The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (1989) Private William Thomas Libbis, 6th Battalion, AIF, 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 (1989) Private William Thomas Libbis, 6th Battalion, AIF, First World War.

1989 Private William Thomas Libbis, 6th Battalion, AIF
KIA 7 August 1915
No photograph in collection

Story delivered 4 May 2015

Today we remember and pay tribute to Private William Thomas Libbis.

William Libbis was born in Port Melbourne, the eldest son of William and Sarah Libbis. Little is known of his early life, but he became a salesman after his schooling. He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in Melbourne in 1915.

After a period of training both in Australia and in Egypt, Libbis was sent to join the 6th Battalion on the Gallipoli peninsula. The 6th Battalion had been part of the second wave at the dawn landing of 25 April 1915. A week later it was sent to Cape Helles to assist in the attack on the village of Krithia and had suffered heavy casualties. When Libbis arrived in mid-June the battalion was still 500 men short and was in reserve at Anzac Cove. In July, with an influx of reinforcements, they took part in holding the line, but still spent a great deal of time out of the line in a state of reorganisation.

On 5 August the 6th Battalion moved into the forward lines once again. It had orders to support an attack against Lone Pine. The men of the 6th Battalion were to capture a trench known as German Officers’ Trench. On 6 August the Turkish trenches were fired on by the artillery and some mines were detonated under their position, all to little or no effect. The Turks were put on alert, however, and when the Australians finally launched their infantry attack the enemy was ready for them. The parties of the 6th Battalion conducting the operation met with heavy rifle and machine-gun fire as soon as they left their trenches. The attack failed.

After the operation, Private William Libbis was one of 62 men reported missing. He was last seen going in to the charge on the German Officer’s Trench, but reports of his fate varied. A year later a court of inquiry ruled that he had been killed in action.

After the war graves exhumation parties visited the Gallipoli peninsula to find lone battlefield graves and unburied bodies and build the cemeteries that dot the ground above Anzac Cove today. During that process William Libbis’s body was found and identified by discs, badges and numerals found with it. He was given a grave in the cemetery at Quinn’s Post, where he lies today. William Libbis died aged 22.

His name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my right, along with more than 60,000 Australians who died during the First World War.

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

Dr Meleah Hampton
Historian, Military History Section