The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (5884) Sapper William Forrest, 2nd Australian Division Signals, 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 (5884) Sapper William Forrest, 2nd Australian Division Signals, First World War.

5884 Sapper William Forrest, 2nd Australian Division Signals
KIA 3 May 1917
Story delivered 23 April 2018


Today we remember and pay tribute to Sapper William Forrest.

William Forrest, known as “Bill”, was born in 1894 to George and Martha Forrest of Bendigo, Victoria. He attended the local Violet Street School in Bendigo and went on to work as a coach trimmer.

William was one of four brothers to serve in the Australian Imperial Force, enlisting in July 1915. He was originally posted to the 10th Battalion, but his technical interests saw him quickly transferred to signals. He underwent a period of training in Australia before leaving for active service overseas in November 1915.

Forrest first went to Egypt and from there to France, but his technical aptitude saw him sent to Bletchley in England where he qualified for the Royal Flying Corps. His aptitude for telegraphy and photography saw him detailed for home service with the earliest form of the Australian Flying Corps. Instead, Sapper Forrest returned to the 2nd Australian Division Signals Company in order to get to the Western Front, arriving in March 1917, two weeks after his brother Jack had been killed in action while serving with the 60th Battalion.

Forrest was willing to do his bit in the front line, at least once volunteering to go out into no man’s land with a small party of men to lay a communication cable. On 3 May 1917 the signals company participated a major operation near the French village of Bullecourt, burying cable before the operation and ensuring communication could be maintained. Half an hour after the attack was launched the forward party went followed the infantry to try to maintain communications.

During the operation, Sapper Bill Forrest was caught in shell-fire and killed instantly. His remains were recovered from the battlefield and today lie in Queant Road Cemetery in Buissy, France.

Two of Forrest’s mates, Sappers Douglas and Patterson, wrote home to his family to express their sorrow at his loss:
We cannot express to you all the grief we feel in losing Bill. He was not a fellow to take liberties with, but once his real character was fathomed he became not only an interesting but also helpful friend. We knew him in Australia, in Egypt, in England and in France, and found him always straight, and a gentleman. It is hard to realise that he has gone with that fine band of heroic men. We miss him much, and although life out here is not calculated to inspire the sentiments … our hearts are deeply touched.

Bill Forrest was 23 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 Sapper William Forrest, who gave his life for us, for our freedoms, and in the hope of a better world.

Meleah Hampton
Historian, Military History Unit