Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Cecil George LARSEN was the son of Henry and Catherine Larsen of Minadup Farm via Kojonup, Western Australia.

Enlisting in September of 1915 he was assigned to the 12th Reinforcements of the 16th Battalion, which was part of the 4th Brigade, originally in the 1st Division. 

At Gallipoli the 4th Brigade was attached to the composite ANZAC Division commanded by NZ General Godley.  After Gallipoli, on return to Egypt, the AIF was re-organised and 4th Brigade passed from under Command 1st Division to become the nucleus of the newly created 4th Division in a process known as 'The Doubling of the AIF', for service on the Western Front.  The 16th Battalion was 'cloned' as where the other fifteen orignal Battalions, spawning its 'pup' Battalion, the 48th, which drew men from WA and SA.  The 48th and the rest of the 13th Brigade were also in the 4th Division. 

Cecil arrived in Egypt and was duly embarked from Egypt for Marseilles in southern France and thence northwards to Flanders.  They had a short assignment near Armentieres, in what was called 'the Nursery',  in order to be familiarised with trench warfare in what was deemed to be a relatively quiet sector.  As the 5th Division found out at Fromelles shortly afterwards, it was not as quiet as had been supposed.  Meanwhile the 4th Division moved south, following the 1st and 2nd Divisions to take part in the great Somme offensive.

The 4th Division was committed to battle in early August.  It relieved the 2nd Division which had captured the high ground NE of Pozieres, on the 8th August.  In another sector of the line, when the 48th relieved the SA 27th Battalion near the Windmill at Pozieres, they reported that there was no one left alive in the forward trenches, providing a portent of what they themselves would face.  It was shortly after this, on the 12th, that Cecil was killed.

He was originally listed as having no 'No known grave', a fate common to a majority of soldiers killed outright in the fighting in the Pozieres area.  Most were casualties of relentless artillery fire which buried a great many of the men killed.  It also disturbed the graves of men who had been buried in the field. 

His name was initially inscribed on the Australian National Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux; but like many others since, the earth gave up his remians and they were subsequently discovered some 20 years after his death.  His remains were interred at Longueval, itself the scene of bitter fighting. during the Somme offensive.

Compiled by Steve Larkins April 2020

From François Berthout,

Pte 3940 Cecil George Larsen
16th Australian Infantry Battalion,
4th Brigade, 4th Australian Division

 
On the old battlefields of the Somme undulate in peaceful waves the poppies of Remembrance which grow in silence between the rows of white tombs under which rest in peace thousands of young men who for their country and for France, for peace and freedom gave their today and their lives so that we can, in our today, remember them so that their memories live for tomorrow and forever under the eternal light of the flame of Remembrance that we carry with pride and gratitude in our hands just as we carry in us, in our hearts, the faces and the stories of these men on whom we will watch with love and respect, with dignity and honor so that they are never forgotten, so that they live forever.

Today, it is with the greatest gratitude but also with the deepest respect that I would like to honor the memory of one of these young men, one of my boys of the Somme who gave his today for our tomorrow.I would like to pay a very respectful tribute to Private number 3940 Cecil George Larsen who fought in the 16th Australian Infantry Battalion, 4th Brigade, 4th Australian Division, and who was killed in action 105 years ago, on August 12, 1916 at the age of 20 on the Somme front.

Cecil George larsen was born on June 2, 1896 in Kojonup, Western Australia, and was the last of twelve children of Henry Larsen and Catherine Larsen (née Tunney), of Kojonup. Cecil's father, Henry, was born in Denmark on the 1st April 1833,and was a seaman who worked on whaling expeditions to Greenland and, in 1858, to Australia.Cecil's mother,Catherine Tunney was the daughter of John and Honora Tunney (née McCarthy). She was born in Ballinaviel, Queens County, Ireland in 1852. Her father, John Tunney, was a Pensioner Guard in charge of convicts sent out to Western Australia on the "Dudbrook" in 1853.Catherine Tunney married Henri Larsen in Albany on August 9, 1873. For about twelve years from 1874 the Larsens ran the Kojonup Inn. Later, in 1895, Henri Larsen left Kojonup and took up virgin land in an area first known as "Mooradup Pool" but now known as Muradup. Their property was called "Muradup Farm" and was in their hands until 1920.Cecil was educated at Muradup State School, Kojonup, Western Australia, and after graduation worked as a farmer at Muradup Farm.

