The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (1336) Company Sergeant Major Stanley Alic Dyer, 10th Australian Infantry 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 (1336) Company Sergeant Major Stanley Alic Dyer, 10th Australian Infantry Battalion, AIF, First World War.

1336 Company Sergeant Major Stanley Alic Dyer, 10th Australian Infantry Battalion, AIF
KIA 10th August 1918

Today we remember and pay tribute to Company Sergeant Major Stanley Alic Dyer.

Stanley Dyer was born on 16 June 1894 in Uraidla, South Australia. The third son of William and Agnes Dyer’s four children, he was educated at Uraidla Primary School and was a popular sportsman, playing in the local cricket and football teams. Dyer was also a member of the Uraidla lodge and secretary of the social club. As a young adult, he was employed as a gardener and was serving in the Citizens Forces at the outbreak of war in 1914.

Stanley Dyer enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on 27 November 1914. He was assigned to the 10th Battalion, and began training with his battalion. In February 1915 he embarked from Melbourne on board the troopship Clan McGillivray, bound for Egypt.

Dyer reached Alexandria in March 1915, and after training in the desert camps outside Cairo arrived on the Gallipoli Peninsula in May. Shortly after arriving he was wounded in his right hand. Sent to hospital to recover, he returned to duty in July. By August he was taken ill with a bout of colic, requiring a short stay in a casualty clearing station on the peninsula. After the evacuation of Gallipoli in November, Dyer and his unit returned to Egypt before embarking for France in March 1916.

Dyer’s first major action on the Western Front was at the battle of Pozieres in July. The German forces had a distinct advantage around the village, holding the high ground which enabled them to launch devastating attacks on advancing troops. The weight of artillery fire concentrated on the Pozieres section razed villages to the ground and made capturing the village a treacherous and seemingly impossible task.

The offensive at Pozieres took place over 42 days, with the Australians making as many as 19 separate attacks against German positions. Australian divisions succeeded in capturing Pozieres on 5 August but this came at a tremendous cost. Allied casualties totalled a staggering 23,000 men captured, wounded or killed.

Dyer survived the offensive mostly unscathed, but was wounded in action during his unit’s operations at Gueudecourt in November. His injuries necessitated a week-long stay in hospital. Months later in early 1917, Dyer was serving in the front lines around Lagnicourt when he was wounded for a third time, sustaining injuries to his legs caused by shrapnel and bullets. He was evacuated to England to recover, spending two months in a hospital near Oxford. In June he re-joined his unit and took part in the fighting at Menin Road in September and Broodseinde Ridge in October. In November he was Mentioned in Despatches for devotion to duty throughout 1917. His commanding officer said:

“Dyer has shown great courage in notion and devotion to duty at all times proving himself a most reliable and efficient NCO … He showed great courage and resourcefulness when his officer had been wounded, getting his platoon into position allotted and supervising the consolidation of the position gained.”

In April 1918, the 10th Battalion was moved to the area around Strazeele in Belgium. There, they were given orders to attack and take the town of Meteren which seemed an easy target given the waning morale of its German occupants. The plan was to encircle the village, attack its defences, and overwhelm the enemy. Dyer’s company encountered strong opposition, sustaining several casualties which forced them to withdraw. While pulling back, Dyer was wounded for a fourth time, sustaining further injuries to his right leg from machine-gun fire. He was evacuated to England for recovery. He returned to France in July, and the following month was moved with his unit to Harbonnieres shortly after the decisive Battle of Amiens.

At Harbonnieres, Dyer’s unit received orders to attack the enemy positions around Crepey Wood. The 9th and 11th Battalions were under fierce opposition from the enemy, leaving the 10th Battalion to push forward with limited cover on their flanks. Dyer’s company was clearing the periphery of the wood when the enemy opened fire. With little cover they were left exposed. Dyer was hit by machine-gun fire which struck his head and killed him instantly. He was buried at Heath Cemetery near where he fell. He was 24 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 Company Sergeant Major Stanley Alic Dyer, who gave his life for us, for our freedoms, and in the hope of a better world.

Meghan Adams
Researcher, Australian War Memorial