The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (1915) Private Harold Stanley James Howard, 57th Battalion, 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 (1915) Private Harold Stanley James Howard, 57th Battalion, First World War.

1915 Private Harold Stanley James Howard, 57th Battalion
DOW 21 March 1918
Story delivered 21 March 2018

Today we remember and pay tribute to Private Harold Stanley James Howard.

Harold Stanley James Howard was born on 5 December 1896 in the Sydney suburb of Ultimo, the first of two children born to James and Edith Howard. After growing up in Drummoyne and attending the local school, he went on to work as a clerk.

Just over a year after the start of the First World War, on 13 January 1916, Howard enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force with his good friend Walter Dobbinson at Sydney Town Hall. Neither of the boys had parental permission to enlist, so they forged their parents’ permission and signatures on each other’s attestation forms.

In early February they went into camp at Liverpool. After initial training, they were transferred to Broadmeadows Camp in Victoria. Here they were allotted to the 2nd reinforcements to the 59th Battalion.

Howard and Dobbinson embarked from Melbourne aboard the transport ship Port Lincoln on 4 May 1916, bound for England. There they undertook more training, then sailed for France in early September. After arriving, both Howard and Dobbinson were transferred to 57 Battalion and were placed in 9 Platoon, C Company.

The battalion spent the tail end of 1916 alternating between rest areas, supports, and front lines in the Somme Valley, enduring the bitter European winter of 1916 to 1917. Howard spent his 21st birthday as a member of a working party on the Decauville Railway.

He was hospitalised for a month at the beginning of February, but returned to his unit in time to take part in the allied pursuit of the Germans as they withdrew to the Hindenburg Line.

The battalion played a support role during the Second Battle of Bullecourt in May. Howard took part in his first major battle at Polygon Wood in September and then spent the remainder of the year moving between rest camps, support, and front-line positions.

The 57th Battalion was at Wulverghem Camp near Messines on 21 March 1918, the day the German Army launched their spring offensive. Howard was in the cook house preparing a meal for the battalion band when the German bombardment began. One shell hit the cook house, killing two men and wounding Howard in the abdomen.

Several of his friends, including Dobbinson, were nearby and saw Howard being carried away on a stretcher. He was taken to a casualty clearing station at Kandahar Farm, but died soon after being admitted.

Harold Howard was 21 years old. He was laid to rest in Outtersteene Communal Cemetery Extension at Bailleul. A very popular man, his loss was keenly felt by the officers and men of C Company.

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 Harold Stanley James Howard, who gave his life for us, for our freedoms, and in the hope of a better world.

Michael Kelly
Historian, Military History Section