The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (2638) Trooper William Walter Ash, 4th Australian Light Horse Regiment, First World War

The Last Post Ceremony is presented in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial each 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 Berelle, the story for this day was on (2638) Trooper William Walter Ash, 4th Australian Light Horse Regiment, First World War.

2638 Trooper William Walter Ash, 4th Australian Light Horse Regiment
KIA 2 May 1918
No photograph in collection

Story delivered 8 June 2015

Today we remember and pay tribute to Trooper William Walter Ash.

Willie Ash was the eldest son of William and Frances Ash of Lake Boga, Victoria. Little is known of Willie’s early life. His father was a respected local farmer, so much of his life probably revolved around the farm. Ash went on to become a labourer, either on his father’s farm or on others in the district.

On 9 February 1916, William Ash enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force. He joined the 4th Light Horse Regiment and, after a period of training, was sent to join them in the Middle East. For the remainder of 1916 and much of 1917, the regiment was engaged in security tasks, first around the Suez Canal and later in the Sinai Desert.

Ash suffered from malaria in 1917 and returned to the regiment after a period of hospitalisation in October. Just over a week later he participated in the famous cavalry charge in Beersheba. The following day, while watering his horses, he ran into a friend from Lake Boga, who reported to Will’s family that he was getting on well.

After a period spent pursuing the Ottoman forces through Palestine, the 4th Light Horse rested for the first few months of 1918. In late April they resumed the fight by taking part in a raid on the Palestinian village of Es Salt. On 2 May the regiment was detailed to secure a pass through the mountains and hold it at all costs. Although the initial advance surprised the Turks, they recovered and counter-attacked the Australian position.

During the counter-attack, William Ash was killed. His friend, Sergeant McCann, wrote that “he had an utter contempt for the enemy, and at different times would, regardless of his own risk, expose himself to dangers that he might get a better position, and deal more deadly to the Turks”. Ash was working a Hotchkiss gun, and, in spite of heavy rifle and machine-gun fire that wounded those with him, he kept his post. All the while he was cheering on other Australian soldiers who attacked with bayonets. Eventually a Turkish machine-gun found its mark, and Ash was “badly hit in two places through the head”. He died, Sergeant McCann said, “instantaneously but happy”.

William Ash – Bill to his mates in the Light Horse – was carried to shelter, but could not be revived. He was buried nearby, but his grave later lost in the fighting. Ash is now commemorated on the Jerusalem Memorial.

McCann wrote to Ash’s parents in Lake Boga to say: “in his death you have lost a sterling son, while we have lost a true friend and a true and fearless soldier … The day when Bill was killed was a bad day for our regiment.”

His name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my right, along with more than 60,000 Australians who died during the First World War.

This is but one of the many stories of service and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Trooper William Walter Ash, and all those Australians who have given their lives in the service of our nation.

Dr Meleah Hampton
Historian, Military History Section