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SAGE, Walter
Personal Details
| Service Numbers: | 726, 726A |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 2nd Machine Gun Battalion |
| Born: | Angaston, South Australia, 30 April 1861 |
| Home Town: | Curlwaa, Wentworth, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Wine maker |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Treux, France, 15 May 1918, aged 57 years |
| Cemetery: |
Ribemont Communal Cemetery Extension, Somme Walter Sage died when a shell fell between himself and a conrade as they were standing to, killing them both. As the bodies could not be separated, they were buried together with gravestones touching. , Ribemont Communal Cemetery Extension, Ribemont, Picardie, France |
| Memorials: | Angaston Congregational Church WW1 Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Curlwaa Honor Roll WW1, Curlwaa Memorial Gates and flagpole, Curlwaa Memorial Hall, Wentworth War Memorial |
Service History
World War 1 Service
| 21 Jun 1917: | Involvement Private, 726, 6th Machine Gun Company, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '21' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Suevic embarkation_ship_number: A29 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 21 Jun 1917: | Embarked Private, 726, 6th Machine Gun Company, HMAT Suevic, Melbourne | |
| 15 May 1918: | Involvement Private, 726A, 2nd Machine Gun Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 726A awm_unit: 2nd Australian Machine Gun Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1918-05-15 |
Personal Stories
The Oldest Private
At the time of war, Walter Sage was eager to help his country, but he was past the maximum military age and was rejected when enlisting. He then presented his case to the Minister of Defence of the time, who told him to instead help recruit volunteers to serve. Later on the 7th of December 1916, he again attempted to enlist and declared his age to be 43. Due to his good physical condition, he passed. He actual age was 55 years old. He was affectionately nicknamed "Dad" by his comrades and died in his 58th year at Treux in France.
Source: "In Good Company", an account of the 6th Machine Gun Company by Lieutenant W. A. Carne, 1937
Submitted 16 June 2018 by Tom Sage
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