Private Eric Pinches

Private Ernest "Ernie" Wilson Pinches (296, 5th MG Company) was a clerk from Brisbane, Queensland, who had also worked as a pupil teacher. Ernie first enlisted in January 1916 in Brisbane, but was discharged under age when the Head Teacher at the school where he had worked informed the army that Ernie was only 15 years of age. Ernie then travelled to Sydney and enlisted in April 1916 under the alias of Eric Pinches. Ernie died in a shell-hole on 5 May 1917 of wounds received during the second battle of Bullecourt and is commemorated on the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, France. He was 17 years and 3 weeks of age. Ernie was awarded a Distinguished Conduct Medal for single-handedly capturing an enemy machine gun and crew just three weeks earlier.