The AIF Project

Elton Sydney HEEPS

Regimental number3166
Place of birthBrunswick, Victoria
ReligionMethodist
OccupationBus conductor
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation23.4
Height5' 7"
Weight136 lbs
Next of kinFather, Mr John Heeps, Town Hall, Brunswick, Victoria
Previous military serviceNil
Enlistment date13 July 1915
Place of enlistmentMelbourne, Victoria
Rank on enlistmentPrivate
Unit name8th Battalion, 10th Reinforcement
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/25/4
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Adelaide, South Australia, on board HMAT RMS Osterley on 29 September 1915
Rank from Nominal RollPrivate
Unit from Nominal Roll60th Battalion
FateKilled in Action 19 July 1916
Place of burialNo known grave
Commemoration detailsV.C. Corner (Panel No 20), Australian Cemetery Memorial, Fromelles, France
Panel number, Roll of Honour,
  Australian War Memorial
170
Other details

War service: Egypt, Western Front

Embarked 29 September 1915.

Taken on strength, 8th Bn, Tel el Kebir, 7 January 1916.

Transferred to 60th Bn, 24 February 1916.

Admitted to 15th Australian Field Ambulance, 11 April 1916 (diarrhoea); rejoined unit, Duntroon Plateau, 22 April 1916.

Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 18 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 29 June 1916.

Reported missing in action, 19 July 1916.

Red Cross File No 1310408 has statement by 3752 J.G. GUEST, 10 July 1917: 'Casualty was a tent mate of mine both in Egypt and France. We were constantly billetted together in France. On the 19th July at Fleurbaix we went over the parapet together and on getting through our own wire entanglements I got entangled in some of the wire, and Casualty undid my haversack which got caught. As I went to run forward, I tripped on the wire again. He was with me and he fell as I tripped. It was daylight at the time. I turned and said to him "What's up, Heeps, have you got one." I grabbed him by the shoulder but got no reply. He collapsed and fell on his face. It seemed to me he was killed. I hastened on in obedience to orders which were to go forward and under no circumstances to halt to succour a fallen comrade, even if it were one's own brother. I went on for another 100 yards when I was myself wounded in three places. I lay and crawled back the same night. I had not reached the ditch at the time, so Casualty's body would be between the last ditch and our parapet. I could not distinguish the body on my returns as there were so many lying about.'

Court of Enquiry, held in the field, 4 August 1917, pronounced fate to be killed in action, France, 19 July 1917.

Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal
Miscellaneous detailsName incorrectly recorded as KEEPS on Embarkation Roll.
SourcesNAA: B2455, HEEPS Elton Sydney
Red Cross File No 1310408

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