The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (6815) Private Bernard Pleydell, 2nd 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 Charis May, the story for this day was on (6815) Private Bernard Pleydell, 2nd Battalion, First World War.

6815 Private Bernard Pleydell, 2nd Battalion
KIA 4 May 1917
No photograph in collection

Story delivered 29 September 2014

Today we remember and pay tribute to Private Bernard Pleydell.

Bernard Pleydell was born in 1893 to James and Elizabeth Pleydell. He grew up on his father’s property between Delegate and Corrowong, New South Wales, but very little else is known of his early life.

Bernard enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on 16 October 1916 and was posted to the 2nd Battalion. He arrived in England in January 1917 to continue his training, and did not join the 2nd Battalion in the field until late April 1917.

Around a week later the 2nd Battalion was drawn into the fighting around Bullecourt in support of the 2nd Australian Division’s failed operation of 3 May. After a short period of preparation the attack went ahead in the afternoon of 4 May. The men managed to take many of their objectives with fierce hand-to-hand fighting and a series of bomb fights. Late in the day an extremely heavy German artillery barrage was brought to bear on the area.

After the 2nd Battalion withdrew it was realised that Private Pleydell was not with them. He was officially counted as missing, and back in Australia it was reported that “residents [in the district] were very grieved to hear that Private Pleydell is reported missing. [He] is a fine manly young fellow and a good chap in every respect, and everyone will be pleased to hear of him turning up safe and sound.”

They were to be disappointed. After a number of months’ investigation it was determined that Bernard had been killed by an artillery shell during the fight. In the following confusion his final resting place was lost, and he has no known grave. On 21 November 1917 James Pleydell finally received official notification that his son had been killed in action. He was 23 years old, and had been at the front for just one week.

His name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my right, along with more than 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 Bernard Pleydell, and all of those Australians who have given their lives in the service of our nation.