Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Reginald STIRLING (Reg)

Military Medal

'At HOLLEBEKE on the night of the 30th September 1916 during a silent raid on the enemy's trench Pte. Stirling displayed conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. Pt. Stirling was first bayonet man of the Left Party. After gaining the German trench he encountered and took prisoner one German within 30 seconds, he then moved along the trench with great dash, and met two of the enemy under overhead cover, who immediately fired one shot each. Pte. Stirling replied with two shots killing both. He then proceeded along the trench, and captured another German whom he passed to the rear. About 15 yards further on he received a severe wound in the back, and had to regain our trenches.'

Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 103 Date: 29 June 1917

The Bendigonian newspaper published this account of Eaglehawk lad Reg Stirling’s account of his landing at Anzac Cove on April 25, 1915: - ‘Mrs Stirling, of Panton-street, Eaglehawk, has received a telegram from the Defence department, stating that her son, Private Reg Stirling, who was previously reported wounded, is now in the Alexandria Hospital seriously ill with pneumonia.                         Prior to the receipt of the above wire, Mrs. Stirling received the following letter from her son:-"I am alright again. We have been into battle and I tell you it was pretty hot. I was lucky. I stopped a bit of shrapnel in the leg. I am in the hospital now, but am able to get around. I am asking the doctor today how long it will be before I can get back again into the firing line. I hope it will not be long because I have a debt to pay off with the Turks. I cannot let them go off scot free for hitting me. I did not last long for a start. I was only there for a couple of days. When we landed I can tell you that I felt pretty funny. I thought my time had come, and a lot of others did to, I think. Jack Rogers (another Eaglehawk volunteer) did not get off the boat, as he had a bad throat, and they would not let him go. It is a funny feeling to get a bit of lead in your leg, but it is alright now; nothing to worry about." [1]

After the shrapnel wound to the leg at the Gallipoli landing, Reg would rejoin his unit in mid May 1915 however; on June 30 he would again be evacuated off the Peninsula with influenza which then resulted in 6 months treatment in England for pneumonia. He would rejoin his battalion following the evacuation back in Egypt in mid January 1916.

With his 7th Battalion he embarked from Alexandria to join the for France in late March, 1916.

Reg Stirling was wounded in action (chest), on the September 30 1916 the same day that he performed his heroic deeds resulting in the Bravery Award. He was admitted to 3rd Canadian General Hospital, Boulogne before being evacuated to England on October 19, 1916.

The Bendigoian Newspaper reported nearly 10 months later on July 26, 1917: - 'Mrs. W Stirling Parsonage Grove, Eaglehawk, has been notified by the Defence department that her son, Lance-Corporal Reg. Stirling, has been awarded the Military Medal for conspicuous bravery on the battlefield in France. In a letter to his mother some time ago, Lance-Corporal Stirling said he and several, of his comrades took part in a night raid shortly before Christmas, and the captain, who was in charge, was very pleased with the work they had done. He was wounded on that occasion, a bullet passing through the right lung and embedding itself under the right shoulder blade.' [2]   

Reg Stirling would spend nearly a year in England recuperating from this severe wound and eventually rejoined his unit at the front in late November 1917. He would be again be ‘Wounded in action (gassed), on Boxing day December 1917 and evacuated back to England for treatment. He would return to the 7th battalion on June 13, 1918 and would take part in the famous 100 days of victories that led to the end of the Great War. Being a ‘1914 man’ he would be prioritised for return to Australia leaving England on board 'H.T Berrima', 2 January 1919. 

SERVICE DETAILS:  

Regimental No. 1423

Place of birth: Eaglehawk, Victoria

Religion: Methodist

Occupation: Miner

Address: Parsonage Grove, Eaglehawk, Victoria

Marital status: Single

Age at enlistment: 25

Next of kin: Mother, Mrs S Stirling, Parsonage Grove, Eaglehawk, Son of William Stirling and Sarah May

Enlistment date: 6 November 1914

Unit name: 7th Battalion, 2nd Reinforcement

Embarked: HMAT A46 Clan Macgillivray on 2 February 1915

Final Rank: Lance Corporal

Fate: Returned to Australia 2 January 1919

Date of death: 9 June 1946 Age 56

Place of burial: Trafalgar Cemetery, Victoria

At HOLLEBEKE on the night of the 30th September 1916 

Hollebeke is a Flemish village in the Belgian province of West Vlaanderen, now part of Ypres city. In 1916 the area saw some of the heaviest fighting of the Great War. Mouquet Farm was finally captured on September 26, 1916 after weeks of fighting and considerable casualties. For many of the men who fought on the Western Front, Pozières was just the beginning of a long and bloody series of battles they would fight again and again for whatever remained of their broken lives.

[1] Bendigonian, Thu 15 Jul 1915  Page 13 PRIVATE REG. STIRLING
[2] The Bendigoian Newspaper July 26, 1917. Awarded Military medal – Lance Corporal R. Stirling.