The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (3019) Private Colin William Bolitho, 8th 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 Troy Clayton, the story for this day was on (3019) Private Colin William Bolitho, 8th Battalion, AIF, First World War.

3019 Private Colin William Bolitho, 8th Battalion, AIF
KIA 28 July 1916

Today we remember and pay tribute to Private Colin William Bolitho.

Colin Bolitho was born around 1897, the only child of William and Selina Bolitho of Victoria. He spent his early years in Kyneton, but as a young boy moved with his family to Sale, where his father engaged in the wheelwright and coachbuilding trade. Colin was educated at the local state school, and went on to further training as a mechanical draughtsman. After completing his education he went to work with his father, and, it was said, “gave great promise of a successful career”. Colin was an active participant in the temperance movement, being a member of the local Rechabite Tent. It was reported that “when he left Sale he was occupying the important office of Levite to that body, discharging his duties in a very creditable manner, and in a very short time he would have filled the highest office in the lodge.”

Instead, Colin Bolitho enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force at the age of 18, leaving Sale with the permission of both his parents. He underwent a period of training in Australia before leaving for active service overseas in November 1915 with reinforcements to the 24th Battalion. His last words to his father before sailing were “I will do my duty”.

Private Bolitho was first sent to Egypt where the AIF was undergoing a period of expansion and reorganisation. As part of that process, he was transferred to the 8th Battalion, and by early April 1916 was in France, preparing to fight on the Western Front.

The 8th Battalion’s first major action in France took place in late July 1916 at the French village of Pozieres. The village itself was captured by other Australian battalions, but the 8th was soon called forward to reinforce the dangerous position.

On 28 July 1918 the 8th Battalion was in the front line at Pozieres under constant heavy artillery bombardments. Private Bolitho was trying to get into a trench to join some other members of his battalion, when he was shot in the wrist and abdomen. He made it to the relative safety of the trench, where his comrades bandaged his wounds and applied basic first aid. However, with the ongoing artillery fire, there was no safe way to evacuate him for further assistance.

A fellow serviceman later wrote, “Like the hero he was, he lay there for about ten hours, and not a word of reproach or no crying out in pain came from him, because I think he knew the boys had too much to do … They only had five men to look after 50 yards of trench, and [so he] did not ask for any assistance.” After hours of quietly bleeding from his stomach wound, Private Colin Bolitho died in the trench. He was 19.

Although there were reports that Colin’s body was eventually removed from the battlefield and buried, his grave could not be located after the war and today he is commemorated on the Australian memorial at Villers-Bretonneux.

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 Colin William Bolitho, who gave his life for us, for our freedoms, and in the hope of a better world.

Meleah Hampton
Historian, Military History Section