Waldo Esmond WARNE-SMITH MC

WARNE-SMITH, Waldo Esmond

Service Number: 277
Enlisted: 15 March 1916, Prahran
Last Rank: Lieutenant
Last Unit: 6th Infantry Battalion
Born: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1895
Home Town: Prahran, Stonnington, Victoria
Schooling: Wesley College
Occupation: Law Student
Died: Died of Wounds, France, 20 September 1918
Cemetery: St Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen
Block S, Plot 5, Row B, Grave 1
Memorials:
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World War 1 Service

15 Mar 1916: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 277, 2nd Machine Gun Company, Prahran
4 May 1916: Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 277, 2nd Machine Gun Company, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '21' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Port Lincoln embarkation_ship_number: A17 public_note: ''
4 May 1916: Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 277, 2nd Machine Gun Company, HMAT Port Lincoln, Melbourne
20 Sep 1918: Involvement AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 6th Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: awm_unit: 6th Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Lieutenant awm_died_date: 1918-09-20
Date unknown: Honoured Military Cross

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Biography contributed by Elizabeth Allen

Waldo Esmond WARNE-SMITH was born in Sydney in 1895

His parents were Charles WARNE-SMITH & Naomi SCHARRER who married in Victoria in 1892 - she is listed as Naomi ISRAEL on the marriage

He enlisted on 15th March, 1916 in Prahran and embarked as a Private with the 2nd Machine Gun Company, 2nd reinforcements from Melbourne on the HMAT Port Lincoln on 4th May, 1916 - he transferred to the 6th Infantry Battalion and was commissioned as Lieutenant

Waldo died from wounds in France on 20th September, 1918 and is buried in St Sever Cemetery Extension

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He was awarded the Military Cross for conspicuous gallantry & devotion to duty on 23rd August 1918 at Herleville Wood when he led his battalion along the edges of the road under intense machine gun fire & shelling

Again at Plateau Wood he personally directed the attack and just as it was maturing he was badly wounded but the Wood was captured with over 100 prisoners & many machine guns... Commonwealth Gazette No. 56, 3rd June 1919

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Two of his brothers also served during WW1

1. Spencer Wendel WARNE-SMITH  (SN 2246) Private - Killed in Action on 4th August, 1916 in France

2. Ivor Phillip WARNE-SMITH  (SN 2494)  returned to Australia in 1919 & also served during WW2 as a Major (SN VX41327)  discharged in 1945

Another brother served in WW2

3. Robert Charles WARNE-SMITH (SN 48815) as a Lieutenant Colonel - discharged in 1945

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