Fritz Arthur WESTGARTH

WESTGARTH, Fritz Arthur

Service Numbers: 1933, 2208
Enlisted: 21 February 1916, Bendigo, Vic.
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 38th Infantry Battalion
Born: Kangaroo Flat, Victoria, Australia, 1894
Home Town: Kangaroo Flat, Greater Bendigo, Victoria
Schooling: Kangaroo Flat State School, Bendigo, Victoria, Australia
Occupation: Farm Labourer
Died: Killed in Action, Ploegsteert, Belgium, 28 May 1917
Cemetery: Strand Military Cemetery, Ploegsteert, Wallonie, Belgium
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Big Hill State School No 1551 Roll of Honour, Golden Square District, Kangaroo Flat Soldiers Memorial
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World War 1 Service

21 Feb 1916: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 1933, 38th Infantry Battalion, Bendigo, Vic.
25 Sep 1916: Involvement Private, 1933, 38th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '18' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Shropshire embarkation_ship_number: A9 public_note: ''
25 Sep 1916: Embarked Private, 1933, 38th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Shropshire, Melbourne
28 May 1917: Involvement Private, 2208, 38th Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 2208 awm_unit: 38th Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1917-05-28

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Biography contributed by Robert Wight

On 28 May 1917, the 38th Battalion carried out a raid on the enemy trenches near Ploegsteert comprising 7 officers and 214 OR's.

The raid was a disaster and for the benefit of capturing only one German prisoner, the Battalion lost two officers and 28 OR's killed or missing, and two officers and 63 OR's wounded.

Most of the casualites were "caused by our own barrage".

Source: 38th Battalion unit diary