The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (662) Private Thomas Mackrell, 24th Battalion (Infantry), 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 Nicholas Schmidt, the story for this day was on (662) Private Thomas Mackrell, 24th Battalion (Infantry), First World War.

662 Private Thomas Mackrell, 24th Battalion
KIA 29 July 1916
Photograph: H05486

Story delivered 24 September 2013

Today, we remember and pay tribute to Private Thomas Mackrell.

Thomas Mackrell was one of five brothers from Euroa, Victoria, to volunteer for the AIF during the First World War. A farming family, the Mackrells had lived in the Strathbogie Ranges for many years, and they were a highly respected young family in the district. Thomas was "much liked by his friends and fellows" in the area.

Thomas went into farming when he was old enough. He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in March 1915 at the age of 29 and was sent to fight on Gallipoli with the 24th Battalion. In October 1915 he was evacuated from the peninsula, seriously ill with diphtheria, and spent some months recovering in a hospital in Malta.

Mackrell arrived in France in March 1916. In late July 1916 the 24th Battalion was sent to relieve part of the 1st Infantry Brigade in the trenches around Pozières. On 29 July one company of the 24th had successfully taken over the front line trenches under very heavy German shell-fire. Mackrell, however, did not survive this process, and was killed by the shell-fire.

The body of Thomas Mackrell was lost in the subsequent fighting and ongoing heavy shell-fire. It was not until 1931 that the Imperial War Graves Commission, searching the ground around Pozières for uninterred remains, came across Thomas Mackrell, still lying where he fell, and identified him from a partial identity tag. His body was taken and formally laid to rest at last in Serre Road Cemetery No. 2 with more than 7,000 other British and Commonwealth soldiers of the First World War.

Thomas's brother Lindsay was also killed by shell-fire later in the war. He was in a shelter near Polygon Wood in September 1917 when it suffered a direct hit from a high explosive shell and Lindsay Mackrell was killed instantly. The other brothers survived and returned to their family.

Lindsay Mackrell's name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my right, along with around 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 Private Lindsay Mackrell, and all those Australians who have given their lives in the service of our nation.