Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Part of the below account comes from a letter to Harold's father, which was published in the Yass Courier on 09 Aug 1915.

Herbert (George) Grieves (#376) was also from Yass, they were mates who possibly worked together and travelled to Sydney to enlist together.

The letter was written by Alfred Adey (#348) at the request of George Honeysett. Alfred was wounded and withdrawn from combat, he survived the war. George Honeysett (#377) fought on and died at Pozieres a little over a year later.

"Snow" was born at Goulburn, son of Thomas Pye and Esther Elizabeth Williamson (nee Passmore).

He enlisted as Private 375, A Company, 1st Battalion, 1st AIF on August 24th, 1914 at Randwick having completed 2 years service with the Senior Cadets.

Promoted to Lance Corporal on October 14th. On October 18th, 1914 he embarked at Sydney on board the HMAT A 19 Afric. He was sent to join the BEF on March 4th, and sadly was Killed in Action on May 19th, 1915 at Sandy Bluff, Gallipoli, Turkey – just 24 days after the arrival of the Australian troops. His parents were sent 2 brown paper parcels in March 1916, per Thos. Cook & Son sent on the Ulysses which held his effects, 1 disc, 1 RC Prayer Book, 1 Infantry Pocket Book, 1 Diary, 1 Note Book, 1 Wallet, Letters, Photos, Cards, 1 crucifix, medals. The second parcel held a brass bowl, watch and chain, 2 rings, handkerchief, rubber stamp. His will left his estate to his father. The Victory Medal, 1914-15 Star and British war Medal were received by the family. He was buried in Shrapnel Valley Cemetery, Plot 4, Row A, grave 21. The grave is about 400 yards south-east of Anzac Cove.

Shrapnel Valley (or Shrapnel Gully) runs from the west side of the Lone Pine Plateau, behind Maclagan's Ridge, south-westwards to the sea near Hell Spit (Queensland Point). It was an essential road from the beach up to the Anzac front and took its name from the heavy shelling it was given by the Turks on 26 April 1915. Wells were sunk there and water obtained in small quantities, and there were camps and depots on the south side of its lower reaches. Gun positions were made near its mouth.

The cemetery was made mainly during the occupation, but some isolated graves were brought in from the valley after the Armistice. There are now 683 Commonwealth servicemen buried or commemorated in this cemetery. 85 of the burials are unidentified but special memorials commemorate 23 casualties known or believed to be buried among them

On 25th, April, Harold landed with our Company, and he successfully fought out the issue of that first day, displaying great courage and ardour in the risky operations. He was then and active member, in building trenches etc., for the purpose of lading the Australians, always accompanied by his great friend George Grieves, who acknowledged Harold as a leader. By the 19th, May our boys had established themselves in a secure position on a high ridge known as Sandy Bluff, and it was here that on the morning of the 19th May that the Turks, strongly reinforced, made an attack on our trenches. Their numbers were great, but our boys, with such courage as Harold always showed, after a fierce struggle, drove them back with great loss. But for some of us the victory was barren, four of our friends and comrades were gone, and in the early part of the attack, Harold and George Grieves, having rushed top of the trench, were shot – side by side. When they were killed the chaotic circumstances of battle did not allow for the recovery or burial. It is likely that the two friends lay close together until an armistice with the Turks on 24 May, allowed the dead of both sides to be removed for burial.

The two graves are in the tiny Shrapnel Valley Cemetery, only a few hundred yards from where they had come ashore at 7.40am on 25th April.

Coincidentally, May 19th, 1915 was the same day that John Simpson Kirkpatrick, The Man with the Donkey was also killed by a sniper's bullet. He is also buried at Shrapnel Gully.