| Regimental number | 3752 |
| Place of birth | East Maitland, New South Wales |
| School | Public School and Boys High School, East Maitland, New South Wales |
| Other training | Oxford College, England |
| Religion | Church of England |
| Occupation | Bank clerk |
| Address | High Street, East Maitland, New South Wales |
| Marital status | Single |
| Age at embarkation | 22 |
| Height | 5' 11" |
| Weight | 150 lbs |
| Next of kin | Father, D J Avard, High Street, East Maitland, New South Wales |
| Enlistment date | |
| Place of enlistment | Armidale, New South Wales |
| Rank on enlistment | Acting Corporal |
| Unit name | 20th Battalion, 9th Reinforcement |
| AWM Embarkation Roll number | 23/37/2 |
| Embarkation details | Unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A54 Runic on |
| Regimental number from Nominal Roll | Commissioned |
| Rank from Nominal Roll | 2nd Lieutenant |
| Unit from Nominal Roll | 19th Battalion |
| Promotions |
2nd Lieutenant Unit: 19th Battalion Promotion date: |
| Recommendations (Medals and Awards) |
Military Cross 'For conspicuous good work leading a patrol and entering German lines near Bapaume under heavy machine gun fire.' Recommendation date: |
| Other details from Roll of Honour Circular | Second Lieut David Henry Avard was awarded the Military Cross for conspicious gallantry and devotion to duty when in command of a patrol. He carried out a dangerous connaissance under very heavy fire, and obtained most valuable information. (details from mother) |
| Fate | Killed in Action |
| Place of death or wounding | Bullecourt, France |
| Age at death | 23 |
| Age at death from cemetery records | 23 |
| Place of burial | No known grave |
| Commemoration details | Australian National Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, France Villers-Bretonneux is a village about 15 km east of Amiens. The Memorial stands on the high ground ('Hill 104') behind the Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery, Fouilloy, which is about 2 km north of Villers-Bretonneux on the east side of the road to Fouilloy. The Australian National Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux is approached through the Military Cemetery, at the end of which is an open grass lawn which leads into a three-sided court. The two pavilions on the left and right are linked by the north and south walls to the back (east) wall, from which rises the focal point of the Memorial, a 105 foot tall tower, of fine ashlar. A staircase leads to an observation platform, 64 feet above the ground, from which further staircases lead to an observation room. This room contains a circular stone tablet with bronze pointers indicating the Somme villages whose names have become synonymous with battles of the Great War; other battle fields in France and Belgium in which Australians fought; and far beyond, Gallipoli and Canberra. On the three walls, which are faced with Portland stone, are the names of 10,885 Australians who were killed in France and who have no known grave. The 'blocking course' above them bears the names of the Australian Battle Honours. After the war an appeal in Australia raised £22,700, of which £12,500 came from Victorian school children, with the request that the majority of the funds be used to build a new school in Villers-Bretonneux. The boys' school opened in May 1927, and contains an inscription stating that the school was the gift of Victorian schoolchildren, twelve hundred of whose fathers are buried in the Villers-Bretonneux cemetery, with the names of many more recorded on the Memorial. Villers-Bretonneux is now twinned with Robinvale, Victoria, which has in its main square a memorial to the links between the two towns. |
| Panel number, Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial | 87 |
| Miscellaneous information from cemetery records | Parents: David John and Martha Jane AVARD, High Street, East Maitland, New South Wales |
| Medals |
Military Cross 'For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty when in command of a patrol. He carried out a dangerous reconnaissance under very heavy fire and obtained most valuable information.'
Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 133 Date: |
| Family/military connections | Brother: 16946 Sapper Roydon John AVARD, 9th Field Company Engineers, returned to Australia, 12 June 1919; Cousin: 949 Sapper Richard Benjamin HILLS, 12th Field Company Engineers, killed in action, 7 February 1918. |
| Other details |
War service: Western Front Medals: Military Cross, British War Medal, Victory Medal |
| Sources | NAA: B2455, AVARD David Henry |
Postal Address:
Po Box 7916
Canberra BC 2610, Australia
Street Address:
Northcott Drive,
Campbell, ACT 2600
