PULLING, Charles Willoughby Lee
| Service Numbers: | Officer, Commissioned |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 18 February 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Lieutenant |
| Last Unit: | 13th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | 14 August 1891, place not yet discovered |
| Home Town: | North Sydney, North Sydney, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | St Paul's College, North Sydney Church of England Grammar School, Sydney University, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | School Master |
| Died: | Killed In Action, Gallipoli Peninsula, Dardanelles Turkey, 7 August 1915, aged 23 years |
| Cemetery: |
7th Field Ambulance Cemetery Plot II, Row C, Grave 4 Memorial Inscription "BELOVED SON OF JAMES LEE AND EMILY PULLING VITAI LAMPADA TRADIDIT" |
| Memorials: | Armidale School War Memorial Gates, Killara Golf Club WWI Honour Roll, Northbridge (Shore) Sydney Church of England Grammar School Memorial Cricket Ground Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 18 Feb 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Lieutenant, Officer, 13th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 17 Mar 1915: | Involvement Lieutenant, 13th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '11' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Shropshire embarkation_ship_number: A9 public_note: '' | |
| 17 Mar 1915: | Embarked Lieutenant, 13th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Shropshire, Sydney | |
| 7 Aug 1915: | Wounded AIF WW1, Lieutenant, Commissioned, 13th Infantry Battalion, Killed in action |
Help us honour Charles Willoughby Lee Pulling's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Daryl Jones
Son of James Lee Pulling and Emily PULLING, of Bishopsgate, North Sydney, New South Wales.
LIEUT. C. W.L. PULLlNG.
Lieutenant Charles Willoughby Lee Pulling, 13th Battalion, who was killed in action on August 7, comes of fighting stock. Two brothers (Lieutenant H. D. Pulling and Sergeant G. H. Pulling) are at present at the front, while his father is Major J. Lee Pulling, CO , 18th Battalion Senior Cadets, and of the staff of the Church of England Grammar School, North Sydney. The deceased soldier was educated at that school (where he was senior prefect), and also at St. Paul's College. He graduated with honours in Arts at the University in 1914, and at the time of enlistment was a classical master in tho Armidale School. He had rowed in the college boat, and was a member of the University Hockey and Rifle teams, while he also held commissions in the Senior Cadets and Citizen Forces.
Biography contributed
CHARLES WILLOUGHBY LEE PULLING (14.8.1891 - 7.8.1915)
Called Lee
From Bowral.
He went to Sydney Church of England Grammar School (Shore) and then to St. Paul’s College, Sydney University 1911 to 1913 and,, graduated B.A. in 1914. His father J. Lee Pulling taught at Shore for 36 years. J. Lee Pulling was in charge of Shore Cadets in 1908 and was Acting Headmaster in 1938, the year he retired. J. Lee Pulling's father was Master of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge and later ViceChancellor of Cambridge University. (Shore by Geoffrey Sherington 1983). At TAS as Classics Master from Easter 1914 to Dec. 1914. His salary of 200 pounds ncluded 25 pounds Cadet allowance. As well-as taking Cadets he played football in the First XV "with the zest of a boy" and supervised athletics. He was absent 5 weeks from 21.9. 1914 on Garrison duty with the Citizen Forces.
Enlisted in December, 1914 and sailed March, 1915.
Served in the 13th Battalion A.I.F - as a Lieut. He landed at Gallipoli on 29.5.1915 and a few hours later, according to C.E.W. Bean "set a fine example of active leadership and selfcareless devotion to duty by jumping into the first line beyond the bomb-proof shelter and leading the party to recover trenches which had been taken by the Turks." For this he was commended in Corps orders. He was mentioned in Despatches. From June until he was killed he served Platoon Commander.
Killed in action at Arghyl Dere aged 23, 7 days short of 24. C.E.W. Bean (Vol. 2 p652) tells how he was killed. He was trying to dig in around-the head of Australia Valley near Anzac Cove. The Turkish Field-guns found the position and opened upon it with shrapnel. The night before he had marched to join the British troops landing at Suvla Bay.
Buried 7th Field Ambulance Cemetery, Anzac
Obituary. On 22.8.1915 a memorial service was held for him in the School Chapel. The boys attended in uniform because Pulling had been in charge of School Cadets. The Headmaster Rev F.T. Perkins referred to him "as one who, in everything he undertook was most keen and unsparing of himself that he might do what he had undertaken a he knew how. Enthusiastic in every department of School life, all his activity and ideas were inspired by very high ideals it was impossible for him ever to act otherwise than most loyally, most strictly where it was necessary, with a true conception that a Master has much o do with the shaping of a boy's character and habits. No career which he could have made for himself had he been spared, could be greater in fruitfulness than the splendour of his example to count his life but a small thing, if to lay it down would help others to live or to die." At the conclusion of the service Mr. Jennings (Chapel organist) played the Dead March, after which bugler Onslow sounded the Last Post. The service was very impressive throughout."
Memorial - His name is on the Sydney University Honour roll on the southern side of the
archway of the Great Tower
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