The AIF Project

Walter GARRY

Regimental number4798
Place of birthSydney, New South Wales
Other NamesWalter Noel
SchoolState School, Victoria
ReligionChurch of England
OccupationLabourer
AddressOuttrim, South Gippsland, Victoria
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation24
Next of kinMother, Mrs A Garry, Outtrim, South Gippsland, Victoria
Previous military serviceNil
Enlistment date3 August 1915
Date of enlistment from Nominal Roll17 July 1915
Place of enlistmentMelbourne, Victoria
Rank on enlistmentPrivate
Unit name6th Battalion, 15th Reinforcement
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/23/4
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A18 Wiltshire on 7 March 1916
Rank from Nominal RollPrivate
Unit from Nominal Roll59th Battalion
FateKilled in Action 19 July 1916
Place of death or woundingFleurbaix, France
Age at death24
Age at death from cemetery records24
Place of burialNo known grave
Commemoration detailsV.C. Corner (Panel No 16), Australian Cemetery Memorial, Fromelles, France
Panel number, Roll of Honour,
  Australian War Memorial
167
Miscellaneous information from
  cemetery records
Parents: Michael and Annie GARRY, Outtrim, Victoria. Native of Sydney
Other details

War service: Egypt, Western Front

Taken on strength, 59th Bn, Duntroon Plateau, 20 April 1916.

Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 18 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 29 June 1916.

Posted missing, 19 July 1916.

Court of Enquiry, held in the field, 29 August 1917, pronounced fate as 'Killed in Action, 19 July 1916'.

Handwritten note on Form B103: 'Presume Buried in No Man's Land approx 5J90 43 to 5K02.5.1 Sheet Hazebrouck 5A'.

Statement, Red Cross File No 1140702, 4803 Pte A.H. HARGROVES, 1 Anzac Cycke Details (patient, No 18 General Hospital, Etaples), 24 October 1916: 'I was told by James M. Sharples of 59 D. that he was told by S.B. Harrison that he, Harrison, had found Garry lying wounded in No Man's Land at Fleurbaix on 19.7.16. shot through the stomach, and that when wanted to bring him in, Garry asked to be left alone. and Harrison did so.'

Second statement, 3695 Pte H. BURGESS, D company, 59th Bn (patient, 3rd London General Hospital, Wandsworth, England), 13 March 1917: 'I as with Garry when he got wounded. He was shot through the stomach, and there was no chance for him. "Its (sic) no use waiting here. Go on, I'm stopped,"he said. I had to leave him in the shell hole. This was about 40 yards from our own line, and we had only just started. The Germans could therefore not have got his body. He was probably buried afterwards by shell fire, as he could not be found. The shell blew up in front of us, and we all five were blown into the shell hole. I think I was the only one who came out alive of the 5. The date was July 19th, and the place Fleurbaix.'

Third statement, 2458 Pte L.H. WILKINS, 59th Bn, 10 October 1917: 'I saw Casualty lying out in No Man's Land on the19th July at Fleurbaix, mortally wounded. I spoke to him and shook hands with him. He could only murmur. He was lying in a shell hole.'

Fourth statement, 4819 Pte P.C. HARRISON, 15th Machine Gun Company, 17 October 1917: 'He went over the parapet into No Man's Land on the 19th July at Fleurbaix. He was wounded in the abdomen. I was stretcher bearing at the time. Casualty was very severely wounded. I went up to him to speak to him and he told me to go away and leave him alone[,] remarking that I could nothing for him. He said "I will be alright.["] Later on I called back to see him as I left him placed underneath the firing step in the parapet, but I think he must have been taken back to the 1st D.S. as I could nowhere see him.'

Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal
SourcesNAA: B2455, GARRY Walter
Red Cross file 1140702

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