The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of Private Sydney Grenville Hortin, 7/44th 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 Robyn Siers, the story for this day was on Private Sydney Grenville Hortin, 7/44th Battalion (Infantry), First World War.

Private Sydney Grenville Hortin, 7/44th Battalion
DOD 8 December 1916
No photograph in collection

Story delivered 2 October 2013

Today, we remember and pay tribute to Private Sydney Grenville Hortin.

Sydney Hortin was born in the South Australian town of Tarcowie but moved with his family to Western Australia. They were a farming family of Denmark Line, and as a young man Sydney worked on his father's farm. He was determined to join the Australian Imperial Force and, despite being turned down on at least one occasion because he suffered from scoliosis, or curvature of the spine, he kept trying to enlist and was eventually accepted at Bunbury on 30 October 1916.

Hortin went to the 91st Depot Blackboy Hill in Western Australia for training. Within a month, however, he fell ill with cerebro-spinal meningitis and sent to the West Subiaco Infectious Hospital. There he died of heart failure associated with his illness on 8 December 1916. He was 22.

Unlike many soldiers, Sydney was buried in Australia and his funeral was attended by his parents, sister and brother in law. Wreaths and floral tributes were sent by numerous friends, and six of them served as pall bearers. Three volleys were fired over his grave and the Last Post was sounded by a bugler at the end of the funeral service.

Not all of the people on the Roll of Honour died in combat, and some, like Sydney Hortin, died before they could even leave Australia on active service. However, he is remembered because of his willingness to serve his country in a time of need.

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 Sydney Grenville Hortin, and all those Australians who have given their lives in the service of our nation.