The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (2135) Sergeant Douglas Cumper, 24th 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 Richard Cruise, the story for this day was on (2135) Sergeant Douglas Cumper, 24th Battalion, AIF, First World War.

2135 Sergeant Douglas Cumper, 24th Battalion, AIF
KIA 9 October 1917

Story delivered 25 November 2017

Today we remember and pay tribute to Sergeant Douglas William Sinclair Cumper.

Douglas Cumper was born in 1897 to George and Louisa Cumper of Dunolly in central Victoria.

Known as “Doug” to his family and friends, he attended state school in Dunolly and Maryborough, and afterwards worked as a boot salesman. He was actively involved in senior cadets as part of the Universal Military Training Scheme that was in place in Australia at the time, and later paraded part time as a sergeant in the 50th Infantry Regiment.

Cumper enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in July 1915. After a period of training at Broadmeadows Military Camp, he embarked for Egypt with a reinforcement group for the 24th Battalion in September 1915. As the fighting on Gallipoli had ended by the time Cumper arrived, he spent the following months training near Cairo as the AIF prepared to deploy to the fighting on the Western Front.

After arriving in France in March 1916, the 24th Battalion entered the trenches for the first time near the village of Fleurbaix on the Franco-Belgian border. As the battalion carried out its first forays into no man’s land and raided the German trenches, Cumper was recognised for his leadership skills and promoted to lance corporal.

Not long afterwards, the 24th Battalion moved south to the village of Pozières where troops of the 2nd Division were involved in their first major action on the Western Front. Cumper was involved in a number of costly actions aimed at gaining control of the high ground on which the village was situated before being wounded in the shoulder in early August. He was evacuated to England for a period of rest and recovery, and did not rejoin the battalion until March the following year.

After returning to France, Cumper was involved in all the major actions fought by the Australians at that time. He participated in the advance that followed the German withdrawal to the Hindenburg Line, fought at Second Bullecourt in May 1917, and was promoted to sergeant in August. When the fighting near Arras petered out, the focus of British operations shifted north into Belgium, with a major offensive began from the fortified city of Ypres. Throughout September and October 1917, Australian troops, including the men of the 24th Battalion, participated in a series of successful but costly battles as they advanced towards the village of Passchendaele.
After participating in the fighting at Broodseinde in early October, the 24th Battalion was holding positions along the Westhoek Ridge in preparation for the next phase of the operation, which aimed at advancing the front line beyond Passchendaele village. German artillery routinely shelled the Australian positions and machine-guns fired on work parties moving up the line.

On the morning of 9 October, troops of the 24th Battalion went out into no man’s land to establish posts in a position known as “Daisy Wood”, and were engaged by rifle and machine-gun fire from nearby German positions. The battalion suffered over 100 casualties that day, including Douglas Cumper, who lay among the 36 men killed at Daisy Wood. He was buried near where he fell and was later reinterred at the Tyne Cot Cemetery. A small epitaph written by his grieving mother appears on his headstone – it says “Thy Will Be Done.

Douglas Cumper was 20 years old.

His name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my right, among almost 62,000 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 Sergeant Douglas William Sinclair Cumper, who gave his life for us, for our freedoms, and in the hope of a better world.

Aaron Pegram
Historian, Military History Section