The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (735) Private Reuben Zula, 24th 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 Troy Clayton, the story for this day was on (735) Private Reuben Zula, 24th Battalion, AIF, First World War.

735 Private Reuben Zula, 24th Battalion, AIF
KIA 20 September 1917

Today we remember and pay tribute to Private Reuben Zula.

Reuben Zula was born on 19 June 1890 in Queenscliff, Victoria, the son of George and Rachel Zula. His father was a Greek immigrant, born on the island of Corfu, who came to Australia and married Queenscliff local, Rachel.

Four years later, Reuben was born, the eldest son in what would be a large family. He worked as a driver until he enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force at Melbourne in March 1915.

He was allotted to the 24th Battalion, which had been raised in the first week of May 1915, and sailed from Melbourne at the end of that very week. Training shortfalls were made up in Egypt in July and August, and on 4 September 1915 the battalion went ashore on Gallipoli. It spent the next 16 weeks sharing duty in the Lone Pine trenches with the 23rd Battalion. The fighting at Lone Pine was so dangerous and exhausting that battalions rotated every day.

Reuben Zula reportedly suffered from shell-shock on Gallipoli, and when he returned during the evacuation of the peninsula in December, he continued to suffer from a variety of service-related medical issues. In March 1916 he was diagnosed with gastritis, and was not able to return to duty until early April.

In October he was again admitted to hospital, and this time was sent to England for treatment. While in England, Zula became the victim of self-inflicted illness, contracting gonorrhoea from a prostitute in London and spending a total of 176 days in treatment until he was released in April 1917. That May that year he was back in hospital with a cyst.

On 8 August, Zula was headed to France, and the fighting on the Western Front. In mid-August he was briefly back in hospital, but he rejoined his battalion at the end of the month.

Earlier in May, the battalion had taken part in the Second Battle of Bullecourt where despite being involved for only a single day, it suffered almost 80 per cent casualties.

The AIF was now focused on the Ypres area in Belgium. It was here, on 20 September 1917, that Reuben Zula was killed in action.

Zula was on Bellewaerde Ridge, about four kilometres east of Ypres when he was hit in the back and killed by shell-fire. He was buried nearby and his grave was marked with a wooden cross.

His remains were later moved to Hooge Crater Cemetery, where they lie today.

Reuben Zula’s 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 Reuben Zula, who gave his life for us, for our freedoms, and in the hope of a better world.

Duncan Beard
Historian, Military History Section