The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (3121) Private Richard Piercey, 2nd Battalion, AIF, 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 Meredith Duncan, the story for this day was on (3121) Private Richard Piercey, 2nd Battalion, AIF, First World War.

3121 Private Richard Piercey, 2nd Battalion, AIF
KIA 20 April 1916
No photograph in collection

Story delivered 24 June 2015

Today we remember and pay tribute to Private Richard Piercey.

Dick Piercey was born in Maidenhead in Berkshire, England, to William and Emma Piercey. Little is known of his early life or when he first came to Australia, but on the outbreak of the First World War he had been settled in Wollongong for some years, working as a pastry cook. He was an active member of the Wollongong Rifle Club, and had a wide group of friends in the local Congregational Church.

Although Piercey had no ambition to be a soldier, he felt it his duty to fight for his country if called. In June of 1915 he could wait no longer, and enlisted the Australian Imperial Force for service overseas. After a period of training in Australia, Piercey was sent to Egypt and posted to the 2nd Battalion. After further training he was sent to France, arriving in March 1916.

In April 1916 the men of the 2nd Battalion were still training for service in the industrialised battlefield of the Western Front. They were in Belgium, spending their days in route marches, drill, musketry practice and preparation for gas attacks. Some of this training took them into the front lines in quiet sectors for further experience.

On 19 April the 2nd Battalion entered the front line to relieve the 18th Manchesters. It was quiet and very wet, as it had been raining heavily for the past several days. German machine-guns were active, and the enemy threw up a number of flares that lit up the battlefield, but otherwise everything was quiet.

Although there was little danger from the enemy, during the night the dug-out in which Private Piercey and several other men were sheltering from the rain collapsed. Frantic efforts to rescue the men saved some, but Private Piercey could not be revived. It was thought that he died almost instantly.

The 2nd Battalion’s chaplain, Ashley Brown, wrote to Mrs Piercey in Berkshire, saying: “I beg to offer you the deep sympathy of all his comrades, especially those of his own platoon. They all thought a great deal of him as a good soldier and true comrade, and a decent, clean-living man.” Piercey had written to his mother before going into the trenches to say: “I am quite prepared and happy to meet the enemy. I’m not a bit afraid of death.” He quoted a passage from the Bible that he took for his personal motto: “Be strong and courageous; do not be discouraged for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Richard Piercey was 28 years old.

His name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my right, along with more than 60,000 other 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 Private Richard
Piercey, and all those Australians who have given their lives in the service of our nation.

Dr Meleah Hampton
Historian, Military History Section