The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (5931a) Private James Valant Turner, 28th Battalion, 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 Craig Berelle, the story for this day was on (5931a) Private James Valant Turner, 28th Battalion, First World War.

5931a Private James Valant Turner, 28th Battalion
KIA 2 September 1918


Today we remember and pay tribute to Private James Valant Turner.

James Turner, known as “Val”, was born in 1898, the eldest son of James and Elizabeth Turner of Kalgoorlie, Western Australia. He was educated at the Kalgoorlie Central School, and went on to work in the post office.

Turner enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in May 1916. As he was aged 18 at the time, he provided written permission from his parents to enlist. After a period of training in Australia, Turner left for active service overseas with reinforcements to the 27th Battalion. His voyage was interrupted by illness which saw him transferred to a hospital ship for a few days, but he reached England in December 1916.

Private Turner spent the bitterly cold winter of 1916 and 1917 in England continuing his training, and then joined the 27th Battalion on the battlefields of northern France in June 1917. Shortly after his arrival he was transferred to the 28th Battalion, which was training behind front lines.

In July 1917 Private Turner was participating in a training exercise when a bomb prematurely exploded and badly wounded his right thigh. He was evacuated to hospital in England and took several months to recover. He did not rejoin the 28th Battalion in France until early 1918.
In April 1918 the 28th Battalion helped to turn back the German Spring Offensive, and from 8 August participated in the offensive that marked the beginning of Germany’s defeat. As part of this larger campaign, the 28th Battalion attacked German positions near Mont St Quentin on 2 September 1918.

Private Val Turner left the safety of his trench to advance when the order was given. He ran about 500 yards before he was caught in the explosion from an artillery shell. A stretcher bearer saw it happen, and later wrote, “we were soon on the scene. I am sorry to say that it was beyond all human aid to save him.” In a letter to Val Turner’s parents, the stretcher bearer, Private Little, wrote “In a sense, I suppose, it will be the worst news you have had perhaps in your lives. Still, you must be brave and try to bear it, just as bravely as your dear son faced our common enemy of to-day. He fell facing the foe—a soldier and a man … I am sure that he died happy and was prepared for it.”

Turner’s body was lost in subsequent fighting, and today he is commemorated on the Australian National Memorial at Villers-Bretonneux. He was 20 years old.

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

Meleah Hampton
Historian, Military History Section