Aus Grave Yard

Australian War Commission Grave Yard

Read through our names, and think of us, now dead,

Who stood here once, like you, and also read

The names of men who in another war

Died, as we died, and see there is no more. (by John Burton)

Members of the Australian Commonwealth Military Forces Whose Bodies Lie in The Sutton Veny Village Churchyard (Click on names/links for more details)

(Some old photographs of the graveyard are here)

Anderson (served as Hegarty) A J	Durkin J H	McLuckie J L	Ryan T
Andrews W T	Eaton J H	McPherson A C	Sager W E
Atrentz E G	Ellery W H	McPherson C J	Sampson J
Ashton C G	Evans C J	Maloney D G	Sampson W H
Atkins A	Flakelar P J	Matthews A R	Scott-Millar E
Bailey T F	Fletcher G H	Matthews C G	Shepperd A E
Bakes H R	Flodin O W	Meacham H A	Simpson R H
Balding A G	Fordham A J	Mitchell R P	Sims W J
Bantick G H	Forsyth A A	Moore H E W	Skinner A J
Baxter J	Gardner G C	Morris T F	Smiley E J
Beggs N F H	Garrett F H	Morton R L	Smith A L T
Berry A	Griffiths W J	Murray R H K	Smith J W
Best V	Grills W J	Mytton E	South H
Bonnefin F A A	Haddow A	Niven T N	Sowton F L
Boon H F G	Hearn G	Nixon H G	Stoops J J
Borgmeyer A J	Henry E C	Olsson F N	Surman B W
Braddish A J	Higgins D C	Owen C	Syle W R
Bryans J	Hill F J	Owens J R	Taylor G
Burgess D W	Hodges A E	Page J, MM	Thompson J W
Cameron M W	Huet F P Y	Parker R S	Thomson A J
Cameron R J	Jacobs A T	Parkes A L	Tubb A L
Carey W H	Jago A L	Paterson E A	Vanderwolf C J
Carson A E	Jones A F	Peut N G	Vincent J D
Cerini W C	Kerr B R (d 1958)	Pittard C H	Wakefield W B
Collingwood S C	Kirk S D	Plummer H A	Walker E
Collis F J	Kitchin W	Podmore J	Watts F
Conley V H	Laidlaw J W, DCM	Polkinghorne S	Webber G, MM
Cox G S	Lane W J	Proud A E	White F J
Cunningham J W	Lapish D M	Quick R	Widdows S G
Cussen J S	Laracy E J	Quihampton W N	Wilkes E H
Darker R H	Leach G R	Robinson G	Willows E W
Degidan J	Lewis H	Rose E	Witts R G
Donnelly D D	Lilley C E	Rosenthal C H R	Worseldine H H
Drake K G	McCurdy J J	Rosevear C H	Yeark A J
.	McKelvie A	Ryan H	Young D C
Nurses	Tyson F I C	Walker J M	.

To find out more about each soldier, follow this link:

http://www.awm.gov.au/database/biographical.asp

Select Roll of Honour, enter the search words Sutton Veny, and the war records and cause of death for each soldier above is displayed.

(If you would like more information displayed below, then please email me with it accordingly.

If you wish to trace relatives or leave any messages, please go to the message board here. If you have any photographs for display on this site; please could I borrow them. J Podmore's citation cannot be found - please let me know if you have any details.)

It is particularly sad that these great men, who had survived the terrible conditions and slaughter on the battlefield, were to die in England of sickness on their way home.

Further information:

Andrews. He was the son of William and Mary Anne Andrews, husband of Annie Andrews, born in Sydney in 1883 he was aged 35 when he died. He was stationed on Salisbury Plain in 1918 awaiting transfer to Germany, when he became a victim of the Flu epidemic in 1918 and died of pneumonia. He was a member of the Australian Infantry 2nd Battalion and had enlisted in 1916. His grave is no.368 B. E 22 Buried St John Church Sutton Veny

