Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

"...Lieutenant Colonel David Fulton was born in the United Kingdom on 1 August 1882 and spent three years serving with the Merchiston Castle Cadets (attached to the 42nd Black Watch) before immigrating to South Australia around 1907. From 1908 he was a lieutenant in the 1st (Adelaide) Squadron, 16th Australian Light Horse, before becoming the Area Officer, 80th Battalion Area, North Adelaide in 1910. On the outbreak of the First World War Fulton enlisted in 3 Light Horse Regiment with the rank of major.

He embarked for overseas service aboard HMAT Port Lincoln on 22 October 1914 and proceeded to join the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force at Gallipoli. Fulton was wounded on 22 May, and admitted to the Hospital Ship Sicilia with serious shrapnel wounds to his chest and left arm. He was transferred to Deconess Hospital, Alexandria, Egypt, on 27 May and to 3 London General Hospital, Wandsworth on 22 June. On 5 July Fulton was granted three months sick leave and a further month's leave on 5 October. During this time, the regiment's Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Frank Milton Rowell died at sea off Gallipoli from acute peritonitis, and Fulton was appointed to take over regimental command. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel on 14 September and was passed fit for active service by AIF Headquarters, London on 5 November.

Fulton sailed for Gallipoli aboard SS Olympic on 14 November where he rejoined his unit and remained on the peninsula until the unit evacuated on 6 December. Fulton left Heliopolis on 30 December to join the Western Frontier Force based at Wadi Natrun, Egypt. The 3rd Light Horse joined the ANZAC Mounted Division and between January and May 1916, was deployed to protect the Nile valley from bands of pro-Turkish Senussi Arabs. On 18 May, as part of the 1st Light Horse Brigade, the unit joined the forces defending the Suez Canal. On 23 May Fulton was admitted to hospital sick but rejoined his unit on 27 June.

Fulton participated in the Battle of Romani on 4 August and the follow-up actions in the ensuing days. The 3rd Light Horse rejoined the Allied advance across the Sinai in November and was subsequently involved in the fighting to secure the Turkish outposts on the Palestine frontier - Maghdaba on 23 December 1916 and Rafa on 9 January 1917. The unit's next major engagement was the second battle of Gaza on 17 April. This attack however, was called off after just three days, as no significant ground had been taken.

On 4 June Fulton was granted three months Officers Leave to Australia and struck off strength, 3 Light Horse on 10 June. However this leave was cancelled and Fulton was seconded for duty to the Australian Headquarters, Egypt on 13 June. He assumed command of this unit on 2 July. On 12 June 1918 Fulton was seconded for Special Duty attached to the Deputy Quartermaster General, Egypt Expeditionary Force, 1st Echelon as President of the Agricultural Advisory Committee but resumed command of the Australian Headquarters on 22 July. He remained in that post until the end of the war but was admitted to 31 General Hospital, Cairo with influenza on 23 November.

He was discharge from hospital on 30 November. Fulton was appointed the AIF Representative on the Egyptian War Cemeteries Executive Committee on 16 December and the Assistant Director General Demobilisation, Egypt on 1 February 1919. Fulton had been appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire, and twice Mentioned in Despatches in January 1919, before being appointed Companion of the Order of St Michael & St George for 'services rendered in connection with Military Operations in Egypt' in June. Fulton embarked for the United Kingdom aboard HMAT Caledonia on 2 August arriving in Folkestone on 9 August and reporting to Headquarters, London. Fulton returned to duty in Egypt on 20 September rejoining the AIF Headquarters there until 1 August 1920, when his appointment in the AIF was terminated." - SOURCE (www.awm.gov.au)