REED, Percival George
| Service Numbers: | 3599, V81307 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 8 July 1915, Bendigo, Victoria |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | Royal Australian Army Service Corps |
| Born: | Bendigo, Vic., 9 June 1892 |
| Home Town: | Bendigo, Greater Bendigo, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Bendigo Central School |
| Occupation: | Butcher |
| Died: | Natural causes, Preston, Victoria, Australia, 15 December 1951, aged 59 years |
| Cemetery: |
Fawkner Memorial Park Cemetery, Victoria |
| Memorials: | Bendigo Central School Honor Roll, Bendigo Great War Roll of Honor, White Hills Methodist Church Roll of Honor |
World War 1 Service
| 8 Jul 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 3599, Bendigo, Victoria | |
|---|---|---|
| 29 Dec 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 3599, 21st Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '13' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Demosthenes embarkation_ship_number: A64 public_note: '' | |
| 29 Dec 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 3599, 21st Infantry Battalion, HMAT Demosthenes, Melbourne | |
| 1 Oct 1916: | Honoured Distinguished Conduct Medal, Fromelles (Fleurbaix), Recommended for Military Medal Altered to DCM. 'Pte REED has during the period from October 1916 to March 1917 served with his unit in France at Fromelles and on the Somme. As a linesman attached to the Batt’n H.R Signallers Pte REED has on many occasions often under fire and at great personal risk effected repairs to telephone lines damaged by shell fire. On the night of 1st February 1917, during an attack by the Brigade on our immediate left all communications with our front line were cut. Pte REED went out through a heavy barrage and effected repairs until communication was re-established. On the night of 14/15th February 1917, during a raid carried out by a company of the 57th Battalion East of GUEDECOURT, he displayed great coolness and courage in laying lines and maintaining communication between the O.C assault on the enemy parapet and on our own lines. He has always displayed great coolness and devotion to duty.’ | |
| 3 Sep 1918: | Discharged AIF WW1, Private, 3599, 57th Infantry Battalion |
World War 2 Service
| 7 Oct 1939: | Enlisted Private, V81307, Bendigo, Victoria | |
|---|---|---|
| 7 Oct 1939: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private, V81307 | |
| 1 Jul 1943: | Discharged Private, V81307, Royal Australian Army Service Corps | |
| 1 Jul 1943: | Discharged Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private, V81307 |
Help us honour Percival George Reed's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Sharyn Roberts
Distinguished Conduct Medal
'For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He has displayed great gallantry on several occasions in repairing and maintaining communications under heavy fire.'
Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 189
Date: 8 November 1917
Biography contributed by Sharyn Roberts
Signaller P. G. Reed, D.C. M., who has been invalided home, is a native of Bendigo, and is a son of Mrs. T. C. Reed, who for many years was an employee of the Bendigo Gas Company. Signaller Reed was attached to the 57th Battalion, and was awarded the Disinguished Conduct Medal on 2nd June, 1917, and was decorated by General Sir
William R. Birdwood on 30th July the same year. Signaller Reed displayed great gallantry on several occasions in repairing and maintaining communicaions under heavy fire. He and another man sent out to repair a telephone line were found unconiscious by a third soldier. Signaller Reed is married, and his wife resides in Arnold street.
Biography contributed by Jack Coyne
Percival George REED
Distinguished Conduct Medal
Recommendation
‘Pte REED has during the period from October 1916 to March 1917 served with his unit in France at Fromelles and on the Somme. As a linesman attached to the Batt’n H.R Signallers Pte REED has on many occasions often under fire and at great personal risk effected repairs to telephone lines damaged by shell fire. On the night of 1st February 1917, during an attack by the Brigade on our immediate left all communications with our front line were cut. Pte REED went out through a heavy barrage and effected repairs until communication was re-established.
On the night of 14/15th February 1917, during a raid carried out by a company of the 57th Battalion East of GUEDECOURT, he displayed great coolness and courage in laying lines and maintaining communication between the O.C assault on the enemy parapet and on our own lines. He has always displayed great coolness and devotion to duty.’
Recommended for Military Medal Altered to DCM.
The Bendigo Advertiser reported in September 1917 the following: -
BRAVERY RECOGNISED.
Signaller P. G. Reed, awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal, husband of Mrs. Reed, of 50 Arnold Street, Bendigo.
No definite particulars are available concerning the deed which won for Private Reed this coveted distinction, but some time ago it was reported that Private Reed and another were sent out to repair a telephone line, and later were both found unconscious by a third soldier, and it is thought per none
Help haps that it is in connection with this affair that the medal was awarded him. Private Reed was presented with his ribbon and medal by General Birdwood on 30th July.[1]
SIGNALLER P. G. REED, D.C.M.
Signaller P. G. Reed, D.C. M., who has been invalided home, is a native of Bendigo, and is a son of Mrs. T. C. Reed, who for many years was an employee of the Bendigo Gas Company.
Signaller Reed was attached to the 57th Battalion, and was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal on 2nd June 1917, and was decorated by General Sir William R. Birdwood on 30th July the same year. Signaller Reed displayed great gallantry on several occasions in repairing and maintaining communications under heavy fire. He and another man sent out to repair a telephone line were found unconscious by a third soldier. Signaller Reed is married, and his wife resides in Arnold-street.[2]
SERVICE DETAILS:
Regimental number: 3599
Place of birth: Bendigo
Religion: Methodist
Occupation: Butcher
Marital status: Single
Age at embarkation: 26
Next of kin:Wife, Mrs Violet Reed, 50 Arnold Street, Bendigo
Enlistment date: 8 July 1915
Unit name: 21st Battalion, 8th Reinforcement
Embarked: HMAT A64 Demosthenes on 29 December 1915
Final Rank: Private
Unit: 57th Battalion
Recommendation: Military Medal Altered to DCM.
Recommendation date: 3 March 1917
Fate: Returned to Australia 8 April 1918
Distinguished Conduct Medal Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 189. Date: 8 November 1917
Date of death: 16 December 1951
Place of burial: Fawkner Cemetery
Fromelles:
In February 1917 the Germans took the Allies by surprise by withdrawing from their front line to consolidate along the much stronger and straighter front along the Hindenberg Line. In doing so they sought to eliminate what is known in military parlance as "a salient". "Salients" are projections of the front line into enemy territory which leave the defender of the salient vulnerable to being outflanked and cut off, hence the German consolidation. However the speed of the process took the Allies by surprise. The Australian Divisions as part of the British 5th Army began a cautious follow up.[3]
[1] Bendigo Advertiser Fri 28 Sep 1917 Page 5 BRAVERY RECOGNISED.
[2] Bendigo Advertiser (Vic. - 1855 - 1918) Tue 20 Aug 1918 Page 5 NEWS OF SOLDIERS. SIGNALLER P. G. REED.
[3]. German Withdrawal to the Hindenburg Line
https://vwma.org.au/explore/campaigns/21
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