Reginald Sydney DAVIES DCM

DAVIES, Reginald Sydney

Service Number: 3495
Enlisted: 20 August 1915, Sydney, New South Wales
Last Rank: Sergeant
Last Unit: 17th Infantry Battalion
Born: Glebe, New South Wales, Australia, 24 February 1884
Home Town: Enmore, Inner West Sydney, New South Wales
Schooling: Glebe Public School, New South Wales, Australia
Occupation: Railway porter
Died: Killed in Action, France, 3 October 1918, aged 34 years
Cemetery: Calvaire Cemetery, Montbrehain, France
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board
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World War 1 Service

20 Aug 1915: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 3495, Sydney, New South Wales
20 Dec 1915: Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 3495, 17th Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '12' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Aeneas embarkation_ship_number: A60 public_note: ''
20 Dec 1915: Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 3495, 17th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Aeneas, Sydney
3 Oct 1918: Involvement AIF WW1, Sergeant, 3495, 17th Infantry Battalion, "The Last Hundred Days", --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 3495 awm_unit: 17th Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Sergeant awm_died_date: 1918-10-03

Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board

Reginald Sydney DAVIES (Service Number 3495) was born 24 February 1884, in Glebe. He commenced his railways career in November 1913, as a porter in the Traffic branch, in Sydney. He joined the AIF on 1 September 1915, at the age of 31.

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Biography contributed by John Oakes

Reginald Sydney DAVIES (Service Number 3495) was born 24th February 1884, in Glebe. He commenced a career the Railways in November 1913. He was a porter in the Traffic branch in Sydney. He joined the AIF on 1st September 1915 at the age of 31.

He was described as a ‘good soldier’. He sailed from Australia on 20th December 1915 to Alexandria (Egypt). He left Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force on 15th March 1916. He disembarked at Marseille (France) s on 23rd March 1916.

He was taken to hospital  in Belgium on 20th September 1916. He was suffering from scabies. He recovered quickly and re-joined the 17th Battalion, on 26th November. He was admitted to hospital again, this time for wounds received in action in France on 28th February 1917. He re-joined his battalion on 19th March 1917.

On 1st July 1917, he promoted to Lance Corporal, in the field in Belgium,. On 25th September 1917 he was recommended by his General to receive the Distinguished Conduct Medal. The letter of recommendation says this about him –

‘This N.C.O. was advancing with his Lewis Gun Section in the attack on the 20th September 1917 near Westhoek when a shell burst, burying the gun and knocking out all the crew with the exception of himself and one man. He recovered the gun and magazines and got them forward to the line, where he got the gun into action and inflicted casualties on the enemy. Later he crawled forward alone from our line through a heavy shell fire, sniping and successfully dealing with two enemy snipers who were causing casualties amongst our men. He showed great courage and dash throughout the action.’

On 11th January 1918 he was admitted to hospital again, this time with septic arm. He recovered quickly and re-joined his battalion in France on 27th January 1918. After more months serving with his unit, he was granted leave to the UK on 14th September 1918. He returned on 30th September 1918. His friends said that he wanted to help out. He was killed in action, at the age of 34, serving in the 17th Battalion, in France, on 3rd October 1918.

He was awarded the French Medalle Militaire. This was awarded for ‘conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty while serving with the Australian Imperial Expeditionary Force’. It came from the President of the French Republic. He also received the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

He was buried in the Calvaire British Cemetery in Montbrehain, Picardie, France.

- based on notes for the Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board

 

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