The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (6836) Private Harold Harry Halpin, 4th 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 (6836) Private Harold Harry Halpin, 4th Battalion, AIF, First World War.

6836 Private Harold Harry Halpin, 4th Battalion, AIF
KIA 11 September 1918

Today we remember and pay tribute to Private Harold Harry Halpin.

Harry Halpin was born in 1898 to Charles and Jessie Halpin of Mudgee, New South Wales. Educated and brought up in Mudgee, he was known as “an amiable and extremely popular lad.” Harry was one of a large number of children, and his family was noted to be “a singularly affectionate one.” His uncle was Mr Cohen of the Mudgee Guardian, and Harry undertook an apprenticeship in the printing department of that newspaper after completing his education.

Harry had been a member of the local cadets for four years, and was keen to enlist in the Australian Imperial Force from early in the war, but his parents initially refused to give their permission until he turned 19. In the end, Harry prevailed at the age of 18 years and 6 months, enlisting in Bathurst in October 1916 with his parents’ permission. He underwent a period of training in Australia before leaving for active service overseas with reinforcements to the 4th Battalion the following November.

Private Halpin continued his training on Salisbury Plain in England for several months before joining the 4th Battalion on the battlefields of the Western Front in May 1917. Shortly before his departure for France he sent a cheerful postcard home to say he was “feeling in fine fettle” and “expected to be shooting big game in France within a few weeks of writing”. He was optimistic for the future, and said, “we’ll be all home before next summer”. Yet as the winter of 1917 and 1918 drew in, the 4th Battalion spent the end of the year fighting in increasingly difficult conditions near the Belgian town of Ypres.

In April 1918, shortly after returning from a period of leave in England, Private Halpin was wounded in action. He had been in the front line near Ypres when his battalion came under an enemy artillery bombardment, and Halpin was wounded in the leg. He was evacuated to hospital in England, and took two months to recover.

On 10 September 1918, the 4th Battalion entered the front line near the French town of Peronne. During the early hours of the following morning, the men were in a trench waiting to attack when they came under an artillery bombardment. Private Halpin was hit once again, but this time he was badly wounded and died about 15 minutes later. He was later buried by his comrades.

Today Harry Halpin is buried in the Roisel Communal Cemetery Extension under the words “to live in hearts we leave behind is not to die.” 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 Harold Harry Halpin, who gave his life for us, for our freedoms, and in the hope of a better world.

Meleah Hampton
Historian, Military History Section