BLEZARD, Walter
| Service Number: | 3994 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 9 August 1915, Melbourne, Victoria |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 6th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Seaforth, Liverpool, England, date not yet discovered |
| Home Town: | Not yet discovered |
| Schooling: | Liverpool College, England |
| Occupation: | Station Hand |
| Died: | Gun shot wound to neck, Hazebrouck, France, 24 April 1918, age not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Caestre War Cemetery Plot I, Row A, Grave No. 10. His is located at panel 46 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra, ACT. |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 9 Aug 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Melbourne, Victoria | |
|---|---|---|
| 23 Nov 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 3994, 6th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '8' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Ceramic embarkation_ship_number: A40 public_note: '' | |
| 23 Nov 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 3994, 6th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ceramic, Melbourne |
Help us honour Walter Blezard's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography
Father ____ and Mother Mrs E Blezard, living at 'Garthside', Allerton Drive,
Allerton Road, Liverpool, England.
Wife Mrs Daisy Beatrice Karran Blezard and son Walton Blezard,
living at 57 Lisburn Lane, Tuebrook, Liverpool, England.
Walton had been a builder back in the UK, but a Station Hand in Australia.
Next of kin in service:
Brother 4892 Private John Frederick BLEZARD (30 years old 1917)
11/1/1917 enlisted at Parramatta, NSW - in 1st Infantry Battalion
24/1/1917 embarked from Sydney on HMAT A68 Anchises
15/3/1919 discharged in London UK (from AIF)
Described on enlisting as 32 years 4 months old; married; 5' 11" tall; 168 lbs;
ruddy complexion; brown eyes; dark brown hair; Church of England
9/8/1915 Enlisted in Melbourne, Victoria
22/10/1915 Commanding Officer appointed Walton to 12th reinforcements,
6th Infantry Battalion, Broadmeadows Camp
23/11/1915 Embarked from Port Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A40 Ceramic
as a Private with 12th reinforcements, 6th Infantry Battalion
22/2/1916 Taken on strength into 6th Infantry Battalion (from reinforcements)
at Serapeum
26/3/1916 Embarked on board Ballarat, ex Alexandria
to join the British Expeditionary Force
2/4/1916 disembarked into Marseilles, France
21/8/1917 On leave to United Kingdom
7/9/1917 rejoined battalion in the field
4/10/1917 Wounded in action (remained at duty) - France
4/2/1918 Gazetted in London Gazette - Awarded MILITARY MEDAL
'For great gallantry and devotion to duty during the attack on
DECLINE COPSE, East of YPRES on 26th October, 1917 this man
carried despatches all day under the heaviest shell fire showing
absolute fearlessness and disregard for peronal safety in the
performance of his important duty.'
9/2/1918 On leave to United Kingdom
4/3/1918 rejoined battalion, in the field
24/4/1918 Wounded in action (2nd occasion) - gun shot wound to neck
24/4/1918 Died of gun shot wound
buried in: Caestre Military Cemetery, Caestre, France
Plot I, Row A, Grave No. 10.
3 miles north-east of Hazebrouck
Australian Red Cross Statements
3452 Pte T.F. SHEEHY, 6th Bn, 22 June 1918:
'I knew him well, he was a runner to D. Coy. tall, with back slightly bent, had the MM. I carried him wounded to the D/Station, and he died there. When the doctor looked at him he was dead. He was left for the Battn burying party to bury. This was at Strazeele.'
788 Pte J.H. EDNEY, D Company, 6th Bn
(patient, 25th General Hospital, Hardelot, France), 3 July 1918:
'We were holding the line near Strazeele, towards the end of April, and Blezard and I were on fatigue parties when he got hit in the neck by a piece of shell. He was carried to the R.A.P. where he died, and was buried the day after just outside Caestre. I saw him taken away for burial but did not see the grave.'
3726 Pte A.E. DENT, D Company, 6th Bn
(patient, 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Dartford, England), 5 July 1916:
'He was in a ration party about 100 yards from me at Strazeele station at 10.15 p.m. about April 24th, when he was hit in the head by a piece of shell. I saw him get up and walk a few yards but he dropped and was dead when the S/Bs picked him up. He was H.Q. runner and had the M.M. He came with the 12th Rfts. We called him "Major".'
6328 Pte W. ORAM, C Company, 6th Bn
(patient, Hagle Place VAD Hospital, Maidstone, England), 10 July 1918:
'I was a stretcher bearer, Blezard was a runner in D. Company. He was killed at Trezelle in front of Hazebruck. He was hit in the neck and bled to death at the doctor's dressing station. He was buried in the cemetery at Trezelle where some other men of the Battalion are buried and a cross put to mark the grave.'
Medals:
Military Medal, 1914/15 Star (3944), British War medal (25347),
Victory medal (25169), Memorial Plaque and Memorial Scroll (345227)
Sourced and submitted by Julianne T Ryan. 9/5/2015. Lest we forget.
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