Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Cecil Traynor Agassiz enlisted from Newtown, New South Wales, during August 1914, one of the very first Australians to enlist. He was made a Sergeant in the original 3rd Battalion, with a regimental number of 6. As a very young man he had served in the Boer War as a Trooper with the Prince of Wales's Light Horse.

His parents had died long before the war and he was married to Amy Ann Agassiz. Two of his brothers also enlisted, 1902 Driver Theo Agassiz served in the same 55th Battalion AIF as Cecil and was killed in action in France on 22 October 1916, aged 24.

During the long period of training in Egypt before the Australians went to Gallipoli, Cecil wrote the following letter home which was printed in the Sydney Mail, “In the course of a letter written from Mena Camp, Cairo, on March 9th, Sergeant-Major Agassiz, of Sydney, says: " A portion of our division has gone to Turkey, and we are simply awaiting orders. Constantinople is, of course, doomed to fall, and no doubt we will be the first to garrison it. We have had some hot weather lately. Today it has been cruel for both horses and men. The sand is hot enough to boil an egg in three minutes. The boys are turned out at 4.30 to feed, groom, and clean the lines before the heat of the day. By the time the work is done it is 9 o'clock. It is much too hot to sleep in the daytime. You will remember the flag presented to the 3rd Battalion by a number of Sydney ladies. I still have it, and it has covered every one of our comrades who has been taken on a guncarriage to his last resting-place. Even today it is away, a cook of the 3rd Battalion having gone over the Great Divide.”

Cecil served at the Anzac landing on 25 April 1915 and served right through the whole campaign until he was taken off sick at about the same time as Gallipoli was evacuated.

When the AIF was being reorganized he was posted to the 55th Battalion and quickly promoted to Regimental Sergeant Major.

He was promoted Second Lieutenant just before being sent to France. The 55th Battalion then entered the Battle of Fromelles, in which Lieutenant Agassiz distinguished himself, and was right in the thick of the heaviest fighting. It seems he was in charge of the Lewis Guns of the Battalion and he is mentioned on six separate occasions in Bean’s account of the battle.

He was recommended for a mention in despatches, “This officer has rendered very valuable services in France. During the action of 19/20th July he displayed great initiative and daring in controlling his Lewis Machine Gun Section. He promptly rendered assistance in a corner where we were being hard pressed, and later, when we were ordered to withdraw from an advanced position, very ably kept his guns in action and enabled the infantry to get back with but small loss. In all his work he has always shown ability and thoroughness.” Agassiz did not receive an award.

In the Red Cross wounded and missing file of 2873 Pte. Henry Mayer 55th Battalion who was killed at Fromelles, Lieutenant Agassiz made the statement, “Private Mayer was killed when firing a machine gun over my shoulder. It was in the third German line at midnight on July 19. He was killed instantly and could not have suffered any pain. He was a quiet boy but a fighter, one of my best lads. I handed in his paybook and identity disc to Battalion headquarters.”

Agassiz was sent to hospital sick during November 1916, diagnosed with neurasthenia, or shell shock. He was returned to Australia due to his condition during February 1917.

He later in life became a well-known radio announcer in Sydney, especially with 2UE.