WALL, Nicholas Rogerson
| Service Number: | 271 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 21 August 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 22nd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Gowangardie, 1895 |
| Home Town: | Violet Town, Strathbogie, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Earlston State School |
| Occupation: | Farm Labourer |
| Died: | Died of Wounds, Died of wounds, France, 8 August 1916 |
| Cemetery: |
Puchevillers British Cemetery, France Puchevillers British Cemetery, Puchevillers, Picardie, France, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, Picardie, France |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Euroa Fallen of Euroa District Honour Roll, Euroa War Memorial, Violet Town Earlston State School No. 2850 Honour Board, Violet Town Honour Roll WW1, Violet Town Primary School Honour Roll |
World War 1 Service
| 10 May 1915: | Involvement Private, 271, 22nd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '14' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Ulysses embarkation_ship_number: A38 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 10 May 1915: | Embarked Private, 271, 22nd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ulysses, Melbourne | |
| 21 Aug 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 271, 22nd Infantry Battalion |
Help us honour Nicholas Rogerson Wall's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Elsa Reuter
WALL Roger 271 PTE
22nd Battalion
1890-1916
The third of the Wall boys from Molka to enlist was Roger . . . the youngest. All on the same day, 22 January 1915, all numbered consecutively, all drafted into the 22nd Battalion.
They did their preliminary training together before embarking on HMAT Ulysses in early May, bound for Egypt. They served on Gallipoli, returned to Egypt after the evacuation in December and sailed for Marseilles to arrive there on 26 March 1916.
The 22nd Battalion’s first major battle on the Western Front was at Pozieres. Roger’s two brothers, John and Bert were killed in action on 5 August while Roger suffered gunshot wounds to his abdomen and was stretchered to the 44th CCS where he died three days later.
None of the brothers were buried in the same cemetery. Roger’s grave is in Puchervillers Cemetery, 7 ½ miles SSE of Doullens.
It is said that when the boy’s father received news of his son’s deaths he walked around in circles for days, he didn’t know where they had died; no wife to share his grief.
Such was the agony suffered by many parents, knowing that their sons were dead was bad enough but not knowing what were the circumstances and where did they die? All unanswered questions that were probably never answered. So they had simply to get on with their lives, and make the best of things.
Roger’s father received his Memorial Scroll and Plaque in 1922 as well as his service medals, the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and the Victory Star.
Memorials: Australian War Memorial, Canberra
Main Honour Board, Memorial Hall, Violet Town.
Earlston State School Honour Board.
Copper Plaque affixed to exterior wall, Memorial Hall, Violet Town
Tree No 80 was planted in Orchid Street in 2013 by Betty Opie and Merle Carmichael, nieces.
The three brothers were not buried together but are finally united in the Violet Town Anzac Avenue.
© 2016 Sheila Burnell
Click images to start slideshow.