The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (3359) Private William Samuel Elliott, 52nd 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 Jana Johnson, the story for this day was on (3359) Private William Samuel Elliott, 52nd Battalion, AIF, first World War.

3359 Private William Samuel Elliott, 52nd Battalion, AIF
KIA 24 April 1918
Story delivered 14 January 2018

Today we remember and pay tribute to Private William Samuel Elliott.

William Elliott was born in 1884 in Exeter, New South Wales, to Alexander and Mary Elliott. He was the first of 12 children – seven boys and five girls – born to the couple.

He attended Exeter State School before the family moved to a dairy farm at Numulgi, near Lismore. Here Elliott and several of his brothers worked on the farm with their father.

Following the outbreak of the First World War, Elliott enlisted for service in the Australian Imperial Force at Lismore on the 30th of October 1916. Two of his younger brothers, Jack and Frank, had already sailed with reinforcements for the 25th Battalion earlier in the month.

Elliott was transferred to Brisbane, where after initial training he was allocated to the 9th reinforcements to the 52nd Battalion. He was transferred to Sydney, where he embarked on 24 January 1917 aboard the transport ship Ayrshire, bound for England.

After arriving in England in April, he was sent to the 13th Training Battalion, where he remained for a couple of months. On the 8th of August, Elliott was sent to France, where he joined the 52nd Battalion in camp near the River Douve.
Elliott saw his first major battle in late September, when the 52nd Battalion took part in the successful assault on Polygon Wood.

He spent December in hospital with influenza, before returning to the 52nd Battalion in January 1918.

When the Germans launched their spring offensive towards the end of March, the 52nd Battalion, as part of the Australian 4th Division, was rushed south and took up defensive positions near the Ancre River. The battalion was involved in the defence of Dernancourt in early April, which helped to blunt the German drive.

On the night of 24 April, the 52nd Battalion participated in the attack to dislodge the Germans from Villers Bretonneux. Elliott was in the second wave, and was seen to be hit and go down by a member of his platoon during the advance. Initially listed as missing, a court of enquiry later found that he had been killed on 24 April. His body was recovered and buried in the Adelaide British Cemetery. He was 34 years old.

His brother Jack was killed in June when the 25th Battalion attacked Morlancourt. Frank, who had been wounded twice, was medically downgraded and returned to Australia in December.

William Elliot’s 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 Samuel Elliott, who gave his life for us, for our freedoms, and in the hope of a better world.

Michael Kelly
Historian, Military History Section