S13944
MENGERSEN, Irwin Oscar
| Service Numbers: | 4560, N389575 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 3 October 1916, Adelaide, South Australia |
| Last Rank: | Warrant Officer Class 2 |
| Last Unit: | Lines of Communication Units |
| Born: | Palmer, South Australia, 29 December 1898 |
| Home Town: | Palmer, Mid Murray, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Farmer |
| Died: | Natural causes, Coonabarabran, New South Wales, 22 May 1963, aged 64 years |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: | Mannum District Roll of Honor, Palmer War Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 3 Oct 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 4560, Adelaide, South Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 16 Dec 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 4560, 32nd Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '17' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Berrima embarkation_ship_number: A35 public_note: '' | |
| 16 Dec 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 4560, 32nd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Berrima, Adelaide | |
| 16 Jun 1917: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 50th Infantry Battalion | |
| 29 Apr 1918: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 50th Infantry Battalion | |
| 22 Jul 1918: | Promoted AIF WW1, Corporal, 50th Infantry Battalion | |
| 12 Aug 1918: | Honoured Distinguished Conduct Medal, "The Last Hundred Days", ...A splendid example of coolness and courage.. | |
| 22 Sep 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, Sergeant, 4560, 50th Infantry Battalion |
World War 2 Service
| 12 Feb 1942: | Involvement Warrant Officer Class 2, N389575 | |
|---|---|---|
| 12 Feb 1942: | Enlisted Paddington, NSW | |
| 12 Feb 1942: | Enlisted N389575, Paddington, New South Wales | |
| 12 Feb 1942: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Warrant Officer Class 2, N389575 | |
| 4 Jan 1946: | Discharged | |
| 4 Jan 1946: | Discharged Warrant Officer Class 2, N389575, Lines of Communication Units |
Awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal
Citation;
"On the night of 12th/13th August 1918, near BRAY-SUR-SOMME this NCO was in charge of a fighting patrol of 15 men sent out 300 yards in front of our line to clear the enemy from a troublesome re-entrant . Moving out under a heavy enemy barrage the party successfully reached the objective, but was engaged by heavy hostile machine gun fire from both flanks and the right rear . Corporal Mengersen organised small bombing parties, and attacked and silenced these guns . The post on his right had been heavily engaged and forced back, but Corporal Mengersen and his party remained out guarding the approaches from BRAY for three and a half hours until ordered to withdraw . He set a splendid example of coolness and courage ."
Submitted 6 June 2017 by Christopher Haslam
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