The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (1357) Private Frederick George Gale, 4th 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 Joanne Smedley, the story for this day was on (1357) Private Frederick George Gale, 4th Battalion, AIF, First World War.

1357 Private Frederick George Gale, 4th Battalion, AIF
KIA 6 August 1915
No photograph in collection

Story delivered 30 August 2015

Today we remember and pay tribute to Private Frederick George Gale.

Born in Sofala, a village near Bathurst in New South Wales, Gale was living in Marrickville in Sydney and working as a cabinet maker when he enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in November 1914.

The 20 year old was assigned to the 4th Battalion, which was among the first infantry units raised for the AIF during the First World War. Like the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Battalions, its men were recruited from New South Wales, and together with these other battalions it formed the 1st Brigade.

Gale left Australia for Egypt on 11 February 1915. After two and a half months of training he was sent to Gallipoli, arriving just a few days after the landings on 25 April.

The battalion’s first weeks at Anzac were spent digging and fortifying trenches, patrolling, and defending their positions. Sniper fire was intense, attacks from the Turks were made and repelled, and a couple of truces were called to retrieve the dead from no man’s land for burial.

The 4th Battalion cooperated in the attack on Quinn’s Post in early June and in other skirmishes throughout July, but they were to have a bigger task ahead during the August Offensive, when the 1st Brigade led the charge at the battle of Lone Pine.

Gale took part in a late afternoon charge of the Turkish trenches at Lone Pine on 6 August. According to Sergeant Brew, who was a member of Gale’s platoon and went out with him, they took three lines of trenches and held them before Gale was reported as missing. Two days later he was confirmed as having been killed in action.

Gale was a member of the Salvation Army congregation. His last words to Salvation Army chaplain “Fighting Mac” McKenzie were, reportedly: “Goodbye, Brigadier; if I fall in this charge, write my people, and tell them I died as a soldier and a Christian. If I am killed, tell them all is well; I am ready for the call.” When Gale’s body was later recovered, McKenzie presided over his burial in a mass grave at Brown’s Dip cemetery.

The name of Private Frederick Gale is listed here on the Roll of Honour on my right, among the more than 60,000 others who died 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 Frederick George Gale and all those Australians who have given their lives in the service of our nation.

Emma Campbell
Writer, Military History Section