Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Selwyn Lord Curlewis was born on 28th February 1887 at Geelong, Victoria to George Campbell Curlewis and Lilla May George. He was one of five siblings with three brothers and one sister.

The date is not known when the Curlewis family arrived in Western Australia. It is known they initially took up residence in Geraldton with Selwyn and his other siblings attending the state school in Geraldton.

The family moved from Geraldton to Fremantle where Selwyn worked as an accountant in the Fremantle area. He also served with the Western Australian Regiment a Fremantle Company. Records indicate that Selwyn spent time in the Carnarvon area, but the exact details on this location are vague.

His father and mother moved from Fremantle to Brookton to take up farming. With Selwyn’s older brother Gordon now living in Bunbury, Selwyn joined his family farming at Brookton.

In September 1914 Selwyn enlisted into the A.I.F. where he was attached to 16th Infantry Battalion conducting his initial training in Western Australia. He then embarked for Melbourne with his battalion to continue further training at the Broadmeadows Camp. During his training he was promoted to Lance Corporal. It was on the 22nd December 1914 that Selwyn embarked aboard H.M.A.T Ceramic A40 from Melbourne.

Selwyn’s three brothers also enlisted into the A.I.F. with Gordon and George also attached to the 16th Battalion embarking with Selwyn from Melbourne. Arthur who was attached to the 12th Infantry Battalion sailed from Fremantle in October 1914.

With all four brothers now overseas with the A.I.F. their father and mother left the farm in Brookton moving to Lillian Street Cottesloe.

Selwyn with his three brothers arrived in Egypt where they conducted further training in preparation for the Gallipoli campaign. It was in April 1915, they all embarked from Alexandria Egypt bound for the Gallipoli Peninsula.

It was on the evening of the 25th April 1915 Selwyn landed on the beach of Gallipoli along with his two brothers George and Gordon. The battalion was initially sent up the hill to reinforce the line where a gap had opened, which the Turks where threatening. This hill was later to be known as Pope’s Hill.

During these attacks on the Turkish positions, becoming dark and with confusion amongst the ANZAC’s, Selwyn with his battalion managed to establish their line against the Turks. Struggling to hold their positions which went on for days, unable to advance due to the counter attacks by the Turks. The Australians sustained heavy casualties, barely holding onto their positions.

It was on the 2nd May 1915 that Selwyn with the battalion were tasked to advance on the Turkish trenches, towards a position known as Baby 700. The attacks from the outset went badly, the men were meet with heavy Turkish machine gun and rifle fire.

It was at night fall of the 2nd when Selwyn went into attack up a hill now called the Bloody Angle. It was throughout the night that they continued fighting digging trenches, only to eventually abandon their positions as the Turkish machine guns overlooked them continuing to take a toll on the men. The continual exposure to the machine gun fire made it difficult to bring up ammunition.

It was in the attack at Bloody Angle that Selwyn was killed in action, his body was never recovered from the battlefield. He has no known grave and is commemorated at the Lone Pine Memorial, Gallipoli. He was 28 years of age.

During the attack at Bloody Angle by the 16th Battalion, of the 600 men in the battalion they suffered 338 casualties during the attack.

Selwyn’s two brothers Gordon and Arthur were also killed in action at Gallipoli with only one of the brothers, George returning home to Australia.

Selwyn is also commemorated on the Brookton District War Memorial.

"Three of four brothers born in Geelong and the Bellarine Peninsula were killed during the Gallipoli campaign.

Selwyn Lord Curlewis and Gordon Levason Curlewis were killed at Gallipoli, and Arthur Grenville Curlewis died at Alexandria in Egypt from wounds received at Lone Pine.

The fourth brother, George Campbell Curlewis, survived the conflict. He was wounded and returned to Australia in November, 1915.

All four brothers took part in the Gallipoli landings on April 25, 1915.

Gordon Curlewis enlisted on October 1, 1914, as a lieutenant in the 15th Battalion, Australian Imperial Force. He was promoted to captain on the day after the Gallipoli landings on April 26, 1915, and was killed in action two weeks later on May 9.

He was buried in the field by the Reverend CWG Moore. His grave is now in the Beach Cemetery at Gallipoli.

Selwyn Curlewis enlisted on September 9, 1914, was a Corporal in the 16th Battalion, AIF, and was killed in action at Bloody Angle (near Quinn’s Post) on May 2, 1915. He has no known grave and is commemorated at the Lone Pine Memorial.

Arthur Curlewis had enlisted in the 12th Battalion AIF and was severely wounded at Gallipoli. He was sent to hospital in Alexandria in Egypt but died of his wounds on August 15, 1915, at age 23 year. He was buried at Chatby Cemetery in Egypt.

The surviving brother, George Curlewis, enlisted on September 8, 1914, in the 16th Battalion, AIF, and was promoted to 2nd lieutenant. He served in Gallipoli but he was wounded and returned to Australia on November 7, 1915."

Source: Geelong Advertiser 24 April, 2015 & Robert Wight