Sgt
Lewis McGee
Informatie over geboorte
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Geboortedatum: 13/05/1888 |
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Geboorteplaats: Ross, Tasmania, Australië |
Algemene Informatie
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Beroep: Treinbestuurder |
Informatie legerdienst
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Land: Australië |
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Strijdmacht: Australian Imperial Force |
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Rang: Sergeant |
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Service nummer: 456 |
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Dienstneming datum: 01/03/1916 |
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Dienstneming plaats: Claremont, Tasmania, Australië |
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Eenheden: — Australian Infantry, 40th Bn. (Laatst gekende eenheid) |
Informatie over overlijden
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Datum van overlijden: 12/10/1917 |
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Plaats van overlijden: Augustus Wood, Passendale, België |
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Doodsoorzaak: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Leeftijd: 29 |
Begraafplaats
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Tyne Cot Cemetery Plot: XX Rij: D Graf: 1 |
Onderscheidingen en medailles 3
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British War Medal Medaille |
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Victoria Cross Medaille — 23/11/1917 |
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Victory Medal Medaille |
Points of interest 3
| #1 | Geboorteplaats | ||
| #2 | Dienstneming plaats | ||
| #3 | Plaats van overlijden (bij benadering) |
Mijn verhaal
Sergeant Lewis McGee served in the Australian Infantry 40th Battalion “B” Company, part of the 10th Australian Brigade of the 3rd Australian Division. The Battalion participated in the Battle of Broodseinde on the 4th of October 1917. Sergeant Lewis McGee was recommended for a Victoria Cross for his actions in the Battle of Broodseinde the 4th of October 1917, eight days prior to the Battle of Passchendaele. In this Battle, “B” Company of the 40th Bn. suffered severe casualties, due to German shelling and German machine gun fire coming from strongpoints at the Hamburg Redoubt. Sgt. McGee, armed with only a revolver rushed straight to the nearest pill-box, over an open ground of 50 yards and managed to capture the pill-box. Shortly afterwards, Sgt. McGee organized a small bombing party and managed to capture a machine gun post. He was posthumously awarded with the Victoria Cross for these actions.
On the 6th of October 1917, the Battalion stayed at Vlamerthinge. On the following day, preliminary orders were received for a further attack during the next few days. At 7.15 a.m. of the 10th of October, the Battalion left Vlamertinghe and moved through Ypres. They took bivouac among some shell holes between Dragoon- and Hussar Farms, close to the Zonnebeke-road at Potijze. On the 12th of October 1917, the Battalion participated in the First Battle of Passchendaele. The final objective of this attack was the village of Passchendaele and to form a new line, known as the Green Line. The 3rd Australian Division attacked with, the 9th Brigade on the right, and the 10th Brigade on the left. The 10th Brigade dispositions were as follows: The 37th Bn. had to take the first objective, known as the Red Line. The 40th Bn. had to take the second objective, known as the Blue Line. The 38th Bn. had to take Passchendaele and was to advance to the final objective, known as the Green Line. The 39th Bn. was in reserve. The left boundary of the area allotted to the 10th Brigade was the Ravebeek stream and the right boundary was a line through the south edge of Augustus Wood to a point 300 yards south of the Passchendaele Church. At 9 p.m. the Battalion left bivouac and went to the jump-off line near the road from Bellevue to Keerselaarhoek, following coordinate: 28 D 10 d 45.45. The Battalion’s headquarter was situated in Berlin Wood. At 3.30 a.m., the Battalion reached the assembly position near the jump-off line. Zero hour had been fixed at 5.25 a.m. About 4.30 a.m. the Germans started shelling the assembly position. The shelling continued until the attack. At zero hour, the barrage opened and the Battalion went forward. Simultaneously with the attack, the Brigade suffered casualties of German machine gun fire and an artillery barrage. The three Battalions (37th, 38th and 40th) pushed towards the first objective, the red line. The going was very hard and the Battalion and each company suffered severe casualties in the first 200 yards. The attack was chaotic and the advancing parties were quickly scattered and got intermingled in No Man’s Land. On the right front, despite heavy German machine gun- and shell fire, “B” and “C” company reached Augustus Wood, where they cleared some pill-boxes. Several sources tell that Sgt. McGee was killed in action during this attack on the strongpoints on Augustus Wood. His grave however was found at following coordinate: 28 D 10 b 30.40 near Marshbottom Valley in the sector of “A” Company. It’s highly possible Sgt. McGee lost his Company in the chaos of the attack. He possibly continued the advance with men of “A” Company. At 7 a.m. the first objective was reached. On the right flank the Battalion was in touch with the 9th Brigade, who had advanced up to the second objective. The position of the Battalion came under heavy German machine gun- and shell fire. Under these circumstances it was decided to dig a line and remain on the Red Line. Around noon, a conference was held with all the officers of the Brigade. They decided to withdraw and take up a defensive position. The conference was held due to the difficulty to communicate during the attack. The withdraw commenced at 1.45 p.m. and was spread over an hour and a half. During the withdraw, the Battalion suffered casualties due to German shell fire. By 3.30 p.m. the withdraw was complete. The defensive position ran from Augustus Wood to the road from Bellevue to Keerselaarhoek. He is now buried at Tyne Cot Cemetery.
