The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (2350) Private Clarence Vernon De Lisle, 60th 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 , the story for this day was on (2350) Private Clarence Vernon De Lisle, 60th Battalion, AIF, First World War.

2350 Private Clarence Vernon De Lisle, 60th Battalion, AIF
KIA 19 July 1916

Today we remember and pay tribute to Private Clarence Vernon De Lisle.

Clarence Vernon De Lisle was born in March 1894, one of four children born to Alfred and Emily De Lisle. His mother passed away when he was only four years old, and De Lisle grew up in the Burnley and South Yarra areas of Melbourne with his father and three young sisters. After attending school, he worked as a labourer, and at the time of his enlistment was living in Essendon.

De Lisle enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on 10 July 1915 and commenced training for service overseas. On 29 September, he sailed from Melbourne aboard the transport ship Osterley with the reinforcements of the 21st Infantry Battalion.

De Lisle did not go to Gallipoli, but instead went to Egypt for a period known as the “doubling of the AIF”, when new units were created, and veterans from Gallipoli were mixed with new recruits to ensure that new units destined for the bloody battlefields of France and Belgium had experienced soldiers in their ranks. In this period, De Lisle continued his training, and was eventually posted to the newly created 60th Battalion, which formed part of the 15th Brigade of the 5th Australian Division.

In June 1916, he embarked from Egypt for France and the war on the Western Front.

Soon after his arrival in France, De Lisle travelled with the rest of the 60th Battalion from Marseilles to Steenbecque in northern France. On 14 July, they had their first taste of trench warfare when they began conducting fatigue work in the front line and communication trenches at Rouge de Bout, near Armentieres.

Just days later, on 19 July 1916, they took part in the Battle of Fromelles, Australia’s first major engagement on the Western Front. In this battle, Australian forces formed the northern pincer of an attack aimed at a bulge in the German lines known as the “Sugar Loaf”.

De Lisle and the 60th Battalion were in the 15th Brigade, so formed part of the right of the Australian attack. On the afternoon of the 19th, after a seven hour high explosive artillery bombardment of the German lines, troops of the 5th Australian Division climbed out of their trenches into no-man’s-land. The 8th and 14th Brigades crossed the boggy terrain with relative ease and were able to occupy large sections of the German trenches. De Lisle’s 15th Brigade, however, attacked on a section of the front where the artillery barrage had been largely ineffective, and the Germans were able to man their defences.

When De Lisle and the 60th Battalion ran into battle, they faced heavy artillery, machine-gun and rifle fire and suffered heavy casualties. The 60th Battalion’s field diary records that the majority of the unit was only able to get to within about 80 metres of the German lines before being forced back. Those that did manage to reach the German lines were later forced back in heavy fighting and German counter attacks.

De Lisle’s 60th Battalion was virtually wiped out in a single day in the Battle of Fromelles. It suffered over 750 casualties, and did not take part in any other major action for the rest of the year.

De Lisle was one of the many men killed in this bloody and chaotic battle, likely killed by German artillery or machine-gun fire as he took part in the initial charge on the German lines. His body was never found, and it was not until 1917 that his family received the sad official notification that he was officially declared to have been killed in action.

He was 22 years old.

He is commemorated at the VC Corner Australian Cemetery and Memorial at Fromelles.

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 Private Clarence Vernon De Lisle, who gave his life for us, for our freedoms, and in the hope of a better world.

David Sutton
Historian, Military History Section