War service: Egypt, Western Front

Taken on strength, 60th Bn, Duntroon Plateau, 20 April 1916.

Admitted to 8th Field Ambulance, Ferry Post, 15 May 1916 (gastric influenza); discharged to unit, 19 May 1916.

Promoted Company Sergeant Major (Warrant Officer Class II), 29 May 1916.

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

Reported Missing, 19 July 1916.

Subsequently, 25 August 1916, declared 'Killed in Action, 19 July 1916'.

Statement, Red Cross File No 790303, 4646 Pte W. FERGUSON, 60th Bn, 1 January 1917: 'Witness states he saw Soldier killed by bullet wound at Fleurbaix on the above date [19 July 1916][;] was close by him when he fell and was sure he was dead.'

Second statement, 2878 Corporal R.E. POULTER MM, St George's Cross, 60th Bn, 30 January 1917: 'He had been wounded in Gallipoli, returned to Australia and came back to France. He was killed in the attack on the German line at Fromelles which failed. I saw him hit and went next day and brought in his waterbottle and steel helmet marked with his initials. He was killed by a shell. He came from Victoria and was an old time-expired N.C.O. in the English army.'

Third statement, 3329 Pte E. JUDD, B Company, 60th Bn, 28 February 1917: 'I saw his dead body out in No Man's Land at Fleurbaix on 19th. July. He had been shot through the body and was evidently killed outright. I brought his dixie in afterwards. It was riddled with bullets. I also brought in his disc. He used to belong to the 8th. Bn. on the Peninsula. Burial parties were out for two or three nights and his body must have been buried.'

Fourth statement, 3710 Pte G.S. CLAYTON, B Company, 60th Bn (patient, Coombe Lodge Hospital, Gret Warley, England), 14 March 1918: 'Informant states that on the morning of July 20th as he was coming in from No Mans (sic) Land near German barbed wire opposite Fromelles, he saw Conway's body lying dead, shot in the stomach. [He] must have died at once. Informant knew Conway well.'

Note on file: 'No trace Germany[.] Cert. by Capt. Mills 10-10-19.'