Cameron M W. Private Murdoch William Cameron SX 2304. Born 2.2.1894 on Witera Station near the township of Talia in South Australia Occupation prior to enlisting was a Farrier He enlisted in Adelaide 17.8.1915 Aged 21. Joined the 32nd Battalion Left Australia on the boat "Anchises" on 30.3.1916. During the 3 years he fought in France where he was wounded 3 times. He suffered Influenza twice. Contracted Pleurisy which claimed his life 7.4.1919 Aged 25. Died at the Sutton Veny Army Hospital. Buried with full army honours at the Sutton Veny Churchyard 9.4.1919. Received the British War Medal and the Victory Medal

Collis Francis Joseph (1892-1918) and his younger brother Albert Edward Collis (1894-1917) of Brighton in Tasmania; enlisted in 12th Bn Australian Inf. on the same day and sailed together on board the Ulysses to Plymouth in 1916. Francis died aged 25 at Sutton Veny Hospital on 23 March 1918 of generalised tuberculosis after being first wounded and then returned to hospital with 'trench fever'; his brother Albert died of wounds on 21 September 1917 aged 22 and is buried at Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery in Belgium. They were the middle sons of Nicholas & Mary Jane Collis of Brighton Junction, Tasmania. Lest we forget!

Degidan. Brothers - Dvr 31524 Patrick Degidan (3rd Division Ammunition Column) and Dvr 31523 Michael Degidan (13th Field Ambulance Brigade) enlisted on the same day at Yorketown, South Australia. After active service on the Western Front, Michael Degidan returned safely to Australia in March 1919. Not so his brother, Patrick Degidan died of tuberculosis at Sutton Veny, January 13th 1918, aged 28.

Laidlaw. Citation for the Distinguished Conduct Medal: "It is brought to notice for gallant conduct with a pack mule convoy on the 23rd of October, 1917 near BROODSEINDE. When the convoy was nearing BROODSEINDE it ran into an enemy barrage which caused casualties and confusion amongst the men and mules. Driver Laidlaw, with great coolness and resource, collected the animals that had broken away and helped reload the rations from the dead mules to his one, and went on again. He is strongly recommended for distinction".

Webber. Citation for the Military Medal. "For conspicuous bravery and endurance at ZONNEBEKE on 18th of October 1917 during heavy enemy barrage and counter attack, he went out into No Man's Land several times and bandaged and carried wounded men back to our lines, thus saving many of his comrades. His coolness and courage was most marked and he was an example to all."

Page MM

The highest ranking and most decorated Australian who died on 11 November 1918 was Military Medal recipient Sergeant John Page (service number 2135). Born near Quirindi in New South Wales, he enlisted on 13 April 1916. He was an unmarried 28-year-old contractor who nominated his father Peter as his next of kin. On 24 August he embarked with the 3rd reinforcements of the 34th Battalion. He disembarked in England in October and proceeded to France in November. He was appointed Lance Corporal in January 1917, the first of a series of promotions.

On 6 May 1917 he was admitted to hospital suffering a gunshot wound to the groin. He spent several weeks in hospital but rejoined his unit on 15 June and five days later was appointed temporary Corporal. On 15 July, while serving in Belgium, he was wounded for a second time when he suffered a gunshot wound to the neck. He was admitted to hospital in England and shortly after reverted to the rank of Lance Corporal. On 27 October he rejoined his unit, who were now located in France, and in mid-November he was promoted to Corporal. In early December he was promoted to Sergeant. During January-February 1918 he spent six weeks at Brigade School before rejoining his unit on 23 February.

For his actions in early March he was awarded the Military Medal. His citation reads as follows: For devoted service on night of 4-5/3/18 during raid on enemy trenches in vicinity of Warneton. With his party he was temporarily held up by superior numbers of the enemy in the trench leading to his final objective but by his personal courage and determined fighting he eventually cleared the way for the advance. His gallant efforts were of the highest value, and relieved a critical situation for his party.

On 31 August, while serving in France, he was wounded for a third time. He was admitted to hospital in England suffering a gunshot wound to his right arm. He was released from hospital on 16 September and on 22 October 1918 he married 20-year-old domestic servant Elsie Hawkins. The wedding took place in the parish church of her hometown of Harefield, Middlesex. On 31 October he was hospitalised with influenza and he died on 11 November, just three weeks after the wedding and was buried in Sutton Veny, England.