: AIF, HMAT Port Lincoln, Sydney | |
| 13 Oct 1915: | Involvement Private, 8091, 2nd Australian General Hospital: AIF, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '23' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Port Lincoln embarkation_ship_number: A17 public_note: '' | |
| 14 Oct 1915: | Embarked Private, 8091, 2nd Australian General Hospital: AIF, HMAT Port Lincoln, Sydney | |
| 14 Oct 1915: | Involvement Private, 8091, 2nd Australian General Hospital: AIF, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '23' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Port Lincoln embarkation_ship_number: A17 public_note: '' | |
| 22 Sep 1916: | Honoured Distinguished Conduct Medal | |
| 1 Sep 1918: | Involvement Lieutenant, 56th Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: awm_unit: 56th Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Lieutenant awm_died_date: 1918-09-01 |
Help us honour Walter Herbert Oldham's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Faithe Jones
Joseph William and Jane OLDHAM, Douglas Street, Stockton, New South Wales.
Member of Stockton Surf and Life-saving Brigade
Distinguished Conduct Medal
'For conspicuous gallantry during operations. He brought in a wounded man under heavy fire from "No Man's Land" and afterwards continued tending the wounded without rest for some 20 hours under heavy shell fire.'
Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 184
Date: 14 December 1916
LIEUTENANT W. H. OLDHAM.
The late Lieutenant Walter Herbert Oldham, D.C.M., of Stocklton, enlisted on June 14, 1915, at the age of 20 years, in the A.M.C., and, as acting sergeant, was given charge of the measles compound, where, when he sailed In October, 1915, there were ever 140 pataients. While in Egypt he became attached to the 56th Battallon as sergeant, with which he proceeded to France. In July, 1916, at Pozieres, he was awarded the D.C.M., and his doctor, Captain Keith Grieve, was awarded the Military Cross for bringing wounded men in from No Man's Land, and dressing them under fire for several hours. Towards the end of 1917 he left the A.M.C., and joined the infantry, after which he was sent to Keble College, Oxford University, where he gained his commission, and returned to France in March last as lieutenant to his own battalion. He was killed in action on Septemper 1, 1918 (not July). Prior to enlistment he was employed as a shop assistant at D. Morgan and Sons', Lambton, for whom he had worked since leaving school. He was well known in senior football circles, having represented Western Suburbs for two occasions, and while at Oxlord played with the college team. He was captain of the Stockton Surf Club; when he enlisted, and had won several medals for swimming.
Biography contributed by Evan Evans
From Gary Mitchell, Sandgate Cemetery
Let us remember a Fallen soldier of The Great War awaiting memorialisation at Sandgate Cemetery.
106 years ago today, on the 1st September 1918, Lieutenant Walter Herbert Oldham D.C.M., referred to as Wally, 56th Battalion (Reg No-8091), shop assistant or grocer (D Morgan & Sons, Lambton, N.S.W.), was Killed in Action (shot by a sniper), during the Battle of Peronne, age 24.
Captain of the Stockton Surf Club and well known in senior grade football circles.
No Australian Red Cross Wounded and Missing File.
Born at Lambton, New South Wales on the 17th July 1894 to Joseph William Snr, (Mayor of Lambton, died 15.1.1929, Leura Private Hospital, N.S.W., age 68), and Jane Oldham (died 1.4.1948, as Jame, not Jane, 21 Queen's Road, New Lambton, N.S.W., age 84, mother of 11) from 36 Douglas Street, Stockton, New South Wales, Wally enlisted on the 5th June 1915 with the 2nd Australian General Hospital, Special Reinforcements, at Liverpool, N.S.W.
Unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales on board HMAT A17 Port Lincoln on the 13th October 1915.
Awarded Distinguished Conduct Medal 22nd September 1916.
'For conspicuous gallantry during operations. He brought in a wounded man under heavy fire from "No Man's Land" and afterwards continued tending the wounded without rest for some 20 hours under heavy shell fire.'
Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 184.
Date: 14th December 1916.
Wally is resting at Fouquescourt British Cemetery, France. Plot II Row AA Grave 10.
Place of Association – Lambton, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.
Mr. Oldham’s name has also been inscribed on the St. Phillip's Presbyterian Church (Newcastle) Roll of Honour, St. Phillip's Presbyterian Church (Newcastle) Memorial Tablets, Stockton War Memorial, Lambton Post Office Roll of Honor, Lambton Park Citizens' Memorial Gates, Lambton Lodge Independent Order of Oddfellows Roll of Honour, New Lambton Public School Roll of Honour, Book of Gold, Stockton St. Paul's Anglican Church Honour Roll, Lambton and New Lambton Roll of Honor, Stockton Surf Club Roll of Honour and the Lambton Lodge No-4, I.O.O.F. Roll of Honour.
Unfortunately, there is no memorial inscription on the headstone for father Joseph to tell us of the loss of his son during The Great War, and I am unable to erect a Memorial cross, so I have placed poppies in remembrance of Wally’s service and supreme sacrifice for God, King & Country. ANGLICAN 2-138. 33.
Contact with descendants would be greatly appreciated.
For more detail, see “Forever Remembered“.
http://www.commemoratingwarheroes.com/cemetery-main-search/.
Lest We Forget.
Click images to start slideshow.