Cecil enlisted on September 8, 1915 at Blackboy Hill Camp, Western Australia, where he was first assigned to the 28th Depot Battalion, then on September 14 was reassigned to C Company, 2nd Depot Battalion.Finally, on October 16,1915, he was assigned to the 12th Reinforcements, 16th Australian Infantry Battalion.

At the outbreak of the first world war, the government needed a camp to provide basic training for those volunteering for the Army. Blackboy Hill was unoccupied, covered in light scrub and close to the railway in Midland.In the first instance a tented camp was established but this was all but destroyed in a storm so in 1915 a more permanent camp of timber huts with concrete floors was built with the assistance of workers from the Midland Railway Workshops. During the war period some 32,000 volunteers did their training here, one of whom was John Simpson (and his donkey) of Gallipoli fame who, as John Simpson Kilpatrick (British Merchant Seaman) had jumped ship in Fremantle and enlisted in the AIF.

After three months of training at Blackboy Hill Camp, Cecil embarked with his unit from Fremantle, Western Australia, on board HMAT A31 Ajana on December 22, 1915 and sailed for Egypt.

On January 15, 1916, Cecil arrived in Egypt and was disembarked to Suez then, from the port of Suez, was taken by train to the training camps in Egypt and reached Tel-El-Kebir on March 7, where was a training center for the First AIF reinforcements, the 2nd Australian Stationary Hospital and a prisoner of war camp, Tel-El-Kébir was described by Australian soldiers as "a very dirty little place with a few dirty shops in it".

On May 22, 1916, Cecil fell ill and was admitted to the 4th Field Ambulance suffering from Tonsillitis then joined the 16th Australian Infantry Battalion at Serapeum on May 25 where they built trench systems to protect the Suez Canal from the Turkish army and a few days later, on June 1, 1916, embarked from Alexandria, on board HMT Canada and proceeded overseas for France.

On June 9, 1916, Cecil arrived in France and was disembarked in Marseilles and marched to the north of France then reached Bailleul on June 10 where the men were led to their first tickets and then spent the next few days settling in and checking equipment.On June 20, the 16th Australian Infantry Battalion was ordered to form up the men into platoons "to proceed to front line for experience in Trench Warfare, such parties to live in trenches.Raiding parties being trained for early opportunity, party working on full size model of the position of enemy trench to be assaulted."The Brigade went into the front line for the first time at Bois Grenier on 27 June. The 16th Battalion was in reserve at Canteen Farm where it supplied the working parties,digging and carrying. It was relieved on 10 July and marched back to l’Hallobeau and then next day to billets just outside Bailleul.

Meanwhile the "Big Push" had commenced on July 1,1916 in the Somme and on July 13, the Battalion entrained at 4.30am for Doullens,Somme, and marched 14.5 miles via, Citadelle, Candas, Montrelet, Canaples, Halloy and Berteaucourt to St Ouen.

On July 16, with only 35 minutes notice, the Battalion was moved via Berteaucourt, Halloy, Havernas, and Wargnies, to Naours where training resumed. And on July 25, the men were moved up to Toutencourt via Talmas, Rubempre and Herissart, heightening expectations that there was something big about to happen.

On July 24 1916, Cecil Larsen attended "Bombing School" and On July 27, the 16th Australian Infantry Battalion along with the No 4 Machine Gun Company and the 4th Light Trench Mortar Battery left for Warloy via Harponville where "specialist and attack training" was continued.

