The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of Captain Brian Colden Antill Pockley, Australian Army Medical Corps, 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 Craig Blanch, the story for this day was on Captain Brian Colden Antill Pockley, Australian Army Medical Corps, First World War.

Captain Brian Colden Antill Pockley Australian Army Medical Corps
DOW 11 September, 1914
Photograph: H19316

Story delivered 11 September 2014

Today we remember and pay tribute to Captain Brian Colden Antill Pockley of the Australian Army Medical Corps, whose photograph is displayed beside the Pool of Reflection.

Brian Pockley was born on 4 June 1890 to Dr Francis Antill and Helen Pockley at St Leonards in Sydney. He grew up in the Wahroonga area and attended school at the Church of England Grammar School in North Sydney. He showed early sporting prowess, representing his school in rugby and athletics.

Pockley entered Sydney University to study medicine. He achieved consistently high marks, made the first 15 with the university rugby team, and was awarded a university Blue for both rugby and athletics. Pockley also received military training as a member of the Sydney University Scouts.

His self-effacing manner and upstanding personality won him many friends, from the classroom to the sports field. He was regarded by many as a fine young man with a bright future.

In March 1914 Pockley took up a position at Sydney Hospital as junior resident medical officer. Over the next six months he proved himself a fine surgeon and a popular member of staff.

When the First World War began Pockley joined the Australian Army Medical Corps and volunteered for duty with the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force. Just a few weeks later he embarked aboard the transport ship Berrima, bound for New Britain.

Pockley went ashore at Kabakaul in the early hours of 11 September as part of a landing party sent to destroy a German wireless station at Bitapaka, seven kilometres inland.

During the trek the group encountered New Guinean troops led by German reservists and, after a short skirmish, captured the enemy position. Pockley was called to treat one of the Germans, who had been shot through the hand.

The force moved on with the wounded German at the front, calling on his comrades ahead to surrender. His wound was so bad that Pockley was eventually forced to perform an amputation in the field.

The party went ahead, leaving several sailors behind to ferry messages. Soon those left behind were attacked, and Pockley was called to treat Able Seaman Billy Williams, who had been badly wounded. The wound was mortal, and Pockley called another sailor to carry Williams to the beach. He then took off his Red Cross brassard and tied it to the sailor’s helmet in an attempt to guarantee safe passage. He would later be Mentioned in Dispatches for his selfless courage and sacrifice.

As Pockley headed back towards the main party, he came under fire and was shot. The round entered his stomach and tore a fist–sized hole in his back, shattering one of his lower vertebrae as it exited his body.

Pockley and Williams were carried back to the Berrima. Pockley died shortly before 2 pm; Williams shortly after. Their bodies were taken ashore that afternoon and laid to rest at Herberstshöhe, though he was later reinterred at the Bita Paka War Cemetery in Rabaul. Brian Pockley was 24 years old.

Further loss hit the Pockley family in 1918 when Brian’s brother John was killed in France.

Brian Pockley’s name appears on the Roll of Honour on my right, along with more than 60,000 others from the First World War. We now remember Captain Brian Colden Antill Pockley, and all of those Australians who have given their lives in service of our nation.