Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Gilbert Louis Ritter

45th Battery, 12th Army Brigade Australian Field Artillery, AIF

Gilbert Louis Ritter was born in Yandoit, Victoria in March 1895, the son of Wilhelm Arnold Ritter (www.wikitree.com) and Elizabeth Jane Higgins (www.wikitree.com). His father was the son of German immigrants to Australia from Silesia, Germany, Johan Ritter (www.wikitree.com) and Amelia Liebig (www.wikitree.com). [1] At the outbreak of the First World War, Gilbert was working as a clerk and living at 10 Ramsden Street, Clifton Hill. [2]

Gilbert was only 20 when his brother Harold (www.wikitree.com) joined the AIF in December 1915. He was already serving in France and promoted to corporal when Gilbert enlisted on 4 Dec 1916 as a member of the Australian Field Artillery reinforcements. He trained at Maribyrnong until August 1917 when he was promoted to Acting Corporal. Before he could embark on overseas service though, his unit was sent to the Isolation Camp at Ascot Vale from 14-28 August. With the threat of disease among the troops very real, if any member of a unit contracts one of a number of communicable diseases, the whole unit was required to isolate in the camp for two weeks.

Gilbert was finally able to embark from Melbourne on 9 Nov 1917 aboard the troopship Port Sydney, disembarking at Suez on 12 Dec. His unit embarked again from Alexandria on 22 Dec 1917 on the troopship Toranto disembarking at Southampton on 4 Jan 1918. In England, Gilbert was sent to the camp of the Reserve Brigade Australian Artillery at Heytesbury, a village in Wiltshire. On arrival in England, Gilbert had to revert to the rank of gunner (Possibly in order to go to the front?) and he was sent to France on 13 March.  A week later he was taken on strength as a member of the 45th Battery, 12th Army Brigade Australian Field Artillery [3] in Neuve Eglise where the unit was undergoing training and rest. [4]

On the day Gilbert arrived his unit was heavily shelled by a High-Velocity Gun killing several men and horses. The next day they were warned to be prepared to move to the St Quentin area. They moved out for the front on 24 March. At the beginning of August 1918, the brigade was in action at Borre and Strazeele when it was relieved from the front line. On 5 August the brigade moved by rail, stretched over five trains, to the Somme near Hamelet in support of the 3rd Division. [5]

On 8 August the Battle of Amiens began, marking the beginning of the allied offensive that would force the Germans back to the Hindenburg Line. In the first phase, seven divisions attacked: the British 18th (Eastern) and 58th  (2/1st London), the Australian 2nd and 3rd, and the Canadian 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Divisions. Troops of the 33rd Infantry Division of the U.S. Army National Guard supported the British attackers north of the Somme. [6]

The battle was an outstanding success and by 14 August Gilbert’s unit was in position near Morcourt. War Photographer, Frank Hurley, captured a photograph of members of the unit in action. [7]

Limbers of the 12th Army Brigade of Australian Field Artillery bringing ammunition to one of their howitzer batteries in action near Morcourt, France, 14 August 1918. (nla.gov.au)

The unit’s diary entry for 22 August describes the preparations for supporting the 3rd Division’s attack on the German positions near Chuignes. Shortly before Zero Hour, 4:45 am on the 23rd, German artillery laid a heavy barrage against the brigade’s forward areas. [8] While it’s not recorded exactly what happened it is recorded that Gunner Gilbert Louis Ritter was killed in action that day.

Gilbert is buried at the Heath Cemetery near Harbonnieres, France. [9]

[1] Victoria, Australia, Birth Index, 1837-1917. 1895 Reference Number: 8277
[2] Australia, WWI Service Records, 1914-1920. National Archives of Australia; Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia; B2455, First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920. Service Number: 37583
[3] Also known as the 12th Australian Field Arttillery Brigade
[4] Australia, WWI Service Records, 1914-1920. National Archives of Australia; Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia; B2455, First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920. Service Number: 37583
[5] Australian Imperial Force unit war diaries, 1914-18 War - AWM4 Subclass 13/39 - Headquarters, 12th Australian Field Artillery Brigade. August 1918. https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1356401
[6] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Amiens_(1918)
[7] Hurley, Frank. 1918, Limbers of the 12th Army Brigade of Australian Field Artillery bringing ammunition to one of their howitzer batteries in action near Morcourt, France, 14 August 1918 , viewed 8 November 2022 http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-140881301
[8] Australian Imperial Force unit war diaries, 1914-18 War - AWM4 Subclass 13/39 - Headquarters, 12th Australian Field Artillery Brigade. August 1918. https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1356401
[9] Commonwealth War Graves Commission for William Ritter https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/560103/gilbert-louis-ritter/