Sergeant Harold Graham Gelding

Harold Graham Gelding was born in Dulwich Hill, NSW, on 27 September 1893. At the time he enlisted he was 22 years old and working as an ironmonger. He enlisted as a Private on 15 May 1916, joining the 1st Australian Machine Gun Company, 6th Reinforcements. He embarked on the HMAT A17 Port Lincoln, from Port Melbourne, on 20 October 1916. He was formerly promoted to Sergeant on 13 February 1917; having been acting as Sergeant from the early days of his voyage on the Port Lincoln. He transferred from the 1st Machine Gun Company to the 23rd Machine Gun Company in February 1917. He served in France and Belgium. On 4 October 1917, Gelding was killed during the Battle of Broodeseinde Ridge, the third operation launched by the British as part of the Ypres offensive.