The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (703) Lieutenant William Vincent Turner, 2nd Pioneer Battalion, 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 Joanne Smedley, the story for this day was on (703) Lieutenant William Vincent Turner, 2nd Pioneer Battalion, First World War.

703 Lieutenant William Vincent Turner, 2nd Pioneer Battalion
DOW 5 May 1917
No photograph in collection

Story delivered 20 September 2014

Today we remember and pay tribute to Lieutenant William Vincent Turner.

William Turner was the only son of Annie and John Turner. Born in Bairnsdale, Victoria, he lived in Larpent, near Camperdown, for many years, and was considered a “great favourite” in the district. He left his position as a clerk in February 1915 to enlist in the Australian Imperial Force, and left for Egypt three months later with the 22nd Battalion.

He arrived on Gallipoli late in August 1915 and soon proved himself a courageous and resourceful soldier. He was Mentioned in Despatches in October for volunteering to go forward of the Australian line at Johnston’s Jolly to reconnoitre a large crater believed to be full of Turkish soldiers. He performed this brave act two nights in a row, and provided so much information on the position as to render the proposed attack unnecessary.

Two weeks later a carefully laid mine was exploded under this crater by the Australian engineers. Two officers and three men were overpowered by fumes in the process, and were killed. Turner attempted to rescue them by running down the gassed sap himself, bringing out one body, but was himself badly gassed in the attempt.

Following the evacuation from Gallipoli, Turner was transferred to the 2nd Pioneer Battalion as a corporal. His service and personal acts of bravery earned Turner a steady stream of promotions. By early 1917 he had proved himself as a man who “performed his work daily under shell-fire with the greatest coolness and courage, setting a splendid example to his men”, and was commissioned a lieutenant. His abilities as a soldier also contributed to his being awarded a Military Medal in April that year.

The following May the Australian 2nd Division made an attempt to take the French village of Bullecourt back from the Germans. During the attack, Turner led his men through a heavy barrage of shell- and machine-gun fire to a position where they needed to construct a communication trench. His calm manner kept them working steadily, and his resourcefulness in its defence prevented it from being taken by a German counter-attack.

Sometime during the operation, however, Lieutenant Turner was shot in the head. He was not killed instantly, but was removed to the 3rd Australian Casualty Clearing Station, and died there on 5 May 1917.

His mother wrote, “I am very proud of my son in private life and prouder still of him as a soldier.” In his local district others, too, were proud of his service and reputation. The newspaper, in giving a short description of his life, wrote of Turner’s record as “one that any soldier could be justly proud of. Undoubtedly Lieutenant Turner has done his duty to the utmost”.

William Vincent Turner was buried in Grevillers British Cemetery in France. He was 25 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. There is no photograph in the Memorial’s collection to display 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 Lieutenant William Vincent Turner, and all of those Australians who have given their lives in the service of our nation.