Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Lieutenant Leonard Gurner of the 60th Bn AIF: KIA Morlicourt France 18 July 1918

"During the operations east of YPRES on 20th September 1917 Captain BURKE was in charge of the right support Company. Under heavy shelling, in the absence of the leading Company Commander who had been wounded, this officer, regardless of personal danger, reorganised the right flank of the Battalion. At a critical moment he reorganised men of another Battalion who were in rear and sent them forward to their objective and established a Strong Point in a sound tactical position under heavy fire, At all times he displayed sound judgment and good leadership."

Group portrait of the original officers of the 10th Battalion, still in their variety of militia uniforms - barely any two are dressed exactly the same. Left to right, back row: Lieutenant (Lt) Julius August William Kayser (later Major, killed in action in France on 16 February 1917); Lieutenant (Lt) Clarence Rumball; Lt Louis Gordon Holmes; Lt Trevor Owen-Smyth (later killed in action at Gallipoli on 6 May 1915); Captain (Capt) Sydney Raymond Hall (later killed in action at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915); Lt John Hamilton (later Capt); Lt Alfred Cyril Sommerville; Second Lieutenant (2nd Lt) David Leslie Todd (later Capt); and Lt Albert John Bryne (later killed in action at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915). Middle row: Lt Mervyn James Herbert (later Major ); Lt Keith Eddowes Green (later killed in action at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915); Lt Robert James Mansfield Hooper (later killed in action at Gallipoli on 27 May 1915); Lt Eric John Carl Stopp; Lt Hector Roy Heming; Lt Eric Wilkes Talbot Smith, (later died of wounds in Egypt on 30 April 1915); Lt Herbert Champion Hosking; and Capt Harold William Hastings Seager (later Maj and awarded MC). Front row: Lt Eric James Sexton (later Maj); Capt George Dorricutt Shaw (later Maj); Maj Miles Fitzroy Beevor (later Lieutenant Colonel (Lt Col)); Capt Harry Carew Nott (Medical Officer) (later Lt Col); Maj Frederick William Hurcombe, Second in Charge (2IC later Lt Col and MID); Colonel Stanley Price Weir (Commanding Officer, later awarded DSO); Capt Francis Maxwell de Flayer Lorenzo (Adjutant later Lt Col and awarded DSO); Capt Charles Francis Minagall (Quartermaster, later Maj); Capt Edward Castle Oldham (later Maj and killed in action at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915); Capt Ross Blyth Jacob (later Lt Col); and Lt Vernon Hermann Robley Absent: Lt William Stanley Frayne, (later killed in action at Gallipoli on 6 August 1915); Lt Charles Percy Farrier (later killed in action at Gallipoli); Lt Felix Giles (later Lt Col); 2nd Lt Noel Medway Loutit (later Lt Col); Lt William Howard Perry (later Capt and awarded MC); and Captain George Ernest Redburg (later Maj).

Bill_s_Movements_Gallipoli_Aug-Oct_1915.pdf

'For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He located an enemy post of eight men which had been harassing out line for some days. He led a party and surrounded the post, killing two and capturing three, including the N.C.O. in charge. He then withdrew without any casualties.' Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 185 Recommended 17 Apr 1918 Gazetted : 27 November 1918

A B25 Mitchell bomber of No. 180 Squadron lines up for take off at RAF Dunsfold, Surrey in the United Kingdom supporting Allied operations in Normandy

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1568340

https://nominal-rolls.dva.gov.au/veteran?id=1047213&c=WW2#R

https://nominal-rolls.dva.gov.au/veteran?id=1073605&c=WW2

Informal group portrait of RAF ground staff with RAAF and Royal New Zealand Air Force air crew of a Mitchell bomber squadron, 180 Squadron RAF with the Second Tactical Air Force. Left to right: two RAF ground crew, Jock (Fitter) and Alf (Rigger); 422248 Flying Officer (FO) Jack B O'Halloran, pilot of Sydney, NSW, (later Flight Lieutenant and DFC); 417379 Pilot Officer James Crosby (Jim) Jennison (later Flying Officer and DFC) of Adelaide, SA; 422175 FO Reg J Hansen of Sydney, NSW; FO Harry M Hawthorn, RNZAF of Hastings, NZ. The aircraft was lettered D and the pilot named it 'Daily Delivery' and the nose art illustration portrays a stork carrying a large bomb. Location RAF Dunsford Surrey UK

37471 Pilot Officer William Keith Bennett

Don Walch did indeed serve on 226 Sqn. He was 39236 S/L Graham Reese 'Digger' Magill's regular navigator. A snippet from Norman Frank's, "The Greatest Air Battle Dieppe, 19 August 1942 (p.40): "Magill got back safely although his machine (226 Sqn Boston III Z2295 MQ-A), was damaged. Not for the first time did the crest on his Boston get them Home. His usual crew was Pilot Officer Donald Walch, from Tasmania, as navigator, and 'Taffy' Gubbins, air gunner. (Gubbins was away on 19 August, his place being taken by Sergeant S Praeger). The crest consisted of a kangaroo, a kiwi and a welsh dragon on a boomerang, ensuring a return ticket, they hoped!"

25-6-1944 No.21 Sqn Mosquito VI LR373 In a borrowed aircraft, W/C Braham set out on a day patrol to Denmark. His aircraft was intercepted by Fw Robert SPRECKELS, of Stab./JG 1, and shot down into the sea. Braham and his navigator were rescued by a German vessel and became PoWs 40667 W/C (Pilot) John Robert Daniel BRAHAM DSO**DFC** - PoW AUS404489 F/L (Nav.) Donald Curtis WALCH DFC RAAF PoW Interned Stalag Luft III

https://153squadronassociation.weebly.com/brief-history.html