The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (1239) Private Edgar Arthur Baugh, 39th 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 Chris Widenbar, the story for this day was on (1239) Private Edgar Arthur Baugh, 39th Battalion, AIF, First World War.

1239 Private Edgar Arthur Baugh, 39th Battalion, AIF
KIA 4 October 1917

Today we remember and pay tribute to Private Edgar Arthur Baugh.

Edgar Baugh was born in 1895 in Killara, near Casterton in Victoria, one of seven children born to Eliza and John Baugh. Known as “Paddy” to his friends and family, he attended the local Bahgallah State School, and later worked as a farmer and labourer in the region. Baugh played in the local pipe band, and was engaged to Mollie Spring.

At the outbreak of the First World War, Baugh announced his desire to sign up and join in the army. However, because of his young age, his family refused to allow him to enlist. After his 21st birthday, however, he was able to enlist without the written consent of his parents. He joined the Australian Imperial Force in March 1916 and began training with the 39th Infantry Battalion, a unit mostly comprised of men from the western districts of Victoria, including his home district of Casterton. Two months later, he sailed from Melbourne for England, where he trained for another four months. In late November Baugh and the 39th Battalion sailed for France, moving into the trenches of the Western Front for the first time on 9 December, just in time to endure the freezing winter of 1916 and 1917.

In June 1917, Baugh and the 39th Battalion had their first taste of a major battle at Messines in the Flanders region of Belgium. Baugh and the Australian 3rd Division came under heavy German gas and shrapnel attack while approaching its starting position. Five hundred men were gassed and hundreds more fell to shrapnel wounds. The gas attack was so heavy that less than a third of the men from the 39th Battalion meant to take part in the attack were able to do so. Baugh was among the gassed, he transferred to a field hospital for recovery and was away from the front for two weeks.

The next major battle for Baugh and the 39th Battalion was at Broodseinde, also in the Flanders region of Belgium. In rainy conditions, the 39th Battalion marched through the night of 3/4 October to reach its starting position, and while doing so came under constant German artillery fire. Once at its starting point, it endured further artillery fire for hours before the attack finally began. At 6 am the British opened their bombardment of the German lines, and Australian troops climbed from their trenches into no man’s land. The troops immediately encountered a German regiment, also marching through no man’s land, which had commenced an attack at nearly the same time. In the face of the larger Anzac attack and heavy fire from Australian machine-guns, the Germans broke and were pushed back towards their trenches. The Australians pursued, but encountered stiff resistance from German concrete pillboxes. The Australians did eventually gain all of their objectives, but at the cost of 6,500 casualties.

The rain, mud, bad light and heavy battlefield smoke made the battle of Broodseinde a confused affair. Once in no man’s land, it was difficult for troops to keep formation and the units soon became mixed.

During the battle, Baugh was among a small group of Australian troops caught in a trench that had been cut off and surrounded by German troops. With the group was Baugh’s mate from home, Private Bert Coulson. With no access to food, water or ammunition supplies, their situation became increasingly desperate. Baugh and the men checked to see it was safe to leave the trench, putting their helmets onto rifles and lifting them above the trench line to see if they attracted German fire. When it seemed the coast was clear, Baugh put his head over the parapet to take a look, and was shot by a waiting German sniper. He fell back into the trench into the arms of his mate Bert Coulson, and died almost immediately.

Edgar Baugh was 22 years old, survived by his grieving family and fiancé.

He was buried in an unmarked grave, and in the chaos of continuing fighting, the location of his final resting place was lost.

His name is recorded on the Menin Gate in Ypres, along with the names of more than 54,000 soldiers of the First World War who have no known grave.

On the first anniversary of his death, his fiancé left the following tribute in a local newspaper: “A tribute of love to the memory of my dear soldier boy”.

Private Edgar Arthur Baugh 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 Edgar Arthur Baugh, who gave his life for us, for our freedoms, and in the hope of a better world.

David Sutton
Historian, Military History Section