Military Medal : Private A F Long, 4 Battalion, AIF

Military Medal (Geo V). Impressed around edge with recipient's details.

Archie Franklin Long, an 18 year old station hand from Armatree, NSW, enlisted at Dubbo on 4 June 1915. After initial training he was appointed to the 12th reinforcements of 4 Battalion, AIF, with the service number 4028, and sailed for overseas service aboard HMAT A7 Medic on 30 December 1915. Long transferred to 1Pioneer Battalion in March 1916. He received a bullet wound to the left hand the following month. In September 1916 Long transferred back to his original unit, 4 Battalion. He was awarded the Military Medal in 1917. The recommendation for the award reads, 'At DEMICOURT, on 15th April 1917, Pte. LONG showed great courage and devotion to duty by proceeding out into the open and sniping the Germans as they advanced on DEMICOURT, thus helping materially to encourage his comrades and beat off the attack. His gallantry, together with his good shooting, enabled him to inflict heavy casualties upon the attackers.' He was promoted to lance corporal in May 1917; to corporal and then lance sergeant and machine gun sergeant of the battalion's 13th Platoon in D company the following month. While moving up the line on the evening of 22 September 1917, close to Clapham Junction near Polygon Wood in Belgium, Long and some fellow soldiers took shelter in a shell hole during a heavy German barrage. Long was hit by shrapnel in the back and right buttock and was also wounded in both legs. He died shortly after arriving at 10 Casualty Clearing Station. He is buried at the Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery in Belgium. Archie Long had enlisted with his brother, Edward. They were allocated consecutive service numbers and both served with 4 Battalion. They transferred to 1 Pioneer Battalion together but Edward was captured and taken prisoner by the Germans in May 1916, which may have prompted Archie's subsequent return to 4 Battalion.