The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (1032) Private Harry Herbert Davis, 16th 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 Michael Kelly, the story for this day was on (1032) Private Harry Herbert Davis, 16th Battalion, AIF, First World War.

1032 Private Harry Herbert Davis, 16th Battalion, AIF
DOW 5 June 1915
No photograph in collection

Story delivered 25 March 2017

Today we remember and pay tribute to Private Harry Herbert Davis.

Harry Davis was born in Bairnsdale, Victoria, to Henry Sandford Davis and Fanny McTaggart. He had three sisters and three brothers, and attended Hindmarsh Public School in Gippsland before he and his family moved to Adelaide around 1900. After finishing his education, he became a farmer in South Australia.

War was declared on 4 August 1914, and Davis enlisted one week later, aged 21. His brother George enlisted on the same day. They were both recruited to the 16th Battalion, made up primarily of men who had enlisted in Western Australia, with about one quarter from South Australia. Along with the 13th, 14th, and 15th Battalions it formed the 4th Brigade, commanded by Colonel John Monash.

The 16th Battalion embarked for overseas from Melbourne in December 1914, arriving in Egypt in early February 1915. There the 4th Brigade became part of the New Zealand and Australian Division. After further training in Egypt, the 4th Brigade was assigned to be part of the Anzac landings on Gallipoli. The 16th Battalion landed late in the afternoon of 25 April, and set about gaining a foothold on the Turkish peninsula.

A week later, on 2 May, the 16th Battalion was thrown into the attack on Bloody Angle, part of a narrow spur on the second ridge at Anzac. The aim was to capture the summit of a hill known as Baby 700, which had a commanding position over the Australian and New Zealander troops in Monash Valley.

The 16th Battalion suffered heavy casualties in the assault, which was ultimately a failure. Private Harry Davis’ brother George was among those killed during the attack.

For the rest of May until August the 16th Battalion was heavily involved in establishing and defending the front line of the Anzac beachhead. It was situated at or around Quinn’s Post, an area that saw intense and continuous action.

Toward the end of May or beginning of June, Private Harry Davis was wounded. He was transported to a hospital ship, Franconia, but died of septic peritonitis while at sea. He was 21 years old.

Private Harry Davis’s name is listed on the Lone Pine Memorial to the missing on Gallipoli. It also appears on the Roll of Honour on my right, among more than 60,000 Australians who died while serving in 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 Harry Herbert Davis, who gave his life for us, for our freedoms, and in the hope of a better world.

Emma Campbell
Researcher, Military History Section