Sergeant Lewis McGee

Service number	456
Ranks Held	Lance Corporal, Sergeant
Birth Date	1888-05-13
Birth Place	Australia: Tasmania, Ross
Death Date	1917-10-12
Death Place	Belgium
Final Rank	Sergeant
Service	Australian Imperial Force
Unit	40th Australian Infantry Battalion
Places	Belgium Tasmania Ross Ypres
Conflict/Operation	First World War, 1914-1918
Gazettes	Biographical information They dared mightily. in 1963 Published in London Gazette in 1917-11-26 Published in Commonwealth Gazette in 1918-03-07

Description

Lewis McGee (1888-1917) was born in Ross, Tasmania. He was 27, married and working as an engine-driver when he enlisted in Tasmania in early 1916. Although his battalion did not see any big battles until 1917, it did particularly good work in the attack on Broodseinde Ridge on 4 October. Leading a depleted platoon, McGee made a single-handed attack on a concrete blockhouse while armed with only a revolver. He then had an active part in consolidating the captured position.

Resuming the advance a week later, McGee was killed in the futile attack on Passchendaele.

Collection items

Rolls

Honours and Awards (Recommendation):

Unit

40th Australian Infantry Battalion

Conflict

First World War, 1914-1918

Rank

Sergeant
Honours and Awards (Recommendation):

Unit

40th Australian Infantry Battalion

Conflict

First World War, 1914-1918

Rank

Sergeant
Honours and Awards:

Unit

40th Australian Infantry Battalion

Conflict

First World War, 1914-1918

Rank

Sergeant

London Gazette

26 November 1917 on page 12329 at position 2

Commonwealth Gazette

07 March 1918 on page 401 at position 2
First World War Nominal Roll:

Unit

40th Australian Infantry Battalion

Conflict

First World War, 1914-1918

Rank

Sergeant
First World War Embarkation Roll:

Conflict

First World War, 1914-1918

Rank

Lance Corporal
Roll of Honour:

Unit

40th Australian Infantry Battalion

Conflict

First World War, 1914-1918

Rank

Sergeant

Timeline

Date of birth	13 May 1888
Date and unit at enlistment (ORs)	01 March 1916	40th Battalion.
Date of enlistment	01 March 1916
Date of embarkation	01 July 1916
Date promoted	1916-12	Appointed to Lance Corporal.
Date promoted	04 December 1916	Promoted to Corporal.
Date promoted	12 January 1917	Promoted to Sergeant.
Date of honour or award	04 October 1917	Awarded Victoria Cross for action at Ypres, France whilst serving with 40 Battalion, 10 Brigade, 3 Division as a Sergeant
Date of death	12 October 1917	Killed in the action in Ypres, Belgium. He is buried in the Tyne Cot Cemetery, Passchendaele.
Date of fate	13 October 1917
Date of recommendation honour or award	21 October 1917
Date of recommendation honour or award	1918