The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (1411) Private George Adolphus Herbert Morton, 18th 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 (1411) Private George Adolphus Herbert Morton, 18th Battalion, AIF, First World War.

1411 Private George Adolphus Herbert Morton, 18th Battalion, AIF
KIA 22August 1915

Today we remember and pay tribute to Private George Adolphus Herbert Morton.

George Morton was born in 1893, the son of George and Harriet Morton of London, England. He began his education at the Childeric Road School at New Cross, and later attended the Netherwood Street School in Hampstead, and the London County Council School in West Hampstead.

At some point, George came to Australia and moved to Wallendbeen in New South Wales, where his uncle, William Palmer, was prominent in the community. George’s uncle owned Palmer’s Central Stores, and George took work there as a grocer. He was described as “urbane and courteous, one of nature’s true gentlemen” and “was very popular”.

George Morton enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in May 1915. An urgent call for men in the wake of the landing on the Gallipoli peninsula three weeks earlier meant that his training was rushed, and he left Australia less than a month after enlisting. He completed his training in Egypt, leaving in August for Gallipoli.

Private Morton served with the 18th Battalion which landed on Gallipoli on 22 August 1915 and was almost immediately committed to an attack on Turkish positions known as “Hill 60”, the last major allied offensive operation on the peninsula. Hastily planned and poorly arranged, the operation led to the 18th Battalion suffering almost 50 per cent casualties.

Among those killed was Private George Morton. Originally posted as missing, it was soon determined that he had been killed in action, although no details of the manner of his death have been recorded.

In November 1915 the seating accommodation of St Clement’s Church in Wallendbeen was “taxed to its utmost” when a memorial service for George Morton was held. During the service the Reverend R. Hamilton said, “like many another fine Australian, Private Morton made the supreme sacrifice when he laid down his life not only for King and country, but for us as individuals.”

George’s body was never recovered, and today he is commemorated on the memorial to the missing at Lone Pine. The young man who had been on the battlefield a single day died at the age of 22.

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 George Adolphus Herbert Morton, who gave his life for us, for our freedoms, and in the hope of a better world.

Meleah Hampton
Historian, Military History Section