AYERS, Sydney Winton
| Service Number: | 612 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 14 September 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Lieutenant |
| Last Unit: | No. 2 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps |
| Born: | Cootamundra, New South Wales, Australia, 1 May 1893 |
| Home Town: | Cootamundra, Cootamundra, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Mechanic |
| Died: | Died of wounds, France, 24 November 1917, aged 24 years |
| Cemetery: |
Lebucquiere Communal Cemetery Extension (Plot I, Row D, Grave 12) INSCRIPTION ETERNAL REST GRANT TO HIM O LORD AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE ON HIM |
| Memorials: | Cootamundra RSL Honour Rolls, Cootamundra Sacred Heart Catholic Church Memorial, Cootamundra War Memorial, Lithgow War Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 14 Sep 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 612, No. 2 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps | |
|---|---|---|
| 25 Oct 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 612, No. 2 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '1' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Ulysses embarkation_ship_number: A38 public_note: '' | |
| 25 Oct 1916: | Embarked 612, No. 2 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps, HMAT Ulysses, Melbourne | |
| 24 Nov 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 612, No. 2 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps, Third Ypres, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: awm_unit: Australian Flying Corps awm_rank: Lieutenant awm_died_date: 1917-11-24 |
Last Flight
Sydney Winton Ayers prior to his last flight packed all of his kit in the morning and left this on his bed for shipping back home. He seemed to have a premonition one would think that he would not be returning.
(Source Official History of the AFC)
Submitted 10 December 2017 by Chris Ayers
Biography contributed by Geoffrey Gillon
He was 24 and the son of Thomas Gabriel Ayers and Ellen Mary Ayers, of "Fernleigh," Third and Holden Streets, South Ashfield, Canterbury, New South Wales.
His brother, Private Charles Thomas Ayers aged 29, also fell. He died 26th September 1917 whilst serving with the 55th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. and, having no known grave, is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial.
INSCRIPTION
ETERNAL REST GRANT TO HIM O LORD AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE ON HIM
Biography
Sydney was born in the country town of Cootamundra in NSW.
Sydney enlisted in the Australian Flying Corps at the age of 23.
Sydney was one of the founding members of 2 Squadron, which had been re-designated from No. 68 Squadron Royal Flying Corps.
His plane was shot down while carrying out a ground attack mission near Cambrai. His plane came down in No Man's Land and as he was running to the Allied lines he was wounded by the enemy. He was evacuated to the 2/3 London Field Ambulance, with abdomen wounds. He died of his wounds two days later.
1917 was a bad year for the Ayers family as they lost 2 sons. His brother Charles was KIA in Ypres
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