David LAZARUS DCM, MM

LAZARUS, David

Service Number: 418
Enlisted: 9 February 1915, Castlemaine, Victoria
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 2nd Machine Gun Battalion
Born: Ballarat, Victoria, Australia, 1896
Home Town: Bendigo, Greater Bendigo, Victoria
Schooling: Harcourt School, Victoria, Australia
Occupation: Orchardist
Memorials: Harcourt Methodist Church Sunday School Roll of Honour, Harcourt War Memorial
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World War 1 Service

9 Feb 1915: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 418, Castlemaine, Victoria
10 May 1915: Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 418, 22nd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ulysses, Melbourne
10 May 1915: Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 418, 22nd Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '14' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Ulysses embarkation_ship_number: A38 public_note: ''
30 Aug 1915: Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 418, 22nd Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli
3 May 1917: Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 418, 22nd Infantry Battalion, Bullecourt (Second)
15 Sep 1917: Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 6th Machine Gun Company
20 Sep 1917: Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 418, 6th Machine Gun Company, Menin Road
4 Oct 1917: Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 418, 6th Machine Gun Company, Broodseinde Ridge
23 Mar 1918: Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 2nd Machine Gun Battalion, France
19 May 1918: Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 418, 2nd Machine Gun Battalion, "Peaceful Penetration - Low-Cost, High-Gain Tactics on the Western Front"
8 Aug 1918: Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 418, 2nd Machine Gun Battalion, The Battle of Amiens
1 Sep 1918: Honoured Military Medal, Mont St Quentin / Peronne, On the morning of 1st September 1918, prior to a counter attack at MONT ST. QUENTIN, the Sergeant in charge of the gun crew to which Private LAZARUS belonged was wounded and the No. 1 killed, but Private LAZARUS bravely kept the gun in action against the enemy under blank machine gun fire and close sniping, inflicting heavy casualties. During the whole attack this man displayed initiative and daring in reconnaissance for Machine Gun positions.
6 Oct 1918: Honoured Distinguished Conduct Medal, Montbrehain, For fine courage during the operations at Montbrehain on 6 October 1918. He captured an enemy machine gun single handed. The crew of eight enemy fired on him with machine gun and rifles while he crossed 40 yards of open ground. He shot two of the crew with his revolver, and compelled the remaining six to surrender.
29 Jun 1919: Discharged AIF WW1, Private, 418, 2nd Machine Gun Battalion

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Biography contributed by Robert Wight

Distinguished Conduct Medal

'For fine courage during the operations at Montbrehain on 6 October 1918. He captured an enemy machine gun single handed. The crew of eight enemy fired on him with machine gun and rifles while he crossed 40 yards of open ground. He shot two of the crew with his revolver, and compelled the remaining six to surrender.'
Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 35
Date: 15 April 1920
 

Military Medal

'On the morning of 1st September 1918, prior to a counter attack at MONT ST. QUENTIN, the Sergeant in charge of the gun crew to which Private LAZARUS belonged was wounded and the No. 1 killed, but Private LAZARUS bravely kept the gun in action against the enemy under blank machine gun fire and close sniping, inflicting heavy casualties. During the whole attack this man displayed initiative and daring in reconnaissance for Machine Gun positions.'
Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 115
Date: 10 October 1919

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