LARSON, Sidney Oscar
| Service Number: | 6789 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 31 July 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 8th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Dulwich Hill, New South Wales, Australia, 1893 |
| Home Town: | Yanco, Leeton, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Fort Street Public School, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Orchardist |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Belgium, Broodseinde Ridge, 4 October 1917 |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Flanders, Belgium was killed by a shell while the Bn was in the German barrage awaiting the signal to advance, - buried between road running through D.28° and main road in D.29 (Sht 28) few hundred yards SE of Zonnebeke , Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Flanders, Belgium |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 31 Jul 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 6789, 8th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 17 Nov 1916: | Involvement Private, 6789, 8th Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '9' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: SS Port Napier embarkation_ship_number: '' public_note: '' | |
| 17 Nov 1916: | Embarked Private, 6789, 8th Infantry Battalion, SS Port Napier, Sydney |
Pt Sidney Larson
AWM Summary
History / Summary
Awarded to Sidney Oscar Larson who was born at Dulwich Hill, NSW in 1893. He was working as an orchardist when he enlisted in the AIF at Yanco, NSW on 31 July 1916, aged 22. Larson received the service number 6789 and embarked as a private with the 22nd Reinforcements to 8 Infantry Battalion. He was killed on 4 October 1917 during the attack on Broodseinde Ridge, Belgium, and has no known grave. His older brother, Eric William Larson, who served with 13 Battalion, had previously died of wounds received at Flers on 9 February 1917.
Submitted 21 March 2019 by Evan Evans
Biography contributed by Stephen Brooks
Sidney was one of the two sons of John and Martha Larson of Dulwich Hill, NSW, who were killed during the war.
His older brother, 5119 Pte. Eric William Larson 13th Battalion AIF, had died of wounds on 9 Februery 1917, aged 28.
Sidney was working as an orchardist in the Yanco area when he enlisted at Cootamundra, New South Wales. He was assigned to the Victorian 8th Battalion.
Early in the morning of 4 October 1917, the battalion waited in front line trenches and old shell holes for the signal to advance in an attack on Broodseinde Ridge in Belgium, planned to begin at 6 am. It was raining and many of the men sheltering in the shell holes lay with their waterproof capes drawn over their heads. At 5.27 am the Germans, who had received intelligence of the impending attack, launched an artillery and mortar barrage on the waiting troops. A seventh of the men became casualties before 6 am when the tremendous British opening barrage finally began at the planned time. About 200 officers and men from the 8th Battalion were killed or wounded. Sidney Larson was among those killed. Witnesses later said he had been destroyed by shellfire as he waited in a shell hole for the order to attack.
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