| Regimental number | 1334 |
| Place of birth | Brisbane Queensland |
| School | St James (Catholic) School, Brisbane, Queensland |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
| Occupation | Sailor |
| Address | 11 Costin Street, Brisbane, Queensland |
| Marital status | Single |
| Age at embarkation | 22 |
| Next of kin | Mother, Mrs Catherine Childs, 11 Costin Street, Brisbane, Queensland |
| Previous military service | Served in the Royal Navy. |
| Enlistment date | |
| Rank on enlistment | Private |
| Unit name | 9th Battalion, 2nd Reinforcement |
| AWM Embarkation Roll number | 23/26/2 |
| Embarkation details | Unit embarked from Brisbane, Queensland, on board HMAT A48 Seang Bee on |
| Rank from Nominal Roll | Lance Corporal |
| Unit from Nominal Roll | 69th Battalion |
| Recommendations (Medals and Awards) |
Military Medal 'Conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty throughout action. (At Hooge 20 September 1917)' Recommendation date: |
| Fate | Killed in Action |
| Place of death or wounding | Villers-Bretonneux, France |
| Age at death | 25 |
| Age at death from cemetery records | 26 |
| Place of burial | No known grave |
| Commemoration details | Australian National Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, France Villers-Bretonneux is a village about 15 km east of Amiens. The Memorial stands on the high ground ('Hill 104') behind the Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery, Fouilloy, which is about 2 km north of Villers-Bretonneux on the east side of the road to Fouilloy. The Australian National Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux is approached through the Military Cemetery, at the end of which is an open grass lawn which leads into a three-sided court. The two pavilions on the left and right are linked by the north and south walls to the back (east) wall, from which rises the focal point of the Memorial, a 105 foot tall tower, of fine ashlar. A staircase leads to an observation platform, 64 feet above the ground, from which further staircases lead to an observation room. This room contains a circular stone tablet with bronze pointers indicating the Somme villages whose names have become synonymous with battles of the Great War; other battle fields in France and Belgium in which Australians fought; and far beyond, Gallipoli and Canberra. On the three walls, which are faced with Portland stone, are the names of 10,885 Australians who were killed in France and who have no known grave. The 'blocking course' above them bears the names of the Australian Battle Honours. After the war an appeal in Australia raised £22,700, of which £12,500 came from Victorian school children, with the request that the majority of the funds be used to build a new school in Villers-Bretonneux. The boys' school opened in May 1927, and contains an inscription stating that the school was the gift of Victorian schoolchildren, twelve hundred of whose fathers are buried in the Villers-Bretonneux cemetery, with the names of many more recorded on the Memorial. Villers-Bretonneux is now twinned with Robinvale, Victoria, which has in its main square a memorial to the links between the two towns. |
| Panel number, Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial | 55 |
| Miscellaneous information from cemetery records | Parents: John and Catherine CHILDS, 11 Costin Street, Fortitude Valley, Brisbane |
| Medals |
Military Medal 'At HOOGE, FRANCE on 20th September, 1917, during the attack on GLENCORSE and POLYGONVELDE WOODS, Pte. CHILDS showed conspicuous gallentry and devotion to duty throughout the action. After the Battalion has passed the 2nd objective he assisted greatly in reorganisation prior to the final assault. During the consolidation and enemy counter attacks he proved himself to be of great value to his Company Commander. he afforded valuable aid in erecting wire under heavy hostile shelling and machine gun fire, also in carrying out patrols into the enemy positions where he obtained valuable information.'
Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 31 Date: |
| Other details |
War service: Egypt, Gallipoli, Western Front Medals: Military Medal, 1914-15 star, British War Medal, Victory Medal |
Postal Address:
Po Box 7916
Canberra BC 2610, Australia
Street Address:
Northcott Drive,
Campbell, ACT 2600
