Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Walter Lamont Fathers was born on 26/6/1894 at Bunyip near Longwarry Victoria.

He was the eldest son of George and Ada Fathers who were married in Carlton Victoria on 18/2/1891. George was a carpenter joiner and eventually owned Millars Trading Timber Company after moving to Geraldton WA around 1897.

Walter was the eldest son of 10 children – 4 sisters (2 died young) and 6 Brothers. Of the 6 brothers, 4 brothers enlisted during World War 1. Walter Lamont, Eugene Alfred, Ernest George and Albert Harold. Eugene, Albert and the youngest son Malcolm Haig all enlisted during World War 11.

Walter and his younger brother Eugene both served in the H Company of the 88th Battalion which was part of the compulsory part-time military training, known as the Universal Training Scheme of the time. This scheme required youths between 12 and 14 to do two years as Junior Cadet training followed by Senior Cadet training then adult training in the Citizen Forces, up to age 26

War was declared on 4th August 1914 and the AIF commenced enlistments on 10th August 1918. Walter volunteered with the first contingent of 28 men from Geraldton who were sent to Blackboy Hill for training on 17th August 1914. Walter was 20 years and 2 months when he enlisted and had been a Printer with a Geraldton newspaper.

On the 18th August 1914 another contingent of 23 men from Geraldton followed. The majority of these men were drafted into the 11th Battalion, H Company. The Battalion was comprised of 8 Rifle Companies, approx 1020 men, plus HQ, Signals, Transport, Medical and a Machine Gun section. Of the 117 men in H Company, 105 were killed, wounded or medically discharged by war's end.

After training at Blackboy Hill, the 11th Battalion sailed from Fremantle on the SS Ascanius bound for England but was diverted to Mena Camp in Cairo, Egypt. While at Mena, the 11th Battalion gathered after Church for a group photo on the Cheops Pyramid on Sunday 10th January 1915. This is a unique and famous photograph and the Western Australian Genealogical Society has a project running trying to identify as many of the men as they can.

From the Mena training camp the Australians sailed to the Island of Lemnos before landing at Anzac Cove in the early hours of 25th April 1915. Two companies each from the 9th, 10th and 11th Battalions landing first. The 11th Battalion landed north of Ari Burnu Point, approx 1 mile north of the proposed landing. The second wave of troops from the 9th, 10th and 11th Battalions landed further north under heavy machine gun fire. We believe Walter was in the reorganised D Company by that stage, which landed in the second wave under heavy fire.

Like many, Walter suffered illness (diarrhoea and enteritis) while on the Gallipoli Peninsular. He was transferred to hospital in Mudros in late August 1915 with diarrhoea and then on to Alexandria and Heliopolis in Egypt where he was treated for enteritis. Walter returned to Gallipoli on 25th October 1915 until the Battalion was withdrawn in November 1915

Walter served with the 11th Battalion with Battle Honours listed as Egypt, Anzac Landing, Sari Bair, Suvla, France/Flanders including Hindenburgh
Line, Albert, Amiens, Hazebrouck, Lys, Passchendale, Poelcappelle, Broodseinde,
Polygon Wood, Menin Road, Ypres, Bullecourt, Pozieres and the Somme.

Walter was promoted to Lance Corporal in France on 27th September 1917 and Corporal on 15th August 1918.

On 23rd August, 1918, he suffered a severe gunshot wound to his left shoulder during the Battle of Chuignolles, near the small town of Proyart, France, just south of the Somme. This proved to be his last day of action as he was evacuated to England for treatment, rest and recovery.

From his records, it appears Walter was treated at Bristol from late August 1918 until 21st December 1918. He was eventually returned home on the SS Nevasa and discharged in Perth in June 1919.

Walter Lamont Fathers, Regimental Number 782, served in the Australian Infantry Forces across Egypt, Gallipoli and the Western Front from 14th August 1914 until his discharge 23rd June 1919.

Walter moved to South Australia and married Janet (Jess) McRae on 10th January 1925 and they had three children, Allan, who served in the Royal Australian Navy during World War 2, Kim and Jean. Walter had been a printer before the war but gained employment as a book keeper in Adelaide and was renowned for his ability to quickly and accurately add and calculate figures.

Walter was a quiet, gentle and kind man who never talked about his war experience. The only military memorabilia was the photograph of the 11th Battalion on the Cheops Pyramid that hung on their lounge room wall. During summer, he would often just wear a singlet top and the massive depression and scarring in his left shoulder was a clear indication of the severity of his wound, but he would never discuss or complain about his injury.

Walter died peacefully on 24th July, 1980 at the age of 86 years and is buried in the Derrick Gardens at Centennial Park, which is specifically designated for Returned service personnel. His brother Ern, who also served during World War 1, is buried 5 plots away so two of the brothers remain close together even in death.

Walter Fathers is my Grandfather and holds cherished memories for all his family.
Paul Fathers