The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (642) Lance Corporal William Carl Carlson, 43rd 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 Craig Berelle, the story for this day was on (642) Lance Corporal William Carl Carlson, 43rd Battalion, First World War.

642 Lance Corporal William Carl Carlson, 43rd Battalion
DOW 8 June 1917
No photograph in collection

Story delivered 5 October 2015

Today we remember and pay tribute to Lance Corporal William Carl Carlson.

William Carlson was born in Port Adelaide, South Australia, to John and Matilda Carlson. He grew up in Kapunda, a town north of the Barossa Valley, where he attended the local model school. His father struggled with heavy drinking, and left the family in 1909, although he and Matilda remained married. William grew up to join the order of Rechabites, a temperance society which advocated sobriety and teetotalism.

Following his schooling Carlson became a stonemason. He was also an enthusiastic member of the local brass band, and acted as the group’s librarian. He was also a member of the Kapunda Rifle Club, and was known to be a “first-class shot”.

Carlson enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on 8 February 1916, and was posted to the newly formed 43rd Battalion, South Australia’s contribution to the 3rd Division, which was raised in Australia. After a period of training he left Outer Harbour in June 1916 and sailed to Britain for further training. There on the Salisbury Plains he won a shooting competition that saw him awarded the distinction of best marksman in the brigade. As a result he was given charge of a Lewis gun.

Private Carlson arrived in France in late November 1916, and a month later he was promoted to lance corporal. The 43rd Battalion spent much of the cold winter of 1916–17 rotating in and out of the front line. Often bright moonlight and snow prevented active patrols. As Lewis gunner Carlson monitored gaps in the enemy wire, and trained his gun on them to prevent the enemy slipping through.

On 7 June the Second Army launched a large-scale attack against German defences on the Messines Ridge in Belgium. The 43rd Battalion initially supplied carrying parties for the 9th Brigade, and later moved into the front line to consolidate gains made. The next day, while the 43rd Battalion was still supplying carrying parties, Lance Corporal William Carlson was seriously wounded. He was taken to the 2nd Australian Casualty Clearing Station with gunshot wounds to his arms and head.

The chaplain at the clearing station, the Reverend Kennedy Tucker, went to Carlson when he arrived, but he was unconscious. As Tucker sat with him, Carlson died quietly. Tucker saw that he was buried in a cemetery nearby.

In Kapunda Carlson’s large circle of friends was deeply saddened by the news of his passing. The flag on the local bank flew at half-mast in his honour, and his friends in the brass band stood to order with bowed heads at their first practice after hearing of his death. William Carlson was 26 years old.

His name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my right, among 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 Lance Corporal William Carl Carlson, and all those Australians who have given their lives in the service of our nation.

Dr Meleah Hampton
Historian, Military History Section