LENNOX, Horace Gilchrist
| Service Number: | 2316 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 10 April 1915, Melbourne, Victoria |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 6th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Corryong, Victoria, Australia, 1897 |
| Home Town: | Corryong, Towong, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Corryong State School, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation: | Salesman |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Gallipoli, Turkey, 7 August 1915 |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Lone Pine Memorial, Gallipoli Peninsula, Canakkale Province, Turkey |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Corryong State School No 1309 Honor Roll, Corryong War Memorial, Lone Pine Memorial to the Missing |
World War 1 Service
| 10 Apr 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2316, Melbourne, Victoria | |
|---|---|---|
| 17 Jun 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 2316, 6th Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '8' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Wandilla embarkation_ship_number: A62 public_note: '' | |
| 17 Jun 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 2316, 6th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Wandilla, Melbourne | |
| 6 Aug 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 2316, 6th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli | |
| 7 Aug 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 2316, 6th Infantry Battalion, The August Offensive - Lone Pine, Suvla Bay, Sari Bair, The Nek and Hill 60 - Gallipoli |
His Story
Horace was born in 1898 at Cudgewa, to Hugh and Margaret Lennox. He enlisted at Melbourne on 19 April 1915, embarking on H.M.A.T. A62 Wandilla two months later.
On 6 August 1915, Horace landed at Anzac Cove on the Gallipoli Peninsula where he joined his unit, B Company, 6th Battalion, 2nd Infantry Brigade, 1st Australian Division. He landed in time to participate in the Division’s attack on Lone Pine.
The Lone Pine operation was planned purely as a diversion aimed at drawing Turkish reserves away from a major attack to be launched from the northern end of the perimeter at a place called Hill 971. The 6th Battalion’s War Diary for the 7 August, written by Lieutenant-Colonel A. J. Bennett, states “All parties having reported in position signal was given to attack. Immediately our men emerged from the tunnel enemy opened a heavy rifle and machine-gun fire on us. The wounded men attempted to return through the openings they had just left this causing a serious block”. The Turkish trenches at Lone Pine were heavily fortified, having pine logs placed over them and dirt on top of that.
Horace’s unit was involved in the charge from Steele’s Point across to the German Officer’s Trench. During this attack, his unit was unsuccessful in reaching its objective. Two other members of his unit last saw Horace during the charge. As they never reached the German Officer’s Trench, he could not have been taken prisoner and was listed as missing. The morning after the attack only 30 out of the 150 drafts answered the roll call.
A personal note was included in the Corryong Courier dated 28 October 1915 and read:
“PRIVATE H. G. LENNOX MISSING. In the casualty lists issued on 20th Private H. G. Lennox (son of Mrs. Dignan, formerly of Corryong) is posted as missing at the Dardanelles. No particulars have been received by the relatives. Horace's many friends will join with us in hoping that he turns up again all right.”
An inquiry was held on 24 April 1916, where Horace was presumed killed in action. He has no known grave but is commemorated on Panel 26 of the Lone Pine Memorial, Gallipoli.
Submitted 18 April 2021 by Stephen Learmonth
Biography contributed by Carol Foster
Previously appearred on Honour Roll as H G Lennox
Was last seen alive in the charge on the German Officers trench. Only 30 out of 150 men involved in the illl fated charge answered Roll Call next morning
11 November 1917 - Mother wrote to Base Records asking when would she receive her son's personal belongings
Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal
Biography contributed by Stephen Learmonth
Horace Lennox had a short war. Whilst his service records indicate that he was 18 at the time of enlisting, birth records show that he was born in 1899. Horace was therefore only 16 or 17 years old when he enlisted on the 14th of April 1915. Horace’s father was a local policeman whilst his mother, Margaret, was a daughter of Hugh Harris senior, one of the first selectors in the Corryong district.
Horace’s father, Hugh, died while on duty as a result of a fall off his horse in March of 1907. At the time Hugh was stationed at the Mitta Police Station. Horace’s mother, Margaret, remarried sometime before 1910 as an article in the Friday 26th edition of Wodonga and Towong Sentinel carried an article stating that “substitute the name of Margaret Dignam for Margaret Lennox in the Australian wine and billiard table licences for the Corryong Coffee Palace. … The licensee, he added, had lately been married.”
Enlistment details picture a young man, 170 cm tall, with a light complexion, blue eyes, and light brown hair. Horace, Regimental Number 2316, was assigned to the 6th Reinforcements for the 6th Infantry Battalion. After two months of training at Broadmeadows near Melbourne, he embarked on HMAT A62 Wandilla on the 17th of June 1915.
On the 6th of August 1915, Horace landed at Anzac Cove on the Gallipoli Peninsula where he joined his unit, B Company, 6th Battalion, 2nd Infantry Brigade, 1st Australian Division. As fate would have it, he landed in time to participate in the Division’s attack on Lone Pine.
The Lone Pine operation was planned purely as a diversion aimed at drawing Turkish reserves away from a major attack to be launched from the northern end of the perimeter at a place called Hill 971. The 6th Battalion War Diary for the 6th of August, written by Lieutenant-Colonel A. J. Bennett provides an interesting picture of the preparations for the attack that Horace was to be involved in. “Issued orders to all officers for attack at midnight on German Officers Trench and the destruction of Sniper's Trench - Bde Operation Order No 1 and Battalion Operation Order No 2, with special instructions herewith.
1530 Rehearsed taking up night positions for attack
1630 Artillery dropped a few shells on German Officer’s Trench but did no damage. Enemy replied by damaging our trenches with fire from 4.7 and 74mm guns.
1930 Engineers broke in roof of recess between tunnels D.18 and D24 also Union Trench. This was reported complete and the trench was clear
2300 Engineers exploded mine D 25 A with no apparent effect.”
The diary for the following day, the 7th of August, states “All parties having reported in position signal was given to attack. Immediately our men emerged from the tunnel enemy opened a heavy rifle and machinegun fire on us. The wounded men attempted to return through the openings they had just left this causing a serious block”. The Turkish trenches at Lone Pine were heavily fortified, having pine logs placed over them and dirt on top of them.
Horace’s unit was involved in the charge from Steele’s Point across to the German Officer’s Trench. During this attack, his unit was unsuccessful in reaching its objective. Two other members of his unit last saw Horace during the charge. As they never reached the German Officer’s Trench he could not have been taken prisoner and was listed as missing.
A personal note was included in the Corryong Courier dated the 28th of October 1915 and read,
“PRIVATE H. G. LENNOX MISSING. In the casualty lists issued on 20th Private H. G. Lennox (son of Mrs Dignan, formerly of Corryong) is posted as missing at the Dardanelles. No particulars have been received by the relatives. Horace's many friends will join with us in hoping that he turns up again all right.”
An inquiry was held on the 24th of April 1916 where Horace was presumed killed in action. He has no known grave but is commemorated on Panel 26 of the Lone Pine Memorial, Gallipoli, Turkey.
Horace is remembered on the Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, the Lone Pine Memorial to the Missing, the Corryong State School Roll of Honour, and the Corryong War Memorial. For his service during the war he was awarded the 1914-15 Star, the British War Medal, and the Victory Medal.
Click images to start slideshow.