The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (173) Private Harold Abell, 9th 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 Troy Clayton, the story for this day was on (173) Private Harold Abell, 9th Battalion, AIF, First World War.

173 Private Harold Abell, 9th Battalion, AIF
DOW 21 April 1916
Photograph: H05628

Story delivered 7 October 2016

Today we remember and pay tribute to Private Harold “Harry” Abell.

Harold Abell was born in 1894 in Leicester, England, to George and Mary Abell. He was the third of five children. The family moved to Australia and settled in Brisbane when Harold was 15 years old. By the time the First World War began, he was working as a railway porter in Brisbane and had served for two and a half years with the Oxley Regiment as part of the Citizens’ Military Forces.

Abell enlisted in Brisbane on 25 August 1914. He was one of the original members of the newly raised 9th Battalion and was given the regimental number 173. In September he embarked from Brisbane with his battalion aboard the transport ship Omrah.

After disembarking in Egypt, the 9th Battalion assisted in setting up Mena Camp and began training. During their periods of leave, Abell and his comrades saw much of Cairo and its surrounds. In January 1915 Abell was transferred to battalion headquarters as a stretcher-bearer.

The 9th Battalion sailed to Lemnos in March with the other units of the 3rd Brigade, in preparation for the Gallipoli campaign. Abell was among the first wave of Australians ashore in the early hours of 25 April.

In the confusion of the landing and the following days, Abell worked tirelessly, carrying wounded Australians back to the beach for treatment. In mid-August he reported sick with dysentery and was transferred to Egypt. The 9th Battalion returned to Egypt in January 1916 and Abell re–joined his unit several days later.

In late March the 9th Battalion sailed for France. By mid-April the battalion was in reserve billets near Rouge-de-Bout, one mile behind the front line in the Armentières or “nursery” sector. Intermittent artillery fire was landing nearby.

Early in the afternoon of 20 April, tragedy struck when the battalion’s C Company billets were heavily shelled. One shell landed outside a canvas tent, wounding four. As men went to assist, another shell landed amongst them, killing several and wounding others. Amongst the wounded was Private Abell. He had been tending to another wounded man when he had been hid severely wounded in the stomach by shrapnel.

A further shell hit a brick wall of a nearby billet, causing a further 47 casualties. C Company was decimated, suffering 25 men killed and a further 50 wounded. Several men died from their wounds over the ensuing days, one of whom was Harold Abell. He was taken to the 7th Casualty Clearing Station, but died of his wounds the following day. Aged 22, he was laid to rest in the Merville Communal Cemetery.

Harold Abell’s name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my right, among more than 60,000 Australians who died while serving in the First World War. His photograph is displayed today beside the Pool of Reflection.

This is but one of the many stories of service and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Private Harold Abell, who gave his life for us, for our freedoms, and in the hope of a better world.

Michael Kelly
Historian, Military History Section