The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (6504) Private Ernest Kethro Green, 7th Battalion (Infantry), First World War

The Last Post Ceremony is presented in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial each 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 Richard Cruise, the story for this day was on (6504) Private Ernest Kethro Green, 7th Battalion (Infantry), First World War.

6504 Private Ernest Kethro Green, 7th Battalion
DOW 24 September 1917
No photograph in collection

Story delivered 25 September 2013

Today, we remember and pay tribute to Private Ernest Kethro Green.

Ernest Green was born in South Melbourne and worked as a journalist before the outbreak of the First World War. He enlisted in January 1916, aged 26, and was posted to the 7th Battalion as a private. He underwent a period of training in Australia before sailing for England, where he spent time in Fovant camp. He finally arrived on the Western Front in February 1917 where he joined the machine-gun section of his battalion.

Private Ernest Green's service was like that of the many Australians who earned no particular punishment or praise, but quietly got on with the job. At Polygon Wood in September 1917 Private Ernie Green became a casualty after seven months with his battalion. He was hit by a round from a German artillery shell known as a "whizz-bang" and was badly wounded, losing his left arm and sustaining serious wounds in his lower back. His mates in the battalion dressed his wounds but were unable to move him to a dressing station for a number of hours because of the German barrage. He was conscious and "quite cheerful" during this period, but a short time after he arrived at a casualty clearing station he died of his wounds.

In the last letter he wrote to his parents, Ernest Green wrote:

... not for anything would I be in Australia now, but rather where I am, fulfilling the highest duty expected of a citizen of a British community ... Not for one moment must you suppose I am sorry I entered into the thing. There can be no regrets.

His name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my right, along with around 60,000 others from the First World War.

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