Pte
Walter Howard
Informations sur naissance
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Date de naissance: 04/10/1894 |
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Lieu de naissance: Mackay, Queensland, Australia |
Informations générales
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Profession: Assistant de magasin |
Informations service militaire
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Pays: Australia |
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Force armée: Australian Imperial Force |
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Rang: Private |
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Numéro de service: 2445 |
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Incorporation date: 20/03/1916 |
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Incorporation nom de lieu: Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia |
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Unités: — Australian Infantry, 47th Bn. (Dernière unité connue) |
Informations sur décès
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Date de décès: 12/10/1917 |
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Lieu de décès: Decoy Wood, Belgique |
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Cause du décès: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Âge: 23 |
Mémorial
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Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial Panneau: 27 |
Distinctions et médailles 2
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British War Medal Médaille |
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Victory Medal Médaille |
Points d'intérêt 2
| #1 | Lieu de naissance | ||
| #2 | Lieu d'enrôlement |
Mon histoire
Private Walter Howard served in the Australian Infantry 47th Battalion, part of the 12th Australian Brigade of the 4th Australian Division. The 4th Australian Division participated on the 12th of October in the First Battle of Passchendaele, the second last phase of the Third Battle of Ypres.
On the 12th of October 1917, the 4th Division advanced from the Broodseinde Ridge, East of Zonnebeke, towards the Keiberg Spur, South of Passchendaele. This in order to flank guard the 3rd Australian Division, which had to capture the village of Passchendaele itself. The 4th Division’s attack was carried by the 12th Australian Brigade, which deployed two Battalions, the 47th and 48th Battalion.
They were to protect the flank of the main attack by establishing positions across the Keiberg Spur. The 47th Battalion was to capture the first objective, the Red Line. Once this line had been captured, the 48th Battalion would move through and take the second objective, the Blue Line.
The 47th Battalion of Private Walter Howard moved forward at eight minutes past the zero hour of 05.30 a.m. covered by a creeping barrage. However, the men were tired and a sharp German barrage falling on the jumping-off line alerted the Brigade of the German’s anticipation of the attack. The going was tough, because the ground was immensely boggy and littered with waterlogged shell holes, making a quick and orderly advance neigh to impossible.
At 5.45 a.m. just minutes after the men crossed the start tape the Battalion suffered heavy casualties when the Battalion’s Headquarter was hit by a volley of German shell fire, killing 27 men and wounding 60 others. Amongst others nearly all signalers and runners had become casualties, thus crippling all further communication. Notwithstanding all difficulties the Battalion made good progress and the Germans were seen pulling back from their first line of defense. No resistance was met till Decoy Wood, almost half way up to the objective. Which was cleared at 7 a.m. All seemed to be going well, but until now the advance of the 12th Brigade had been sheltered by the high railway embankment on their left.
Once the 48th Battalion advanced and cleared this protection, a withering fire tore into its left. The machine gun- and rifle fire came from in and around Vienna Cottage. This German strongpoint was in the sector of the 9th Australian Brigade, of the 3rd Australian Division, and had to be taken out by then. But the 9th Australian Brigade had made almost no progress. The men were pushed onwards as the 48th tried to secure the left flank along the railway embankment. The 48th Battalion passed through and, while waiting for the barrage, gained touch with the 3rd Australian Division at a point on the railway. Here they were told that the 3rd Australian would not carry on their advance.
When the 47th came out of Decoy Wood it was enfiladed by machine gun fire coming from both Vienna Cottage on the left and the German strongpoint of Assyria on the right. The exhausted men sought shelter wherever they could find it. Many of them jumped or fell into shell holes filled with freezing and gas drenched water, never to be seen again. The threat on the right was eventually silenced when Assyria was taken by a platoon of the 47th.
The Red Line was reached and the remnants of both Battalions started to dig in. As the 47th could no longer advance, the 48th decided they would consolidate the position held. This was achieved with difficulty and great loss. Unable to capture Vienna Cottage the men of the 9th Australian Brigade began to withdraw, followed by the 10th Australian Brigade. By 3.30 p.m. the entire 3rd Australian Division was back at its jump-off lines. With their flank in the air the men of the 12th Australian Brigade were vulnerable for counterattacks. A first German attack at 4.10 p.m. was beaten off by small-arms fire - but to no avail. At 5.00 p.m. another much stronger German attack developed. Assyria was recaptured and the remnants of the 47th and 48th Battalions were forced to withdraw since they were left vulnerable on their left flank. The men pulled back under cover of the railway and finally sought shelter at the embankment near Defy Crossing. At 7 p.m. the 47th Battalion of the 12th Brigade held their position on the line of inundated shell holes running from Defy Crossing, alongside Nieuwemolen towards Daisy Wood, close to their starting point of their jumping-off line from that morning.
