The AIF Project

David Keith McILWRAITH

Regimental number553
Date of birth4 April 1894
Place of birthCanterbury, Victoria
SchoolScotch College, Melbourne, Victoria
ReligionPresbyterian
OccupationClerk
AddressBoston Road, Canterbury, Victoria
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation21
Next of kinFather, D H McIlwraith, Boston Road, Canterbury, Victoria
Previous military serviceServed in the Cadets.
Enlistment date17 August 1914
Date of enlistment from Nominal Roll17 August 1914
Rank on enlistmentPrivate
Unit name5th Battalion, F Company
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/22/1
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board Transport A3 Orvieto on 21 October 1914
Unit from Nominal Roll5th Battalion
Other details from Roll of Honour Circular

'Private D K McIlwraith had gone to the assistance of a wounded comrade, but was killed by a sniper's bullet as he reached him. His comrade is Private Clarence O'Brien, of Donald, Victoria.' Details from D H McIlwraith (father) 5 Boston Road, Canterbury, Melbourne, Victoria

FateKilled in Action 25 April 1915
Place of death or woundingGallipoli, Turkey
Age at death22
Age at death from cemetery records22
Place of burialNo known grave
Commemoration detailsThe Lone Pine Memorial (Panel 24), Gallipoli, Turkey

The Lone Pine Memorial, situated in the Lone Pine Cemetery at Anzac, is the main Australian Memorial on Gallipoli, and one of four memorials to men of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. Designed by Sir John Burnet, the principal architect of the Gallipoli cemeteries, it is a thick tapering pylon 14.3 metres high on a square base 12.98 metres wide. It is constructed from limestone mined at Ilgardere in Turkey.

The Memorial commemorates the 3268 Australians and 456 New Zealanders who have no known grave and the 960 Australians and 252 New Zealanders who were buried at sea after evacuation through wounds or disease. The names of New Zealanders commemorated are inscribed on stone panels mounted on the south and north sides of the pylon, while those of the Australians are listed on a long wall of panels in front of the pylon and to either side. Names are arranged by unit and rank.

The Memorial stands over the centre of the Turkish trenches and tunnels which were the scene of heavy fighting during the August offensive. Most cemeteries on Gallipoli contain relatively few marked graves, and the majority of Australians killed on Gallipoli are commemorated here.

Panel number, Roll of Honour,
  Australian War Memorial
44
Miscellaneous information from
  cemetery records
Parents: David and Caroline MCILWRAITH, 5 Boston Road, Canterbury, Victoria
Family/military connectionsBrother: 14818 Pte John Kingsmill McILWRAITH, 1st Australian Motor Transport Section, returned to Australia, 29 August 1918.
Other details

War service: Egypt, Gallipoli

Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal

Print format    


© The AIF Project 2024, UNSW Canberra. Not to be reproduced without permission.