Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

"...2nd Lt (later Lt) Auchterlonie, a clerk from Gympie, Queensland, was awarded the Military Cross for actions near Villers Brettoneux in July 1918. Later that month he was awarded a bar to his Military Cross. He was killed in action on 10 August 1918." - SOURCE (www.awm.gov.au)

"The Late Lieut. C. A. Auchterlonie.      

Mr. Auchterlonie has received the following letter dated France, August 31, from Lieut.-Col., W. M. Davis C.O. 25th Battalion, A.I.F., relative to the death of his son, Lieut. C. A . Auchterlonie, M.M., who was recently killed in action. He writes—

"It is with the deepest regret that I write you these few lines to give you some particulars of the death of your son, late Lieut. C. A. Auchterlonie, killed in action on 10th August, 1918. At the time of his death your son was commanding 'D' Company of this battalion. We had made a very successful advance of a numher of miles on the 8th inst., and another on the 9th inst. We had captured our objective and about 1 a.m. or perhaps a little later, your son went out to gain touch with the troops operating on our right and was shot through the head, being killed instantly. His body was brought in by men of his company, and buried in a military cemetery. A cross has been erected over his grave by his brother officers and men. "I am not going to attempt to tell you how we valued his services as an officer. It will be sufficient to say that on the 4th July, 1918, he went into the first attack after his return from England, and won a very well earned Military Cross. On the 17th July he took part in another attack and won a bar to his M.C., and had he lived would certainly have been recommended for a D.S.O. for his work in the operations during which he was killed. This is a record which I am sure has never been excelled even if equalled in the A.I.F. "We can understand the awful loss his death will be to you, for we all loved him and looked on him as our own brother. We all know that this is the third son who has given his life for his home and country during this war.

Your other boy who was killed while serving with this battalion, on Gallipoli, was one of my best friends (I was a lieutenant in the battalion, at that time), and was just another such soldier as Cecil. "I am enclosing the Army Order, publishing the award of the M.C. to your late son, and a congratulatory memo from General Sir H. Rawlinson. These both arrived after your boy's death. I am also enclosing the two small roses, one of winch, is worn in the centre of the M.C. ribbon to denote the award of a bar to the M.C. Your son was not aware that he had won the bar to his M.C. as the order was published after his death. "In conclusion, I can only offer you the sincerest sympathy of every officer, N.C.O., and man in the battalion in your sad loss, and the assurance that we have lost not only a true and sincere friend, but one of the most promising officers in the A.I.F." - from the Gympie Times 02 Nov 1918 (nla.gov.au)