WALLACH, Clarence
| Service Number: | 706 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 15 May 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Captain |
| Last Unit: | 19th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Bondi, New South Wales, Australia, 12 November 1889 |
| Home Town: | Sydney, City of Sydney, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Sydney Grammar School, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Clerk |
| Died: | Died of wounds, France, 22 April 1918, aged 28 years |
| Cemetery: |
Etretat Churchyard Extension Plot 2, Row D, Grave 1. |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Sydney Grammar School WW1 Honour Board |
World War 1 Service
| 15 May 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 706, 19th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 25 Jun 1915: | Involvement Private, 706, 19th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '13' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Ceramic embarkation_ship_number: A40 public_note: Name incorrectly spelled 'Wallack' on original record. | |
| 25 Jun 1915: | Embarked Private, 706, 19th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ceramic, Melbourne | |
| 16 Aug 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 706, 19th Infantry Battalion, Proceeded to join the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, (Gallipoli peninsula). | |
| 7 Nov 1915: | Promoted AIF WW1, Corporal, 19th Infantry Battalion | |
| 7 Jan 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Corporal, 706, 19th Infantry Battalion, Disembarked at Alexandria, Egypt. | |
| 24 Feb 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 19th Infantry Battalion, Promoted to 2nd Lieutenant. | |
| 18 Mar 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 706, 19th Infantry Battalion, 2nd Lieutenant. Proceeded to join the British Expeditionary Force (Alexandria). | |
| 25 Mar 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 706, 19th Infantry Battalion, 2nd Lieutenant. Disembarked Marseille, (France). | |
| 18 Apr 1916: | Honoured Military Cross, For services rendered during the recent fighting in Pozieres (France). | |
| 26 Aug 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 19th Infantry Battalion | |
| 16 Sep 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 706, 19th Infantry Battalion, Admitted to hospital France (3 months), 10th Casualty Clearing Station, left inguinal hernia. | |
| 1 Dec 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 706, Marched out to unit in Etaples (northern France). | |
| 3 Apr 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 706, 19th Infantry Battalion, To be Adjutant. | |
| 17 Aug 1917: | Promoted AIF WW1, Captain, 19th Infantry Battalion, To remain seconded. | |
| 27 Oct 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Captain, 706, Rejoined the Battalion in Belgium, (western Europe). | |
| 7 Apr 1918: | Wounded AIF WW1, Captain, 706, 19th Infantry Battalion, Gunshot wounds to both legs, taken to the 47th Casualty Clearing Station, (France). | |
| 15 Apr 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Captain, 706, 19th Infantry Battalion, Admitted the 55th Casualty Clearing Station (France). | |
| 17 Apr 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Captain, 706, 19th Infantry Battalion, Admitted to the 1st General Hospital, shrapnel wound legs, Etretat (France). | |
| 22 Apr 1918: | Involvement Captain, 706, 19th Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 706 awm_unit: 19 Battalion awm_rank: Captain awm_died_date: 1918-04-22 | |
| 23 Apr 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Captain, 706, 19th Infantry Battalion, 1st General Hospital, leg amputated, died of gun shot wound. |
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Add my storyBiography contributed
Clarence "Clarrie" Wallach was born November 1889 in Bondi. Playing rugby throughout his life, Clarrie played for the Wallabies international team between 1913 and 1914.
He played his first international matches in New Zealand and represented for the first time in a match in Wellington. He played in the last match between the Wallabies and the All Blacks before the war on 15 August 1914.
During World War One, Wallach enlisted in May 1915 with four of his brothers.
He fought at Gallipoli before moving to the Western Front. He took part in the Battle of Pozières in August 1916, where his actions earned him the Military Cross.
He was lucky enough to follow the Australian forces rugby team to England in December 1917, where he played his last match.
In 1918, Wallach, now a Captain and company commander, took part in an attack near Hangard Wood on 7 April. Although there were no bombing raids planned, he led his men across an open area towards the wood. German machine-gunners opened fire and Wallach was wounded in both legs. As gangrene set in, the doctors amputated his left leg, then his right: smiling despite everything, he said to the Padre "Padre, I'm happy to have lived my life like this, and I wouldn't have missed it for the world. It was worth it."
Despite efforts to save him, Wallach's condition deteriorated, and he died at the age of 28 on 22 April 1918.
He now lies in Étretat Churchyard Extension, France.
entry from Commonwealth War Graves Commission Facebook 17/9/2023
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