The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (2984) Private Henry James Schwebel, 45th 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 Jennifer Surtees, the story for this day was on (2984) Private Henry James Schwebel, 45th Battalion, AIF, First World War.

2984 Private Henry James Schwebel, 45th Battalion, AIF
KIA 9/10 October 1917

Today we remember and pay tribute to Private Henry James Schwebel.

Henry Schwebel was born in 1888 in the Sydney suburb of Marrickville, the second of ten children born to George and Jessie Schwebel.

Henry grew up in Marrickville and attended Marrickville West Primary School. He left school at the age of 12 and went to work with his father in the family quarry. He spent some time working on a farm at Kiama before he returned to his family’s quarry.

He played rugby league for Marrickville and was known for being an excellent and fair player. He also enjoyed swimming, fishing and playing musical instruments.

Following the outbreak of the First World War, Schwebel enlisted at Marrickville on 15 June 1916. As he had German heritage, friends of the family made a statutory declaration stating that he was “a fit and proper person to be enrolled as a recruit.” He was sent to Dubbo for his initial training and on 27 August, he was allotted to the 7th reinforcements to the 45th Battalion.

On the 8th of November 1916, Schwebel embarked from Sydney along with other reinforcements aboard the transport ship Port Nicholson, bound for England.

Arriving in England in early January 1917, Schwebel was sent to the 12th Australian Training Battalion at Codford. Here he spent two months training for the conditions he would encounter on the Western Front.

He sailed for France in mid-March and after two weeks at Etaples, he joined the 45th Battalion, which was in rest positions at Bapaume, in early April and was posted to 6 Platoon, B Company.

Schwebel saw his first major action on 7 June when the 45th Battalion took part in the successful attack on Messines. The battalion suffered heavy casualties during the attack and was withdrawn to reinforce.

On the morning of 9 October the battalion was taken by bus from their billets at Steenvoorde to Ypres. From here the men marched towards the frontline through heavy and marshy ground.

As Schwebel’s company reached a railway cutting near Zonnebeke, the Australians came under heavy German artillery fire. One shell landed in the cutting, blowing one man to pieces. The only other fatal casualty was Schwebel, who was killed instantly by shell splinters. He was 29 years old.

One of his comrades, Private William Thompson later wrote that “Schwebel was a fine soldier and very well liked.” Another, Private James Howard, wrote, “He was most popular with the men and officers whom he came in contact with and as far as myself, we were as brothers, being together since first we enlisted.”

Schwebel was buried near where he fell. After the war, graves registration units were unable to locate his remains. As a result his name was added to the Menin Gate Memorial to the missing.

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 Henry James Schwebel, who gave his life for us, for our freedoms, and in the hope of a better world.

Michael Kelly
Historian, Military History Section