Regimental number | 382 |
Place of birth | Goulburn, New South Wales |
School | Newcastle High School, New South Wales |
Religion | Methodist |
Occupation | Engineer |
Address | Hexham, New South Wales |
Marital status | Single |
Age at embarkation | 19 |
Height | 5' 9" |
Weight | 168 lbs |
Next of kin | Father, Edmond Thomas Churchill, Hexham, New South Wales |
Previous military service | Served in the Senior Cadets. |
Enlistment date | |
Place of enlistment | Liverpool, New South Wales |
Rank on enlistment | Private |
Unit name | 30th Battalion, B Company |
AWM Embarkation Roll number | 23/47/1 |
Embarkation details | Unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A72 Beltana on |
Rank from Nominal Roll | Private |
Unit from Nominal Roll | 30th Battalion |
Fate | Killed in Action |
Place of death or wounding | Somme Sector, France |
Age at death | 19.9 |
Age at death from cemetery records | 19 |
Place of burial | Rue-Petillon Military Cemetery (Plot I, Row K, Grave No. 56), France |
Panel number, Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial | 116 |
Miscellaneous information from cemetery records | Parents: Edmond Thomas and Emily Harriet CHURCHILL, 22, Ada Street, Waratah, New South Wales. Born at Goulburn, New South Wales |
Other details |
War service: Egypt, Western Front Embarked Sydney, 9 November 1915; disembarked Suez, 11 December 1915. Admitted to 15th Field Ambulance, Ferry Post, 22 May 1916 (not yet diagnosed); discharged to duty, 25 May 1916; rejoined unit, 26 May 1916. Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 16 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 23 June 1916. Killed in action, 20 July 1916. Buried Eaton Hall Cemetery by Rev.G. Cranston. Statement, Red Cross File No 730811, 511 Pte C. PIGERSGILL, B Company, 30th Bn (patient, 3rd Southern General Hospital, The Base, Oxford, England), 11 November 1916: 'L/Cpl Churchill was killed at Fromelles on the night of July 19-20. We were attacking at the time, but had to retire later. He was hit in the stomach with a piece of shell and died in a dug out shortly afterwards. He was buried the following morning at Fromelles in a big grave with other Australians. His grave is marked and a record kept ... I did not see him killed, but I have seen his grave.' Second statement, 568 Lance Corporal W.H. WEBB, B Company, 30th Bn (patient, 3rd London General Hospital, Wandsworth, England), 13 November1916: 'Informant states that on the night of July 19th at Fromelles Churchill was killed by a shell wound in the abdomen. He asked for a drink of water, but having an abdominal wound had to be refused. He died shortly afterwards in a dug-out. He was buried in a cemetery close by Fromelles in a large trench grave with a number of his comrades.' Third statement, 492 Pte F. MALONEY, B Company, 30th Bn (patient, No 1 Canadian General Hospital, Etaples), 28 November 1916: 'Whilst in front of Fleurbaix we were endeavouring to consolidate a ditch which lay beween the lines; this was late in the evening of 19th. July. To do this we had to carrys and bags across the open: Churchill had crossed 5 times but as he left our trenches for the 6th. attempt he was shot in the mouth by a bullet and killed instantly. Some of our men put him in a dug-out where I saw him. I am almost certain he was buried in the English Cemetery, just behind our line of that date.' Fourth statement, 436 Lance Sergeant J.W. LAING, B Company, 30th Bn (patient, Beaufort War Hospital, Bristol, England), 10 December 1916: 'Informant states that Churchill was struck in the body by a piece of shell at Fromelles on July 20th and died immediately. His body was taken into a dug out in our lines and I saw it.' Fifth statement, 502 Pte J.W. NICHOLSON,B Company, 30th Bn (patient, Graylingwell Hospital, Chichester, England), 2 January 1917: 'Informant states that on July 20th. 1916 at Fromelles L/Cpl. Churchill was carrying ammunition to the German 1st line of trenches which was held by our men and was killed. There was an Armistice granted and unfortunately it was broken by two A.I.F. consequently the Germans turned M. Guns on the stretcher bearers and it is feared L/Cpl. Churchill's body was never brought in for burial.' |
Sources | NAA: B2455, CHURCHILL Walter Edmund
Red Cross file 730811 |