"Instruction was given in forming up at night in "jump off" trenches, in advancing in "waves", in assaulting under a barrage, in taking two different objectives, and in the action of scouts, wire cutters, wiring parties, Lewis gunners, bombers, stretcher bearers, signallers and runners during an attack."

On July 23, 1916, the battle of Pozieres, the most terrible for the AIF in the Somme began and was a trauma, a hell on earth that an Australian soldier describes as follows:
"The bombardment is reckoned to equal anything known at Verdun, but who shall describe what followed? It was Hell. A salvo of four big shells came screaming over, and then everywhere in the vicinity of the firing line was suddenly converted into a horrible roaring chaos, great masses of earth and debris flying skywards on all sides, showers of clods and pieces of chalk falling around us. It was awful, seemed as though the face of the earth was being churned up and powdered into dust. The sight of such masses of dirt being hurled up was sufficient to strike terror into the stoutest hearts, but most terrifying of all was the great variety of horrible nerve-wracking noises, salvo followed by salvo in rapid succession. We crouched in the trench like so many frightened sheep, waiting for what? … we stayed there, in constant expectation of being buried or blown to pieces."

The 16th Battalion was moved up to the Brickfields at Albert arriving at midnight on August 4,1916 and the following evening moved closer to Tara Hill, bivouacking in Tara Gully,near Pozieres for the night. During the night enemy shells fell all around but, fortunately, many were "duds".

On August 7, the Battalion moved to Wire Trench near La Boiselle where it stayed for two days in support to the 15th Battalion who were in the attack line and at 7pm on August 9, B,C and D Companies of the 16th Battalion were moved into the firing line to relieve part of the 15th on their right and part of the 7th Suffolks on their left and prepared to attack the Circular Trench, north of Pozieres and south of Mouquet Farm.

At midnight on August 9,1916, the attack on Circular Trench was launched against fierce resistance from the German machine gunners. By 3:50am on August 10,Brigade HQ were advised that the attack had been successful and that contact had been made with the 15th Battalion and 7th Suffolks. An urgent request was made for 10,000 sand bags, 500 tins of water and 800 shovels. The Battalion reported that it had captured 50 prisoners, 3 machine guns, a Gas plant and a Fire plant. The new positions were consolidated under heavy shelling of the lines.

At 1am on 11 August a further attack was launched. After two hours, German positions were taken, communication trenches were being dug and "strong points had been established". The Germans now shelled the line and back areas heavily cutting communications lines. The left flank, which was “D” Company, was severely shelled. At 1.00 pm the Battalion withdrew but it was constantly patrolled.
At 1.40pm on August 11, the Germans counter attacked coming out from Mouquet Farm in small groups and spreading out fan-wise.The Germans were met with heavy Lewis gun and rifle fire from all parts of the Battalion’s lines. At 3:05pm the attack had failed, prisoners were taken and the remainder had scattered, many taking refuge in the Quarry. Australian artillery fire was directed at the Quarry and the enemy scattered further. Heavy artillery was maintained on no-mans-land into the night to prevent any further counter attack.

During the evening of August 11, the Battalion’s left flank was again heavily shelled. The Battalion diary records that "Our casualties were severe."
Unfortunately, the next day,on August 12, 1916, Cecil met his fate and was declared "missing", and his body was not found.

The Battalion War Diary records the action on August 12, 1916 as follow:
"8:45am Reported to Brigade Headquarters that bombers had advanced along Trench 78-61, well in advance of 61. The trench as a trench had ceased to exist owing to heavy artillery fire."

"9am Received report from left flank Company and passed to Brigade Headquarters that Ration Trench was unoccupied for a distance of some 200 yards left of Point 26, (our extreme left). It was apparently abandoned by the British Troops on account of, and during the heavy bombardment by the Germans the previous evening."

"9.27am Received Orders of relief by 50th Battalion during the afternoon. Our route out to be by Centre Way, Chalk Pit, and to Brickfields."

