The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (1391) Bombardier Robert Edward Birt, 11th Brigade Australian Field Artillery, First World War

The Last Post Ceremony is presented in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial every day. The ceremony commemorates more than 102,000 Australians who have given their lives in war and other operations and whose names are recorded on the Roll of Honour. At each ceremony the story behind one of the names on the Roll of Honour is told. Hosted by Craig Berelle, the story for this day was on (1391) Bombardier Robert Edward Birt, 11th Brigade Australian Field Artillery, First World War.

1391 Bombardier Robert Edward Birt, 11th Brigade Australian Field Artillery
KIA 22 July 1917
Photograph: P05501.002

Story delivered 10 September 2013

Today, we remember and pay tribute to Bombardier Robert Edward Birt.

Robert Birt was born in London, England but came to Australia with his family as a young man, settling in Queensland. He left their farm in August 1915 to enlist in the Australian Imperial Force at the age of 18 with the consent of his parents. Birt left Australia with the 11th Reinforcements to the 5th Light Horse shortly afterwards. Birt went to Egypt, arriving in November 1915, too late for the fighting at Gallipoli. In the reorganisation of the AIF that followed, he opted to leave the Light Horse for the artillery. This clearly suited him as two months later he was promoted to bombardier.

Birt went to France to fight on the Western Front, and spent time in a number of different artillery brigades and divisional ammunition columns. His service record shows a man who served quietly, without punishment, praise or illness.

In June 1917 he was transferred to the 11th Brigade of the Australian Field Artillery. The brigade spent most of 1917 in Belgium, firing against the German positions around Messines and later Ypres and Passchendaele. On 22 July 1917 they were in action near the Belgian town of Hollebeke when Birt's unit came under fire. A shell burst on the parapet of the trench as Birt and two other men, gunners John Ashhurst and Walter Carmody, were taking cover in it. All three men were hit by fragments of the burst and were killed instantly.

Birt was buried beside his companions in Belgium. He was just 20 years old.

His name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my right, along with more than 60,000 others from the First World War, and his photograph is displayed today beside the Pool of Reflection.

This is but one of the many stories of courage and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Bombardier Robert Edward Birt, and all of those Australians who have given their lives in the service of our nation.