The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (1576) Private Maurice John Purcell, 23rd Australian Infantry 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 (1576) Private Maurice John Purcell, 23rd Australian Infantry Battalion, AIF, First World War.

Not for publie release due to technical difficulty.

(1576) Private Maurice John Purcell, 23rd Australian Infantry Battalion, AIF, First World War.

Today we remember and pay tribute to Private Maurice John Purcell.

Maurice Purcell was born about 1898 to the large family of John and Bridget Purcell of Melbourne.

Known by the nickname of “Monnie”, Purcell attended the Christian Brothers School at Abbotsford, and was a member of the cadets.

Purcell enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in Melbourne in March 1915. According to family accounts, despite claiming to be 18 years old, Purcell was only 16 when he enlisted, and obtained written permission from his father, who believed that his son would simply run away and join otherwise.

Purcell was allotted to the 1st reinforcements to the 23rd Battalion, and began initial training at Broadmeadows. In May 1915 the battalion embarked upon the troopship Euripides bound for Egypt. After further training, the 23rd Battalion was committed to the Gallipoli campaign in September 1915, and was soon manning one of the most trying parts of the Anzac front line, Lone Pine.

At Lone Pine the fighting was so dangerous and exhausting that battalions were relieved every day. The 23rd manned Lone Pine, alternating with the 24th Battalion, until leaving Gallipoli in December 1915.

Following the withdrawal from Gallipoli, the AIF went through a period of reorganisation and expansion in Egypt.

On 18 March 1916, while the 23rd Battalion was at Moascar camp in Egypt, Purcell was posted as a deserter and awarded 28 days field punishment number two – punished as if he were under a sentence of imprisonment with hard labour. Disciplinary issues continued to follow Purcell throughout the year, and he continued to gain further field punishment and forfeit pay.

The next destination for the 23rd Battalion was the Western Front. First arriving in France in March, on 10 April 1916 it occupied forward trenches of the Armentieres sector in northern France.

This relatively gentle introduction to the Western Front was followed in July by the horrific battles of Pozieres and Mouquet Farm, after which it was estimated that the battalion lost almost 90 per cent of its original members.

The next trial came at the second battle of Bullecourt in May. While the 23rd Battalion succeeded in capturing all of its objectives and holding them until relieved, it was subjected to heavy counter-attacks. The first day of this battle was the battalion’s single most costly of the war. After this the battalion was withdrawn from the line.

By November 1916 the conditions on the Western Front had started to take their toll on Purcell, who was admitted to hospital with trench feet, caused by prolonged exposure to cold, wet, unsanitary conditions.

He was back with his unit in late December, but in March the next year suffered from influenza, and in June was troubled by an abscess on his jaw.

In early September 1917, the 23rd Battalion moved into positions around Ypres in Belgium.

On the night of 21 September, the battalion was making its way to the front line to relieve two other battalions when it encountered enemy artillery fire, which caused 13 casualties. Among the dead was Private Maurice John Purcell.

He was buried in the Hooge Crater Cemetery, four kilometres east of Ypres, where he lies today under the epitaph chosen by his mother:

“Sacred heart of Jesus, have mercy on his soul.”

His name is listed on the Roll of Honour, among almost 62,000 Australians who died while serving in the Second 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 Maurice John Purcell, who gave his life for us, for our freedoms, and in the hope of a better world.