"1.30pm Leading Company, (A), of 50th Battalion arrived. The enemy started a terrific shelling of all our positions, paying particular attention to Kay Trench, 1st Avenue, and Centre Way, leading down to Chalk Pits. The relief was particularly slow on that account."
The Battalion War Diary records the 16th Battalion casualties on this day as:"Other Ranks.Killed 39.Wounded 345. Missing 19."

"Towards morning the enemy bombarded the left of the line, causing heavy casualties.The men were now showing the effects of their strenuous tour of duty, and when information was promulgated that the day would bring relief, it was received thankfully. At 1.30pm the leading company of the 50th Battalion arrived to take over. It was evidently seen by the enemy observers, for the whole area was bombarded with every calibre of shell. The relief therefore, was not without plenty of incident and was not completed until 4pm. The route out was by Centre Way and Chalk Pit to Brickfields. Through Kay Trench and Pozieres and down Centre Way the 16th was chased by a vindictive bombardment of the enemy’s "heavies".

Several comrades of Cecil wrote to tell how he was killed and declared that on August 12, 1916 in Pozieres, a shell came over the parapet and buried several men including Cecil. Several men tried to pull Larsen out and free him, when another shell came over and killed him instantly, he was 20 years old.
On April 4, 1917 a Court of Inquiry met, following which the Commanding Officer of the 16th Battalion classified Cecil Larsen as "Killed in Action" on August 12, 1916. His service record was noted accordingly.

His body not having been found, the name of Cecil George Larsen was inscribed on the walls of the Australian memorial of Villers-Bretonneux but on February 21, 1936, The Imperial War Graves Commission advised Australian authorities that the grave of an unknown soldier had been found north-west of Pozieres and that it had been possible to identify the grave as that of Cecil Larsen.
Today, Cecil George Larsen rests in peace with his friends, comrades and brothers in arms at the London Cemetery And Extension, Longueval, Somme.
Cecil, you who, in the prime of life fought with the greatest bravery in the hell of the Somme, in Pozieres alongside your comrades, for Australia and France, for freedom and peace, for the future of the world, it is today with the greatest respect, with humility and gratitude that I would like to say thank you for all that you have done for us who live in peace thanks to you and to so many young men like you who gave their lives so that we could live.So young but already so brave they all answered the call of duty and joined their comrades, their brothers on the battlefields of the great war to do their part and serve their country in the name of just causes for which they stood with pride and determination in the trenches until their last breaths in the poppies on which flow so much blood and tears in the fury and brutality of a world at war which took thousands of young lives in mud and blood.Under the fire and dark clouds of northern France, they fought side by side in the most beautiful spirit of camaraderie, united by a bond that nothing broke and remained strong and brave under the storms of fire and steel that bruised formerly silent and peaceful landscapes that became fields of death, open-air cemeteries that tons of steel pulverized, burying thousands of young men alive in thick mud, in shell holes full of blood into which fell friends and enemies who fell under the murderous fire of the machine guns, side by side united in death who waited over the parapet for thousands of young men to climb, charging the enemy trenches, screaming, bayonets forward, they went over the top with admirable courage alongside their friends, together in the same uniform to face their fates in the fire and the metal rains which rained down and fell all around them in shrill whistles under which collapsed waves of men who did their duty with an exceptional dedication and which today, in silence and serenity, rest in peace, always united in the comradeship and the unity in which they lived and in which they fell.Forever young, we will never forget who they were and what they endured in the horror of the trenches of the great war, today they rest on the sacred grounds of the Somme who will be eternally grateful to these young men, our sons, my boys of the Somme over whom I would always watch by walking silently between the rows of their graves and whose stories I would always tell and share with the highest respect, with affection and love so that now and forever we remember them, so that they will live forever and never be forgotten. Thank you so much Cecil,for everything.At the going down of the sun and in th e morning, we will remember him,we will remember them.

I would also like, from the bottom of my heart, to thank the great nephew of Cecil George Larsen and his research which enabled me to write this tribute. Thank you so much Sir, with my deepest respects.