Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Son of J.L.F. Gelly, Mildura, Victoria

Military Medal

Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 120
Date: 7 August 1918

ANOTHER MILITARY MEDAL.
FOR MILDURA.
Mr. F. Gelly, of Dewry-avenue, has supplied particulars of the gallant deed which gained his son (Private Raoul Gelly, of the 38th
Battalion) the Military Medal for which, by the way, he was formerly recommended. On the earlier occasion (some 14 months  ago) Raoul was standing under shell fire chatting with Sergeant Blair when a piece of shell struck the officer, mortally wounding  him. Raoul applied first aid and then carried the sufferer back through a German artillery barrage to the nearest dressing station. Unfortunately the sergeant died soon afterwards.
Particulars of the more recent incident are givew in a letter just received by the parents. We give them in Raoul's own words: "On my return to my battalion after being in hospital, I was picked out with about 100 others to take part in the raid. We were  sent to a camp to be trained; when there we were divided into sections, mine being No. 13, which I thought might prove  unlucky for me, especially so as my hut was also No. 13, but when it was rumored that the raid would take place on the 13th I thought there may be some luck in it after all. A few days before the 10th February we were issued with all of our equipment,  bombs, nut crackers, etc., etc. At 5.30 p.m. on the 10th we were entrained on a light railway and away we went towards the front, all of us feeling anxious and wondering as to our chance of get ting a ride back. After leaving the railway we started off up  the duck boards for about three kilo-metres before we got to our front trenches. We were then given a short rest. Then over the top we went all of us eager to get at Fritz. We were half-running, half walking, our backs bent low. Now and again Fritz would  send up a Veary light, when we would have to stand still. Once the light was out off we would go again for another twenty yards  or so. It was this, up and down, till we got with in 100 yards or so of Fritz's front line. We then had to lay down and wait for our  artillery barrage, which was to last a minute, to open. By then we were all very excited,My job was first bayonet man was to lead my section to the trenches, up the communication trenches, to two 'pill-boxes,' which we had to clear all my men except one were men who had never been in the front line before. As soon as our guns ceased firing I ran with my section into the trenches  and up towards the pill-box. As I came close up I saw a Fritz with his hands up, caling out 'Mercy Kanierad.' I grabbed him by the  shoulder, dragged him out and passed him on to the rear. We then made our way to the pill box. There must have been a dozen Germans in it. We called on them to come out, but they replied with their rifles, so we threw a bomb amongst them and one more Fritz came out with a piece of bomb in his back . We then threw more bombs, but as they still refused to come out we  sent them a Stock's mortar shell, which blew Germans, pill-box and all in the air. We then dealt with the other pill-box in much  the same way. A machine-gun which had been firing over our heads for some time drew our attention. We were preparing to rush it when our sergeant came up and as our time was up ordered us back. So we had to leave it and get back to camp with our five prisoners. On arrival we had some very nice cocoa, biscuits, cigarettes, etc., provided by the Australian Comforts Fund. We  also then learned that the whole raid had been very successful. Two mornings later (the 13th) I had a great surprise. I had given my hand a bit of a twist and was going to show it to the doctor. when the Sergeant Major called me out and told me I was to go  on parade as I was to receive the M.M. at ten o'clock. Generals Birdwood, Monash and other' staff officers came along. General  Birdwood presented us with the ribbon of the medals, which we'will get in a few days."

The death occured in the Police Hospital, Melbourne, on Thursday inst. of First Constable Raoul Gelly who was formerly stationed at Horsham.  Deceased who was 51 years of age, had suffered illness due to war injuries acquired in the 1914-1918 war in which he won a Military Medal.   Constable Gelly was stationed in Horsham for the years 1939-44 before being transferred to Bendigo and the passing of this popular and respected officer will be regretted.  He leaves a wife and a family in Louise, Gerard, Brian and Simone.