| Place | Europe: France, Nord Pas de Calais, Nord, Merris |
|---|---|
| Accession Number | RELAWM01129 |
| Collection type | Heraldry |
| Object type | Heraldry |
| Physical description | Paint, Paper |
| Location | Main Bld: First World War Gallery: Western Front 1918: Dernacourt |
| Maker |
Unknown |
| Date made | pre 1916 |
| Conflict |
First World War, 1914-1918 |
Damaged pocket book : Lance Corporal P Davey, 10 Battalion, AIF
Description
Bullet damaged pocket book with painted brown cover. Written inside the cover in black ink is '10.6.16. / To / Pvte P. Davey / With Best / Wishes / from / J. Oliver / Mile End. / When the summer / sun in sinking / and your thoughts / from care are free / When of absent ones / your [sic] thinking / Will you sometimes / think of me.' The facing page contains a number of South Australian addresses, written in pencil.
History / Summary
Bullet damaged pocket book carried by Corporal Phillip Davey in June 1918, near Merris, France, during the action for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross. Davey was severely wounded in his legs, back and stomach. One of the bullets struck him and passed through his pocketbook.
Davey was born on 10 October 1896 at Unley, South Australia. He enlisted on 22 December 1914 and embarked on 2 February 1915 with the 10th Battalion’s 2nd reinforcement and proceeded to Egypt and Lemnos prior to the landing on Gallipoli on 25 April 1915. He served on the peninsula until he was evacuated with enteric fever in October.
After treatment and convalescence in Egypt and Australia, he rejoined his battalion in September 1916 just before it moved into the line at Hill 60 in the Ypres sector. He was accidentally wounded on 15 March 1917 and gassed on 3 October.
On 3 January 1918 in the Messines sector at Warneton, Belgium, Davey was awarded the Military Medal for crawling into no man’s land under heavy fire to rescue a badly wounded comrade.
Davey was promoted corporal on 24 April 1918. He later took part in an attack on enemy positions at Merris, France on 28 June. His platoon came under heavy fire and the commander was killed. Survivors were forced to shelter in a ditch under almost point-blank fire from a German machine-gun. Davey then made a single-handed attack on the enemy post until forced to return to his own position for more hand-grenades. After attacking again, he killed the machine gun crew and captured the gun. He then mounted it in a new position and used it during a counter-attack until wounded. For this action he was awarded the Victoria Cross.
Due to the severity of his wounds, he was invalided to hospital at Weymouth, England and embarked for Australia on 19 October. He was discharged from the AIF on 24 February 1919.