BACON, Walter John
| Service Number: | 3236 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 29 July 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 53rd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Tamworth, New South Wales, Australia, 1888 |
| Home Town: | Chatswood, Willoughby, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Boundary rider |
| Died: | Killed in Action, France, 19 July 1916 |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" |
| Memorials: | Attunga Christ Church Great War Roll of Honor, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Tamworth ANZAC Park Memorial Gates, V.C. Corner Australian Cemetery Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 29 Jul 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 3236, Depot Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 13 Oct 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 3236, 4th Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '8' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Port Lincoln embarkation_ship_number: A17 public_note: '' | |
| 13 Oct 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 3236, 4th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Port Lincoln, Sydney | |
| 19 Jul 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 3236, 53rd Infantry Battalion, Fromelles (Fleurbaix), --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 3236 awm_unit: 53rd Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1916-07-19 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Stephen Brooks
Walter John Bacon was a married to Annie and the father of 3 children when he enlisted, age 27. He was a boundary rider, born in the Tamworth NSW area. A fourth and youngest child was born during 1916, when he was overseas. He simply went missing during the Battle of Fromelles on 19 July 1916. He was listed as missing until confirmed killed in action 14 months later on 2 September 1917.
Walter’s brother, 3687 Walter Henry Bacon 4th Battalion AIF, was killed in action only one week later at Pozieres. Neither has a known grave.
Walter’s youngest child was born with an ailment, (also named Walter John Bacon) and had to be constantly nursed by his mother. The child died in the Tamworth hospital during August 1918, aged 2 years and four months.
Local returned veterans immediately took in hand the funeral arrangements, “which were carried out in a manner befitting the last rites to the son of a gallant Australian who had died fighting for his country.”
Four uniformed soldiers acted as pall bearers in front of a large crowd of Tamworth citizens and returned soldiers.
Annie Bacon wrote to the AIF during 1919, seeking information on how and when her was killed, she was also upset that she had not received one item of any of his personal belongings.
Base records replied it was regrettable but they had no other information, other than he was killed in action 19 July 1916. No personal effects were ever received in Australia. An explanation was given of the current work being undertaken in France to discover the graves of missing men.
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