EAST, Walter Henry
| Service Number: | 1645 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 26 August 1914, Brisbane, Qld |
| Last Rank: | Captain |
| Last Unit: | 1st Field Artillery Brigade |
| Born: | Rochester, Victoria, Australia, 1887 |
| Home Town: | Brisbane, Brisbane, Queensland |
| Schooling: | State School, Rochester, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation: | Secretary YMCA |
| Died: | Killed In Action, Westhoek Ridge, Belgium, 5 October 1917 |
| Cemetery: |
Reninghelst New Military Cemetery, Belgium Plot IV, Row C, Grave No. 5 |
| Memorials: | Rochester Circuit Honour Roll |
World War 1 Service
| 26 Aug 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Gunner, 1645, 3rd Field Artillery Brigade , Brisbane, Qld | |
|---|---|---|
| 25 Sep 1914: | Involvement Gunner, 1645, 3rd Field Artillery Brigade , Third Ypres, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '3' embarkation_place: Brisbane embarkation_ship: HMAT Rangatira embarkation_ship_number: A22 public_note: '' | |
| 25 Sep 1914: | Embarked Gunner, 1645, 3rd Field Artillery Brigade , HMAT Rangatira, Brisbane | |
| 7 Dec 1914: | Promoted AIF WW1, Bombardier, 3rd Field Artillery Brigade , Egypt | |
| 6 May 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Bombardier, 1645, 3rd Field Artillery Brigade , ANZAC / Gallipoli | |
| 13 Jul 1915: | Honoured Mention in Dispatches, ANZAC / Gallipoli, Awarded, and promulgated, 'London Gazette', Supplement, No. 29455 (28 January 1916); 'Commonwealth Gazette', No. 44 (6 April 1916) | |
| 26 Jul 1915: | Promoted AIF WW1, Corporal, 3rd Field Artillery Brigade , Gallipoli | |
| 7 Aug 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Corporal, 1645, 3rd Field Artillery Brigade , The August Offensive - Lone Pine, Suvla Bay, Sari Bair, The Nek and Hill 60 - Gallipoli | |
| 1 Sep 1915: | Promoted AIF WW1, Sergeant, 3rd Field Artillery Brigade , Gallipoli | |
| 9 Nov 1915: | Promoted AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, 3rd Field Artillery Brigade , Gallipoli | |
| 12 Nov 1915: | Transferred AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, 1st Field Artillery Brigade, Gallipoli | |
| 12 Mar 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 1st Field Artillery Brigade, Egypt | |
| 23 Jul 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 1st Field Artillery Brigade, Battle for Pozières | |
| 14 Aug 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 1st Field Artillery Brigade, Mouquet Farm | |
| 15 Apr 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 1st Field Artillery Brigade, German Withdrawal to Hindenburg Line and Outpost Villages | |
| 4 May 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 1st Field Artillery Brigade, Bullecourt (Second) | |
| 3 Jun 1917: | Honoured Military Cross, Consistent good work and devotion to duty 26 October 1916 to 15 January 1917. Cool and able command of Battery and courage under fire at all times. | |
| 1 Sep 1917: | Promoted AIF WW1, Captain, 1st Field Artillery Brigade, Belgium | |
| 5 Oct 1917: | Involvement Captain, 1st Field Artillery Brigade, Third Ypres, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: awm_unit: 1st Australian Field Artillery Brigade awm_rank: Captain awm_died_date: 1917-10-05 | |
| 18 Oct 1917: | Honoured Military Cross and bar, Third Ypres, For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. When his battery commander and a subaltern were killed he took command, showing most remarkable steadiness. He continued to command the battery until it was relieved from a very exposed position, displaying remarkable courage throughout. He set a magnificent example of fortitude and courage to his men.' |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Robert Wight
A YMCA Assistant Secretary prior to enlisting, Walter Henry East embarked from Brisbane aboard HMAT Rangatira (A22) on 25 September 1914, with the 3rd Field Artillery Brigade, as 1645 Gunner East.
He was involved in the Gallipoli campaign, promoted to Lieutenant and mentioned in despatches. He was awarded the Military Cross on 4 June 1917, for "consistent good work and devotion to duty during the period 26 October 1916 until 15 January 1917". A Bar to the Military Cross was awarded on 18 October 1917 "for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty".
On 5 October 1917, during fighting at Westhoek Ridge, Belgium, he was killed in action, aged 30. He is buried in the Reninghelst New Military Cemetery, Belgium.
Source: AWM
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