Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Raid on Celtic Wood

In a statement he made for the Red Cross in May 1918 regarding the fate of Sergeant Page, Corporal Hicks said, he saw Sergeant Page ‘lying out in No Man’s Land and very badly wounded. He couldn’t have been brought in and must I think have been killed. He was in a very bad way when I saw him, and they weren’t taking prisoners. Sgt Page was one of the gamest fellows in the Battalion.’ Corporal Hicks was one of the 19 men who of the 88 on the raid returned unwounded. 

Returned to Australia in March 1919.

In later years a member of Norwood RSL and resident at 69 Howard St Beulah Park

Walter Hicks, service number 2681 was born in Adelaide, Australia on 6 March 1898. He lived in Kensington, South Australia. Hicks was 5”6, with dark hair, brown eyes and he was a religious believer of the Church of England. Before Hicks was enlisted into the army at the age of 18½, he served in the cadets for 2 years and the senior cadets for 3 years. Hicks’ mother was Ms Mary Jane Hicks and she lived on Howard Street, Kensington. Before joining the AIF, Hicks’ occupation was an assistant gunsmith.

Hicks enlisted in the AIF on Aug 12, 1915, in Adelaide. On 19th August 1914 Hicks went to Morphettville until the 20th of August 1915 for training purposes. On the 27th Oct 1915, Hicks embarked with the 27th Infantry Battalion on the HMAT Benalla. On the 28th Feb 1916, Hicks was transferred from the 27th Battalion to the 10th Battalion at Serapeum Egypt. On the 29th of October 1916, Hicks got sick with bronchitis and went to the hospital. Later he rejoined his unit on 24th November 1916. After returning to the field, Hicks received a promotion to Lance Corporal. On the 16th December 1916, Hicks was hospitalised due to trench foot, and embarked from France to England on a hospital ship and arrived on 20 December 1916. Hicks then went to Perham Downs for respite after his illness and to receive training with his unit on the 29th March 1916. Hicks then rejoined the 10th Battalion in France in 1st May 1917. Hicks was promoted from Lance Corporal to Sergeant and then Corporal on the 9th May 1917, but reverted to the rank of Corporal by his own request 25/7/17.

Hicks participated in the Raid on Celtic Wood on 9th Oct 1917, the CO of the 10th Battalion Lieutenant Colonel Maurice Wilder-Nelligan, was tasked to conduct a raid of company strength in order to synchronise with the opening of the Battle of Poelcapelle on the morning of the 9th October, in order to draw German artillery and flanking fire away from the main attack further to the north. While the 10th Battalion reinforcements were moving up to meet their guides on Broodseinde Ridge, the units who were to take place in the main attack were also moving up to their assembly point. In the Celtic raid, the 10th Battalion had lost a number of experienced men, but there were still highly experienced NCOs. Fortunately, Hicks was one of the 19 men who were able to return unharmed. In a statement he made for the Red Cross in May 1918 regarding the fate of Sergeant Page, Corporal Hicks said, he saw Sergeant Page ‘lying out in No Man’s Land and very badly wounded. He couldn’t have been brought in and must I think have been killed. He was in a very bad way when I saw him, and they weren’t taking prisoners. Sgt Page was one of the gamest fellows in the Battalion.’ Corporal Hicks was one of the 19 men who of the 88 on the raid returned unwounded. Twice more before the end of the war Hicks was hospitalised on the 28th December 1917 and the following year on the 15th May 1918, Due to his ill health he was sent back to Australia and discharged on the 31st of May 1918. 

Walter Hicks would after the war become a member of Norwood RSL and a resident at 69 Howard St Beulah Park. Walter was awarded the L-R 1914/15 Star, British Empire War Medal and Victory Medal. Hicks died from natural causes in 3 March 1967, age 68 and was buried at Centennial Park Cemetery, South Australia.