The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (66704) Private Harold Archie Loaring, 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 Troy Clayton, the story for this day was on (66704) Private Harold Archie Loaring, 16th Battalion, AIF, First World War.

66704 Private Harold Archie Loaring, 16th Battalion, AIF
KIA 27 September 1917
Story delivered 7 December 2018

Today we remember and pay tribute to Private Harold Archie Loaring.

Harold Loaring was born on 16 October 1894 in Adelaide to Albert and Maria Loaring.

Harold’s father, Albert, had migrated from England to Australia in 1888. The family moved to Western Australia when Harold was two years old and, after some involvement in mining, bought an orchard in the Bickley Valley and established the family property of “Lawnbrook”.

Albert was very involved in local community, founding the Progress Association and assisting in establishing a school on the Margaret River. Harold and his younger brother William were working on the family orchard before the advent of the First World War.

Harold enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in March 1916, shortly after his younger brother William. He did not serve in the same battalion as his brother, who was posted to the 28th Battalion, instead leaving Australia with reinforcements to the 16th Battalion in November 1916.

Shortly after his arrival in England, Harold Loaring undertook a musketry course at Tidworth, qualifying first class and demonstrating a fair knowledge of the Lewis gun. He spent some weeks serving in the School of Musketry with the temporary rank of corporal, however, in March he fell ill with the mumps and, losing his temporary rank, did not return to the staff at Tidworth.

Following his recovery, Private Tidworth was sent to join his battalion on the Western Front in France. He indicated to his parents that this was very welcome as he was “keen … to get to grips with the enemy”. Loaring reached his battalion in early May 1917, shortly after it had suffered heavy casualties fighting near Bullecourt in France.

The 16th Battalion did not participate in another major operation until the Battle of Polygon Wood in late September. In the early hours of 26 September 1917, the men of the 16th Battalion launched their attack, reaching their objective in just under an hour. They suffered a few casualties in the advance, and more later in the day as they came under machine-gun fire while digging in. In the afternoon, the Germans attacked, but were forced to retire by the defending Australians.

Private Harold Loaring, having survived the battle, was killed in action the following day. Little is known of the manner of his death, although family information indicates that it may have been the result of an artillery shell bursting nearby as he was collecting casualties from the battlefield. His body was never recovered, and today he is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing. He was 22 years old.

His 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.

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

Duncan Beard
Editor, Military History Section