The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (5655) Private George Holly Cheeseman, 14th 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 Craig Blanch, the story for this day was on (5655) Private George Holly Cheeseman, 14th Battalion, AIF, First World War.

5655 Private George Holly Cheeseman, 14th Battalion, AIF
KIA 5 February 1917
No photograph in collection

Story delivered 27 October 2014

Today we remember and pay tribute to Private George Holly Cheeseman.

George Cheeseman – known as “Holly” – was one of ten children of Richard Cheeseman and his wife Jane. He was born and grew up in Brighton, Victoria, where his father served for 16 years on the council and was president of the Royal Horticultural Society. Holly attended Wesley College and, sharing his father’s interest in plants, became a nurseryman.

Two of Holly’s brothers had enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force by the time he joined up in February 1916. He had tried to enlist at least once before, but had been turned down because of his poor eyesight. This time he went before the medical board, which passed him as fit for active service despite having to wear glasses, and he was posted to the 14th Battalion. In May 1916 Private Cheeseman left Australia for the Western Front. One month later his father died following a short illness.

Cheeseman arrived on the Western Front in September 1916 and joined the rest of the 14th Battalion in the field. Later that year he was detached to the 1st Canadian Tunnelling Company for a short period before falling ill and going to hospital. He rejoined his battalion in December and spent the rest of the winter of 1916–17 rotating in and out of the front-line trenches.

In February 1917 the 14th Battalion was in support trenches near the French village of Gueudecourt They were due to be relieved by the 16th Battalion later that day. The trench occupied by Cheeseman and his mates was shallow, and had little cover. As they were holding the line a stray shell came over and landed near Cheeseman, who was killed instantly.

He was buried near where he died, and a rough cross was erected with his name and number on it. It was lost in later fighting, and he has no known resting place. He was 21 years old.

Holly Cheeseman and another young man from Brighton, Tom Tope, who had also been killed, were remembered in Australia at a memorial service at their local church, St Mark’s. His mother later donated a cot to the Kooyong Military Hospital in Brighton North in memory of her son, Holly.

His name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my right, along with more than 60,000 others from the First World War.

This is but one of the many stories of courage and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Private George Holly Cheeseman, and all of those Australians who have given their lives in the service of our nation.