The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (1943) Private William Gerard McLaughlin, 55th Battalion, 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 Charis May, the story for this day was on (1943) Private William Gerard McLaughlin, 55th Battalion, First World War.

1943 Private William Gerard McLaughlin, 55th Battalion
DOW 3 April 1917

Story delivered 7 December 2017

Today we remember and pay tribute to Private William Gerard McLaughlin.

William McLaughlin was born in 1897 in Bethungra, near Cootamundra, New South Wales, the second son of William and Ethel McLaughlin. William McLaughlin senior was a police officer who became the sergeant in Gunning. William junior was educated at the Fort Street School in Sydney, and on the outbreak of war in 1914 was serving an apprenticeship in Goulburn as a carpenter.

McLaughlin left his apprenticeship to enlist in the Australian Imperial Force in December 1915. As he was only 18 years old, he obtained written permission from his parents. He went into camp in Goulburn to as he commenced training he struggled with the discipline of military life. He was charged a number of times with breaking camp and being late for parade. He was eventually posted to the 55th Battalion and left Australia for active service overseas in June 1916.

Arriving in England in August, Private McLaughlin continued training on the Salisbury Plain until he joined his battalion in the trenches of the Western Front in January 1917. During one of the coldest winters on record the battalion rotated in and out of the front line, waiting for the weather to improve and campaigning to resume.

On 2 April 1917, three companies of the 55th Battalion attacked German positions near the French village of Doignies. Their stealthy advance was revealed by a barking dog, and from early in the operation the men of the 55th came under heavy rifle and machine-gun fire. They captured their objectives and under very heavy German artillery fire held on until being relieved by the 53rd Battalion the following day.

At some point during this attack, probably during the relief, Private William McLaughlin was seriously wounded. He was carried to a
casualty clearing station near the village of Pozières, but died of his wounds on 3 April 1917.

He was 19 years old.

William McLaughlin senior ensured his son was remembered in Gunning through a special memorial on the gates to the Anglican church. The gates were unveiled during a ceremony in September 1918, and then a memorial tablet was unveiled and consecrated inside the church.

Private McLaughlin lies in the Pozières British Cemetery in France under the words “Never shall thy memory fade”.

His name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my right, among almost 62,000 Australians who died while serving in 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 William Gerard McLaughlin, who gave his life for us, for our freedoms, and in the hope of a better world.

Meleah Hampton
Historian Military History Section