On the 6th of October 1917, the Battalion stayed at Vlamerthinge. On the following day, preliminary orders were received for a further attack during the next few days. At 7.15 a.m. of the 10th of October, the Battalion left Vlamertinghe and moved through Ypres. They took bivouac among some shell holes between Dragoon- and Hussar Farms, close to the Zonnebeke-road at Potijze. On the 12th of October 1917, the Battalion participated in the First Battle of Passchendaele. The final objective of this attack was the village of Passchendaele and to form a new line, known as the Green Line. The 3rd Australian Division attacked with, the 9th Brigade on the right, and the 10th Brigade on the left. The 10th Brigade dispositions were as follows: The 37th Bn. had to take the first objective, known as the Red Line. The 40th Bn. had to take the second objective, known as the Blue Line. The 38th Bn. had to take Passchendaele and was to advance to the final objective, known as the Green Line. The 39th Bn. was in reserve. The left boundary of the area allotted to the 10th Brigade was the Ravebeek stream and the right boundary was a line through the south edge of Augustus Wood to a point 300 yards south of the Passchendaele Church. At 9 p.m. the Battalion left bivouac and went to the jump-off line near the road from Bellevue to Keerselaarhoek, following coordinate: 28 D 10 d 45.45. The Battalion’s headquarter was situated in Berlin Wood. At 3.30 a.m., the Battalion reached the assembly position near the jump-off line. Zero hour had been fixed at 5.25 a.m. About 4.30 a.m. the Germans started shelling the assembly position. The shelling continued until the attack. At zero hour, the barrage opened and the Battalion went forward. Simultaneously with the attack, the Brigade suffered casualties of German machine gun fire and an artillery barrage. The three Battalions (37th, 38th and 40th) pushed towards the first objective, the red line. The going was very hard and the Battalion and each company suffered severe casualties in the first 200 yards. The attack was chaotic and the advancing parties were quickly scattered and got intermingled in No Man’s Land. On the right front, despite heavy German machine gun- and shell fire, “B” and “C” company reached Augustus Wood, where they cleared some pill-boxes. Several sources tell that Sgt. McGee was killed in action during this attack on the strongpoints on Augustus Wood. His grave however was found at following coordinate: 28 D 10 b 30.40 near Marshbottom Valley in the sector of “A” Company. It’s highly possible Sgt. McGee lost his Company in the chaos of the attack. He possibly continued the advance with men of “A” Company. At 7 a.m. the first objective was reached. On the right flank the Battalion was in touch with the 9th Brigade, who had advanced up to the second objective. The position of the Battalion came under heavy German machine gun- and shell fire. Under these circumstances it was decided to dig a line and remain on the Red Line. Around noon, a conference was held with all the officers of the Brigade. They decided to withdraw and take up a defensive position. The conference was held due to the difficulty to communicate during the attack. The withdraw commenced at 1.45 p.m. and was spread over an hour and a half. During the withdraw, the Battalion suffered casualties due to German shell fire. By 3.30 p.m. the withdraw was complete. The defensive position ran from Augustus Wood to the road from Bellevue to Keerselaarhoek. He is now buried at Tyne Cot Cemetery.
Bronnen 6
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40th Australian Infantry Battalion, (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), AWM4 23/57/19). https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1338583 Gebruikte bronnen |
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Discovering Anzacs http://discoveringanzacs.naa.gov.au/browse/person/38224 Gebruikte bronnen |
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First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920, (National Archives of Australia, Canberra (NAA), B2455, MCGEE L). https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/SearchScreens/NameSearch.aspx. Gebruikte bronnen |
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Green F.C, The Fortieth, A Record of the 40th Battalion, A.L.F., (Sandhurst, Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, 1922), pg. 84-93. Gebruikte bronnen |
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McCarthy C., The Third Ypres Passchendaele. The Day-by-Day Account, (London, Arms & Armour Press, 1995), pg. 113-115. Gebruikte bronnen |
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Snelling S., VC's of the First World War, Passchendaele 1917, (London, Wrens Park Publishing, 2000), pg. 169-177. Gebruikte bronnen |
Meer informatie 4
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/463754 |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/7308129 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=1dcac66b-517b-4607-a953-49ed896b8784 |
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The AIF Project (UNSW Canberra) https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=197704 |