The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (2559a) Private Ronald Herbert Welsh, 60th 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 Richard Cruise, the story for this day was on (2559a) Private Ronald Herbert Welsh, 60th Battalion, AIF, First World War.

2559a Private Ronald Herbert Welsh, 60th Battalion, AIF
KIA 2 September 1918


Today we remember and pay tribute to Private Ronald Herbert Welsh.

Ronald Welsh was born in 1897 to Herbert and Margaret Welsh of Scone, New South Wales. Known as “Ron”, he grew up in Satur, just outside of Scone, and attended Scone Public School. It was later said there was never “a better behaved and more manly young fellow” than Ron Welsh. He served in the local senior cadets, and went on to work as a carpenter.

In early 1916, 18-year-old Ron Welsh and his older brother Athol enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force with four other young men from Satur. They underwent a period of training in Australia before leaving for active service overseas at different times. Ron left a few months after his brother, but both were transferred to the 60th Battalion after arriving in England.

In March 1917, a few weeks after arriving on the battlefields of France, Private Ron Welsh was with his battalion near the frontline in Flers when he was wounded in the right thigh. He was evacuated to hospital in England, and took several weeks to recover. He returned to his battalion the following June. In September the 60th Battalion took part in the successful attack at Polygon Wood.

Welsh spent much of the first half of 1918 attending a number of training schools in France. A week after the 60th Battalion took part in the battle of Amiens, the operation which launched the great British offensive of 1918, Private Welsh returned to his battalion. On 1 September 1918 the 60th Battalion entered the front line near Peronne with the order to reinforce the right flank of the operation to capture the French town.

The following day, Private Ronald Welsh was killed in action. No record remains of the manner of his death. His body was recovered from the battlefield and today he lies in Peronne Communal Cemetery Extension under the words “in fond memory of the dear son of Mr. and Mrs. Welsh of Scone, NSW”. He was 21 years old.

Athol Welsh returned to Australia in poor health, and never really recovered. When he died in 1930 at the age of 35, it was reported that “he paid the price of his patriotism by being destined to an early grave following suffering over a protracted period.” Herbert and Margaret Welsh always considered that they had “lost two of their sons … as the direct result of their participation in the great war.”

Ronald Welsh’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 Ronald Herbert Welsh, who gave his life for us, for our freedoms, and in the hope of a better world.

Meleah Hampton
Historian, Military History Section