The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (3168) Private Alexander Stanley Clingan, 53rd Battalion (Infantry), First World War

The Last Post Ceremony is presented in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial every day. The ceremony commemorates more than 102,000 Australians who have given their lives in war and other operations and whose names are recorded on the Roll of Honour. At each ceremony the story behind one of the names on the Roll of Honour is told. Hosted by Craig Blanch, the story for this day was on (3168) Private Alexander Stanley Clingan, 53rd Battalion (Infantry), First World War.

3168 Private Alexander Stanley Clingan, 53rd Battalion
KIA 19 July 1916
Photograph: P05301.032

Story delivered 23 August 2013

Today, we remember and pay tribute to Private Alexander Stanley Clingan.

Alick Clingan was the son of Ruth and the late William Clingan of Newtown in Sydney. He was 21 years old when he left his job as an ironworker's assistant and enlisted in the first AIF. He was sent to Egypt, where he joined the 53rd Battalion and, after a period of training, was sent to fight on the Western Front.

On 19 July 1916 Australian and British infantry cooperated to attack a German position near the town of Fromelles. While small parts of the German position were captured, casualties were so heavy in most parts of the line that troops in these small advanced positions were forced to retire. The Australian 5th Division suffered 5,533 casualties in the 14 hours of the battle and would be incapable of serious offensive action for many months.

One of those casualties was Private Alick Clingan. Little is known what of happened to Clingan during the battle, although his mother received letters from his mates who told her they saw him go over the top on that date but did not see him again. He was officially posted as missing for some months.

Eventually, word was received from German authorities that Alick Clingan was dead and had been buried by the Germans. His identification disc was sent from Germany to confirm this. Finally, Clingan's family were officially informed of his fate. However, for more than 90 years he had no known grave and was commemorated only by name at VC Corner cemetery near Fromelles.

This would change in 2009, when a mass grave was located in Pheasant Wood, very close to the site of the battle. This grave had been used by the Germans to bury British and Australian dead following the battle, and had not been discovered in the years following the war when battlefield cemeteries were constructed and formalised.

Many of the remains in the grave could be identified as Australian by artefacts buried with them. The remains of Alick Clingan were identified through DNA testing, thanks to samples given by his living relatives. He is now buried in the new Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) Military Cemetery under the inscription: "Son of William and Ruth. Greatly loved, never forgotten, in God's care".

His name is listed on the Roll of Honour on your left, along with around 60,000 others from the First World War, and his photograph is displayed today beside the Pool of Reflection.

This is but one of the many stories of courage and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Private Alexander Stanley Clingan, and all those Australians who have given their lives in the service of our nation.