Private Walter Howard was killed in action on the 12th of October 1917. He possibly fell during the attack towards the Keiberg Spur, South of Passchendaele. His remains were never found or identified. Private Walter Howard is remembered on the Menin Gate.
On the 12th of October 1917, the 4th Division advanced from the Broodseinde Ridge, East of Zonnebeke, towards the Keiberg Spur, South of Passchendaele. This in order to flank guard the 3rd Australian Division, which had to capture the village of Passchendaele itself. The 4th Division’s attack was carried by the 12th Australian Brigade, which deployed two Battalions, the 47th and 48th Battalion.
They were to protect the flank of the main attack by establishing positions across the Keiberg Spur. The 47th Battalion was to capture the first objective, the Red Line. Once this line had been captured, the 48th Battalion would move through and take the second objective, the Blue Line.
The 47th Battalion of Private Walter Howard moved forward at eight minutes past the zero hour of 05.30 a.m. covered by a creeping barrage. However, the men were tired and a sharp German barrage falling on the jumping-off line alerted the Brigade of the German’s anticipation of the attack. The going was tough, because the ground was immensely boggy and littered with waterlogged shell holes, making a quick and orderly advance neigh to impossible.
At 5.45 a.m. just minutes after the men crossed the start tape the Battalion suffered heavy casualties when the Battalion’s Headquarter was hit by a volley of German shell fire, killing 27 men and wounding 60 others. Amongst others nearly all signalers and runners had become casualties, thus crippling all further communication. Notwithstanding all difficulties the Battalion made good progress and the Germans were seen pulling back from their first line of defense. No resistance was met till Decoy Wood, almost half way up to the objective. Which was cleared at 7 a.m. All seemed to be going well, but until now the advance of the 12th Brigade had been sheltered by the high railway embankment on their left.
Once the 48th Battalion advanced and cleared this protection, a withering fire tore into its left. The machine gun- and rifle fire came from in and around Vienna Cottage. This German strongpoint was in the sector of the 9th Australian Brigade, of the 3rd Australian Division, and had to be taken out by then. But the 9th Australian Brigade had made almost no progress. The men were pushed onwards as the 48th tried to secure the left flank along the railway embankment. The 48th Battalion passed through and, while waiting for the barrage, gained touch with the 3rd Australian Division at a point on the railway. Here they were told that the 3rd Australian would not carry on their advance.
When the 47th came out of Decoy Wood it was enfiladed by machine gun fire coming from both Vienna Cottage on the left and the German strongpoint of Assyria on the right. The exhausted men sought shelter wherever they could find it. Many of them jumped or fell into shell holes filled with freezing and gas drenched water, never to be seen again. The threat on the right was eventually silenced when Assyria was taken by a platoon of the 47th.
The Red Line was reached and the remnants of both Battalions started to dig in. As the 47th could no longer advance, the 48th decided they would consolidate the position held. This was achieved with difficulty and great loss. Unable to capture Vienna Cottage the men of the 9th Australian Brigade began to withdraw, followed by the 10th Australian Brigade. By 3.30 p.m. the entire 3rd Australian Division was back at its jump-off lines. With their flank in the air the men of the 12th Australian Brigade were vulnerable for counterattacks. A first German attack at 4.10 p.m. was beaten off by small-arms fire - but to no avail. At 5.00 p.m. another much stronger German attack developed. Assyria was recaptured and the remnants of the 47th and 48th Battalions were forced to withdraw since they were left vulnerable on their left flank. The men pulled back under cover of the railway and finally sought shelter at the embankment near Defy Crossing. At 7 p.m. the 47th Battalion of the 12th Brigade held their position on the line of inundated shell holes running from Defy Crossing, alongside Nieuwemolen towards Daisy Wood, close to their starting point of their jumping-off line from that morning.
Private Walter Howard was killed in action on the 12th of October 1917. He possibly fell during the attack towards the Keiberg Spur, South of Passchendaele. His remains were never found or identified. Private Walter Howard is remembered on the Menin Gate.
Sources 5
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47th Australian Infantry Battalion, (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), AWM4 23/64/17). Sources utilisées |
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Australian War Memorial https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1631281 Sources utilisées |
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Deayton C., Battle scarred : The 47th Battalion in the First World War, (Newport, Big Sky Publishing, 2011), pg. 167-187. Sources utilisées |
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First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920, (National Archives of Australia, Canberra (NAA), B2455, HOWARD W). http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/SearchScreens/BasicSearch.aspx Sources utilisées |
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McCarthy C., The Third Ypres Passchendaele. The Day-by-Day Account, (London, Arms & Armour Press, 1995), pg. 113-114. Sources utilisées |
Complément d’informations 4
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/924325 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=665e6e2d-a932-4ec8-9ea5-bbc56928d1cc |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/7488669 |
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The AIF Project (UNSW Canberra) https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=144559 |