Warrant Officer Class 2 Walter Peeler

Service number	114, VX8345
Ranks Held	Lance Corporal, Private, Sergeant, Warrant Officer Class 2
Birth Date	1887-08-09
Birth Place	Australia: Victoria, Barkers Creek
Death Date	1968-05-23
Death Place	Australia: Victoria, Melbourne, Caulfield South
Final Rank	Warrant Officer Class 2
Service	Australian Imperial Force
Units	3 Pioneer Battalion 3rd Australian Pioneer Battalion 2/2nd Pioneer Battalion
Places	Barkers Creek Caulfield South
Conflicts/Operations	First World War, 1914-1918 Second World War, 1939-1945
Gazettes	Published in London Gazette in 1917-11-26 Published in Commonwealth Gazette in 1918-03-07

Description

Walter Peeler was born near Castlemaine, Victoria. He enlisted in February 1916 in time to join the 3rd Pioneer Battalion. He was slightly wounded during the battle of Messines in June 1917.

On 4 October 1917 Peeler was one of several Lewis gunners attached to the 37th Battalion for the attack on Broodseinde Ridge. In the forefront, he led attacks against a series of enemy posts, eventually accounting for over 30 of the enemy. A few days later Peeler was wounded and while recuperating received the Victoria Cross from the King.

During the Second World War, Peeler understated his age and enlisted in the 2/2nd Pioneer Battalion. After serving in Syria, he was captured with his unit in Java during 1942 and spent three and a half years as a prisoner of the Japanese. He was a Custodian of Victoria's Shrine of Remembrance between 1934 and 1940 and from 1945 until 1964. He was awarded the British Empire Medal in 1961.

Peeler was awarded the Victoria Cross, British Empire Medal, service medals for the First and Second World Wars, and coronation medals for King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II.

Collection items

Rolls

First World War Embarkation Roll:

Conflict

First World War, 1914-1918

Rank

Private
Honours and Awards:

Unit

3rd Australian Pioneer Battalion

Conflict

First World War, 1914-1918

Rank

Lance Corporal

London Gazette

26 November 1917 on page 12329 at position 1

Commonwealth Gazette

07 March 1918 on page 401 at position 3
Honours and Awards (Recommendation):

Unit

3rd Australian Pioneer Battalion

Conflict

First World War, 1914-1918

Rank

Lance Corporal
First World War Nominal Roll:

Unit

3rd Australian Pioneer Battalion

Conflict

First World War, 1914-1918

Rank

Sergeant
Second World War POWs and Missing Persons:

Unit

2/2nd Pioneer Battalion

Conflict

Second World War, 1939-1945

Rank

Warrant Officer Class 2

Timeline

Date of birth	09 August 1887
Date of enlistment	22 February 1916
Date of embarkation	06 June 1916
Date returned to Australia	29 August 1918
Date of death	23 May 1968