The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (6942A) Private Ernest Francis Sheargold, 22nd Australian Infantry 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 (6942A) Private Ernest Francis Sheargold, 22nd Australian Infantry Battalion, AIF, First World War.

6942A Private Ernest Francis Sheargold, 22nd Australian Infantry Battalion, AIF
DOW 3 June 1918

Today we remember and pay tribute to Private Ernest Francis Sheargold.

Ernest Sheargold was born in January 1899, the son of William Anderson Sheargold and Mary Jane Sheargold. He was born in the goldfields town of Rushworth in Victoria, but the family moved to Footscray, a western suburb of Melbourne. “Ernie”, as he was known, attended Footscray State School. After leaving school, he worked as a clerk to a timber merchant.

While Sheargold was at school, he served for four years in the senior cadets. As soon as he turned 18, he joined the Australian Imperial Force, with his parents giving their consent for him to be sent overseas. He enlisted in the 24th Australian Infantry Battalion in February 1917 and spent time training at the army camp in Royal Park. He left Melbourne on the transport ship Ascanius in May, bound for England.

Arriving in England in July 1917, Sheargold undertook specialised training to become a signaller. Perhaps aided by his earlier clerical experience, he excelled at this training and earnt a first class signaller’s certificate. He was transferred to the 22nd Battalion as a signaller in March 1918 and left England for France.

At this time, the Germans had launched what was to be their last major offensive of the war, now known as the German Spring Offensive. One of the major gains of the German forces had been the French town of Villers-Bretonneux on the Somme River. Australian and British forces had recaptured the town in late April, and now sought to push the German forces over the Ancre River north of the Somme.

On 19 May 1918, the 22nd Battalion was stationed near the town of Ville-sur-Ancre. At 2 am the Australian artillery began shelling the German position over the river, and the Australians advanced. They had taken the Germans by surprise, and quickly took many prisoners and captured several machine guns. D Company, which was Sheargold’s company, was the first of battalion to enter the battle. Although they achieved all of their objectives, D Company suffered heavy casualties. In the early morning, Sheargold was struck by shrapnel in the abdomen.

Carried by four German prisoners of war, he was evacuated to a casualty clearing station at Vignacourt. He remained there for two weeks, but his condition worsened, and he died on 3 June 1918. He was 19 years old.
He is buried at Vignacourt British Cemetery, alongside nearly 600 Commonwealth soldiers of the First World War.

Two of Sheargold’s relatives also served in the war. His uncle, Private Ernest Lapeyre, died of wounds received in Palestine in 1917. His older brother, Rifleman Frederick George Sheargold, served in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force and returned to his home in New Zealand in 1919.

Ernest Sheargold was survived in Australia by his parents and his five younger sisters. His grieving family had the following inscribed on his headstone: “Our beloved son and brother, who gave his dear young life for us”.
Private Ernest Francis Sheargold is listed on the Roll of Honour on my right, among more than 60,000 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 Ernest Francis Sheargold, who gave his life for us, for our freedoms, and in the hope of a better world.

Thomas Rogers
Historian, Military History Section