Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

He was 29 and the son of Henry Bournes Higgins and Mary Alice Higgins, of Doona, Malvern, Victoria, Australia.

He was Mentioned in Despatches

General regret and deep sympathy for his father, Mr. Justice Higgins, will be felt on the death on active service of Captain Mervyn Bournes Higgins, of the 8th Australian Light Horse. Captain Higgins, who was the only child of Mr. Justice Higgins, was 28 years of age. Before enlisting as a private in the Australian Forces, early in 1915, he had entered upon the practice of his profession as a barrister, and was winning his way forward with every prospect of following in the footsteps of his father. After the outbreak of War, he enlisted as a private in the 8th Light Horse, but quickly won his way forward to commissioned rank, and at the time of his death was a captain in that force. He saw much active service in Gallipoli, where, amongst other fighting, he was one of those who went through the attack on Lonesome Pine. After the Gallipoli campaign, he returned with the Light Horse to Egypt, and was engaged in the brilliant work that has been done in pushing the Germans back from the Suez Canal.

MERVYN BOURNES HIGGINS who was killed in action at Maghdaba 23 miles from El Arish on 23rd December 1916 was the son of Mr. Justice Higgins. He was born in 1887 and entered the Preparatory School in 1897. Two years later he came up to the Senior School and passed Matriculation, taking first class honors in French and German in 1904. After going to Melbourne University and joining Ormond
College in 1905 he went to England and entered Balliol College, Oxford, in 1906. He graduated B.A. in 1910, and was called to the Bar at Lincoln's Inn. He rowed bow in the winning Oxford crew of 1910 and was captain of his College Boat Club, rowing in the Balliol Eight, Head of the River in the Torpids in 1907, and stroked
the crew for four years.

On returning to Australia again he became Associate to his father, and in his spare time helped our rowing very much. He had just commenced practice at the Bar when war broke out. He enlisted at once, and on 3rd February 1915 was appointed 2nd Lieutenant in the 8th Light Horse. His splendid character and force impressed his seniors, and he earned his promotion to Lieutenant on 1st June 1915 by sheer merit. He was all through the Gallipoli campaign, and took part in the great charge from Walker's Ridge on 7th August
1915. He was unfortunate in not securing recognition of his many splendid services.

In the latter end of 1915, on Gallipoli, the Brigadier (then Colonel Antill), being asked by the G.O.C. (General Birdwood) to recommend a man of the 8th Light Horse for the Croix de Guerre (France) recommended Mervyn B. Higgins, then Lieutenant and Temporary Captain and Adjutant. General Antill says that the recommendation went astray at Headquarters. He was killed by rifle fire during the attack on the Turkish position at Maghdaba and was picked up by
Keith Tolhurst (No. 4062) and Tom Snowball (No. 4031 on the School Roll).

A. McG. McLaurin (Major) (No. 1181 on the School Roll) wrote: "I was about ten yards away from poor Mervyn when he was killed at  El Maghdaba on 23rd December 1916. He, the Colonel and myself were advancing with the front line in the attack on the redoubt, when he was shot by a sniper; the bullet entered his forehead just above the left eye, and death must have been instantaneous, as he
was quite dead when I reached him a few minutes after he fell. I stayed with his body until it was brought in by the Field Ambulance, and as it was too late to bury him that night he was buried the next day in El Arish Military Cemetery, the service being read by our Chaplain, Captain Clarke, and the grave marked by a wooden cross with his name on it.

Mervyn was one of the bravest men I have ever known, and was absolutely without fear, and had he lived I feel sure would have risen high; but as it was his fate to be killed I am certain that he would have chosen to die with his face to the enemy, fighting for his King and country, but the pity is that Australia can ill afford to lose such men." The Colonel of the regiment wrote thus : " Ever since taking over command of the old regiment, 8th Light Horse, on Gallipoli, over 12 months ago, he served as my Adjutant, carrying out his trying and arduous duties of an adjutant with wonderful tact and wise judgment, saving me from any worry or annoyance, which in many cases would have occurred." These letters are specimens of many, but numbers came from men who served under Mervyn Higgins, and all breathe the same tribute.

The
Master and Fellows of Balliol wrote under date 23rd January : "The Master and Fellows of Balliol College beg to express to Mr. Justice Higgins their deep sympathy with him in the loss of his son, Captain M. B. Higgins, killed in action in the midst of a career of great distinction and service to the Empire, a career such as all who knew him at Oxford would have expected." Mervyn was Captain and
Adjutant of the 8th Light Horse when he was killed, having been promoted on -28th January 1916, and for his work he was Mentioned in Sir Archibald Murray's Despatches of 18th March 1917 for: "Gallant and distinguished conduct in the field and for other valuable services." He was also recommended for the Military
Cross, but was killed before issue.

His memory is perpetuated by the Mervyn Bournes Higgins Memorial Trophy, established by his father for competition between the colleges of the Melbourne University in the Inter-Collegiate Boat Race. The trophy is of bronze, and in addition to the trophy itself there are individual trophies for the winning crew each year.