KINGSMILL, Horace Frederick
| Service Numbers: | Not yet discovered |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 14 August 1914 |
| Last Rank: | Major |
| Last Unit: | 1st Field Artillery Brigade |
| Born: | Gunnedah, New South Wales, Australia, 31 December 1888 |
| Home Town: | Sydney, City of Sydney, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Sydney Church of England Grammar School, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Bank Officer |
| Died: | Killed In Action, Belgium, 8 August 1917, aged 28 years |
| Cemetery: |
Reninghelst New Military Cemetery, Belgium Plot III, Row C, Grave No. 21 |
| Memorials: | Albury St. Matthew's Anglican Church War Memorial, Commercial Banking Company of Sydney WW1 Honour Roll, Northbridge (Shore) Sydney Church of England Grammar School Memorial Cricket Ground Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 14 Aug 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 1st Field Artillery Brigade | |
|---|---|---|
| 18 Oct 1914: | Promoted AIF WW1, Captain, 1st Field Artillery Brigade | |
| 18 Oct 1914: | Involvement Lieutenant, 1st Field Artillery Brigade, Third Ypres, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '3' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Argyllshire embarkation_ship_number: A8 public_note: '' | |
| 18 Oct 1914: | Embarked Lieutenant, 1st Field Artillery Brigade, HMAT Argyllshire, Sydney | |
| 25 Oct 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Captain, 1st Field Artillery Brigade, ANZAC / Gallipoli | |
| 12 Mar 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Major, 1st Field Artillery Brigade | |
| 19 Aug 1916: | Honoured Companion of the Distinguished Service Order, Battle for Pozières , For conspicuous gallantry and fine work as liaison officer at Pozieres on 24/25 July, when under constant heavy fire provided quick and clear information to direct artillery support provided by brigade. | |
| 26 Jan 1917: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lieutenant Colonel, 1st Field Artillery Brigade, Temporary appointment to 4 April, 1917. | |
| 8 Aug 1917: | Involvement Major, 1st Field Artillery Brigade, Third Ypres, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: awm_unit: 1st Australian Field Artillery Brigade awm_rank: Major awm_died_date: 1917-08-08 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Michael Silver
Horace Frederick Kingsmill was the oldest of four sons born to the Clerk of Petty Sessions at Gunnedah Court House, John Johnson Kingsmill and his wife Amy during their time in Gunnedah in the late 1880s and 1890s. The family left Gunnedah in the late 1890s, with JJ Kingsmill taking up an appointment at Muswellbrook. In 1907 he was transferred to Albury.
All four boys obtained commissions as officers and served with distinction in the Great War.
Horace Kingsmill attended Sydney Church of England Gramar School and was a member of the school cadet unit. After leaving school, he joined the staff of the Commercial Banking Company of Sydney in 1906. He signed up with the volunteer militia as a gunner in 1909, before passing his examinations for a commission in 1910.
He presented himself at Victoria Barracks in Sydney on August 14, 1914, and applied for a commission with the Australian Expeditionary Force on August 17, only 13 days after war had broken out in Europe.
Granted a commison as a Lieutenant in the 1st Field Artillery Brigade, he was promoted to Captain on October 18, the day his unit left Sydney in the troopship 'Argyllshire', bound for war.
After training in Egypt, the 1st Field Artillery Brigade initially was sent to Cape Helles on the Gallipoli peninsula. It was not deployed to ANZAC until October, 1915 with Captain Kingsmill being with the 3rd Battery at Russells Top.
After evacuation from Gallipoli, Kingsmill and his brigade were sent to the Western Front in March 1916, just a few weeks after he was promoted to Major.
Involved in the thick of the battle from the time of his arrival in France, Major Kingsmill was awarded the Companion of the Distinguished Service Order for his outstanding leadership and gallantry as a forward observer under heavy fire at Pozieres on July 24/25, 1916.
He was officially invested with his DSO at Buckingham Palace on September 23, 1916.
In January 1917, he was mentioned in the despatches of Sir Douglas Haigh, Commander-in-Chief of the British Armies in France, for distinguished and gallant services.
Granted the temporary rank of Lieutenant Colonel, he was in command of the 1st Artillery Brigade in the early part of 1917.
Major Kingsmill was killed in action shortly after 10pm on 8 August 1917 just east of Zillerbeke in the Ypres salient, Belgium when his command dugout, at the battery position, took a direct hit from a high explosive shell. Also killed in the blast was Lt D. Dowsett, whilst Lt W. East MC escaped injury and assumed command of the battery.
Major Horace Frederick Kingsmill DSO was buried at Reninghelst New Military Cemetery, Poperinghe, Belgium.
His three brothers, Nigel, Colin and Kenneth all served in the artillery units. Second-born Nigel was awarded the Military Cross for bravery and devotion to duty at Ponchaux on October 8/9, 1918. All three survived the war and returned to Australia.
Credit: RG Mclean
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