The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (979) Private Eric Arnold Wade, 10th 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 Richard Cruise, the story for this day was on (979) Private Eric Arnold Wade, 10th Battalion, AIF, First World War.

979 Private Eric Arnold Wade, 10th Battalion, AIF
KIA 25 July 1916
No photograph in collection

Story delivered 11 September 2015

Today we remember and pay tribute to Private Eric Arnold Wade.

Eric Wade was one of a number of sons born to Joseph and Lena Wade to serve in the First World War. He was born on 17 April 1897 in Croydon, South Australia. When he was around 14 years old his father died, and he later became a farmer. He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on 28 April 1915, aged 18 and with his mother’s willing consent.

Wade underwent a period of training in Australia before leaving for service overseas. He disembarked at the Egyptian port of Alexandria on Boxing Day 1915, where for a few months he served with a number of light horse regiments before transferring to the infantry in March 1916. Posted to the 10th Battalion, he was sent to France to fight on the Western Front. Shortly after his arrival Wade fell ill, and spent nearly a month in hospital before re-joining his battalion.

On 23 July 1916 the 10th Battalion was part of the successful attack on the French village of Pozières. The battalion was to attack the OG lines: two strong German trenches to the north-east of the village. The men suffered heavily, and struggled to capture the deeply entrenched positions. Two days later the position was still not secure.

On 25 July the battalion attacked once more. Waiting in the support trenches with his brother Douglas for the operation to start, Wade watched the first wave of infantry go over the top. When the cry for “infantry at the double” rang out the two brothers dashed out to follow their comrades. When two of their machine-gun team were hit Wade took their place and began firing. His machine-gun broke, and he paused only to replace a part of it before resuming his firing. The gun then overheated and jammed, so Wade picked up some bombs and began to throw.

After five minutes of frantic bombing Wade was badly wounded. It took Douglas nearly half an hour to get his brother behind the lines, but all the while Wade was smiling. Every now and then he would ask, “Are we winning?”, and Douglas would reply, “Yes”. Wade begged his brother not to leave him, and Douglas, knowing that nothing would save his brother, made him comfortable and waited with him for three hours. At the last, Wade had a smile on his face. His final words were: “Cheer Mum up and God help the boys.” Doug kissed him and said goodbye, and shortly afterwards Private Eric Wade breathed his last.

He had a letter in his pocket to be sent to his mother in the event of his death. It read:

This may be the last time that ever I will write to you, dear mother, as in the morning we are going into a great charge to take a great and strong formation. God only knows what the cost will be; but if you receive this note you will pretty well guess. I remain, your loving son, Eric. Good-bye, we will meet again.

Douglas sent this to their mother, adding: “I know, Mum, this will break you up to read, but you will know Eric has done his bit for his country and died with a smile for you.”

Eric Wade was 19 years old.

His name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my right, among 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 Private Eric Arnold Wade, and all those Australians who have given their lives in the service of our nation.

Dr Meleah Hampton
Historian, Military History Section