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Australian War Memorial, Last Post Ceremony 7 September 2015 written by Dr Karl James, Historian, Military History Section (AWM link is to the left)

Today we remember Private Mervyn James Denton of the 2/43rd Battalion, who was killed in action at Tobruk in 1941.

Mervyn “Merv” James Denton was born on 6 July 1914 in Charra, on the west coast of the South Australia, one of 11 children of Ernest and Catherine Denton. The children attended Charra Woolshed Hall School and grew up on the family’s farm. Amid the searing heat, drought, dust storms, and hail, Merv Denton and his siblings grew up with love, laughter, and hard work.

Along with playing tricks on their sisters, the Denton boys were also keen footballers playing for Charra in the Far West Football League of South Australia. In one match against Penong in 1937, four of the Dentons were singled out for praise in the local press, including Merv. Cyril Denton would later serve in a pioneer battalion in New Guinea, and Ron Denton enlisted in 1940.

Following the outbreak of war, Merv Denton was working on his parents’ farm when he enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on 6 February 1941. He was allocated to reinforcements for the 2/43rd Battalion, and after about a month’s training he was granted six days’ pre-embarkation leave. Returning home, Denton was one of five soldiers from the area who were the guests of honour as the community farewelled their soldiers in one of the largest social gatherings ever held in Charra.

In the second week of April Denton embarked for overseas service, arriving in the Middle East in mid-May. He was hospitalised for several weeks in Kantara before travelling by sea to join the 2/43rd Battalion in besieged Tobruk in mid-July. The battalion had been in the fortress since March, and in April Tobruk was besieged by German and Italian forces.

For eight months in 1941 British and Commonwealth forces held the siege fortress of Tobruk against surrounding German and Italian forces.

For much of this time the majority of soldiers holding the outer perimeter and commanding the fortress were Australian. In late April/early May the Germans captured a section of Tobruk’s perimeter: the high ground on the Ras el Medauur feature (Hill 209). This area became known as “the Salient”. The Australians made repeated attacks in the Salient in May and August to recapture the lost ground but were beaten back with heavy casualties.

Denton was with his battalion for less than three weeks when it participated in an attack on the Salient on 3 August. The 2/43rd Battalion suffered more than 100 casualties in the failed attack, including more than 30 men killed and missing. Denton was among the dead.

His body was recovered and he was buried in Tobruk War Cemetery. He was 27 years old. At the time of his death his younger brother Ron was being treated in hospital in Tobruk for a wound sustained in earlier fighting.

The following July, close to his birthday, Merv Denton’s family placed the following “in memorium” notice in the paper. It read in part:

Beneath the Cross of Sacrifice,
Within the silent grave,
His comrades laid him down to rest
Among the honoured brave.

Cyril and Ron Denton survived the war. Their sister Irene served with the Australian Women’s Land Army.

Merv Denton’s name is also listed on the Roll of Honour on my left, along with around 40,000 others from the Second World War. His photograph is displayed today beside the Pool of Reflection.

This is one of the many stories of service and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Private Mervyn James Denton and all of those Australians who have given their lives in service of our nation.