The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (1552) Private David George Sutton, 15th 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 Berelle, the story for this day was on (1552) Private David George Sutton, 15th Battalion, AIF, First World War.

1552 Private David George Sutton, 15th Battalion, AIF
KIA 29 May 1915

Today we remember and pay tribute to Private David George Sutton.

David Sutton was born in 1895 in Devon North in Gippsland, Victoria, to Thomas and Marrie Sutton. Known as “George” to his family, he attended Max Creek School and later worked as a bush labourer. Sutton appears to have worked both in Gippsland, around Yarram, and in Queensland, and it was in Queensland that he signed up to serve Australia in the Great War on 31 December 1914.

During the First World War,the age of enlistment to serve overseas for Australia was 21, or 18 if the soldier had the permission of a parent or guardian. In December 1914, Sutton was aged either 18 or 19, but gave his age as 22 so as to allow himself to serve.

He was the youngest of three Sutton brothers to serve in the Great War; only one would return home to Australia.

Thomas Sutton served on Gallipoli in the 22nd Battalion and returned home to Australia in 1916 with a serious illness.

William Sutton enlisted less than a month after David, and the two brothers served together in the 15th Infantry Battalion on Gallipoli. William survived his service on Gallipoli, and was killed in action on the Western Front in France in August 1918.

On 13 February David and William sailed together from Brisbane for Egypt, and from there to Gallipoli. Once there, they fought with their battalion to consolidate and defend the beachhead established after the first Anzac landing on 25 April 1915.

On the night of 28/29 May 1915, Turkish forces attacked and occupied an area of the Australian trenches at Quinn’s Post, the most advanced position of the Anzac lines about 1.2 kilometres west of Anzac Cove. Quinn’s Post was an important objective for Australian and Turkish forces: if it fell into Turkish hands, they could launch attacks at the heart of Anzac positions on the Gallipoli peninsula.

At 3.15 am on 29 May, David, and William Sutton took part in a hundred-man strong attack designed to reoccupy the important trench position. The Australian assault was successful, but there were heavy casualties, mostly from bombs and grenades hurled into the lines by Turkish troops. David Sutton was one of 11 Australians killed in this action.

His brother William, who had fought in the same action, described the fight in a letter home to his grieving mother: “It was just after we had charged the trench that George was hit with two bombs. His right leg was broken above the knee, and left leg blown off above the ankle almost half way to the knee. He died from loss of blood three hours afterwards”.
David Sutton was 19 years old.

Originally reported as wounded in action, it was not until November 1915 that his death was officially confirmed.

Today his remains lie in the Shrapnel Valley Cemetery on Gallipoli, where over 600 casualties of the First World War now lie. His grave bears the simple inscription: “Lest we forget”.

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 David George Sutton, who gave his life for us, for our freedoms, and in the hope of a better world.

David Sutton
Historian, Military History Section
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