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Difference between revisions of "Lionel Newton Savage"

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|  label22 = Monument
 
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|  data22 = [[Kelmscott Congregational Church Honour Board]]<br />[[Kelmscott War Memorial]] (South panel)
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|  data22 = [[Kelmscott Congregational Church Honour Board]]<br />[[Kelmscott War Memorial]] (South panel)<br />Australian War Memorial <ref>https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1663702 accessed 29 Apr 2018</ref>
 
 
 
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|  data23 = [[British War Medal]]<br />[[Victory Medal]]
 
|  data23 = [[British War Medal]]<br />[[Victory Medal]]
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From the 44th Battalions War Diary, Lionel was one of 5 Officers and 80 men who were either Killed in Action or Died Of Wounds received during October while they were in the front line to the east of Ypres. On the 18th October they had been pulled back to Hill 40 where they were in reserve, so it is likely that his wound was caused by enemy artillery. The wound was a compressed fracture to the base of his skull.   
 
From the 44th Battalions War Diary, Lionel was one of 5 Officers and 80 men who were either Killed in Action or Died Of Wounds received during October while they were in the front line to the east of Ypres. On the 18th October they had been pulled back to Hill 40 where they were in reserve, so it is likely that his wound was caused by enemy artillery. The wound was a compressed fracture to the base of his skull.   
  
His Red Cross file contains a letter from the Officer Commanding 7th Canadian General Hospital  
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His Red Cross file <ref>https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/awm-media/collection/RCDIG1056879/document/5644565.PDF accessed 29 Apr 2018</ref> contains a letter from the Officer Commanding 7th Canadian General Hospital  
 
<blockquote>.."This patient was admitted in an unconscious condition, suffering from Compound fractures to the base of skull, the result of a shell wound on 20.10.17 and remained unconscious until his death on 28.10.17.  He was buried 29.10.17 in grave No. V407 at the Étaples Military Cemetery with full military honours."</blockquote>
 
<blockquote>.."This patient was admitted in an unconscious condition, suffering from Compound fractures to the base of skull, the result of a shell wound on 20.10.17 and remained unconscious until his death on 28.10.17.  He was buried 29.10.17 in grave No. V407 at the Étaples Military Cemetery with full military honours."</blockquote>
  

Revision as of 18:23, 29 April 2018

Lionel Newton Savage
Savage Lionel Newton AWM PO7353 001.jpg
Australian War Memorial PO7353.001
Savage Lionel.jpg
The drill of the Foot-Hills 1918 Jan-Feb edition, P.4
Savage Lionel002.jpg
BLSL Collection
Personal Information
Date of Birth unknown
Place of Birth Hendon, Middlesex, England
Death 28 Oct 1917
Place of Death 7th Canadian General Hospital Étaples, France
Age at Enlistment 18 years old
Description 5' 9¾" (1.77m) tall; weight 133 lbs (60.3 Kg); of fresh complexion with brown eyes and dark brown hair.
Occupation electrician
Religion Church of England
Address 'Linlithgow', Kelmscott, Western Australia
Next of Kin Father Mr Thomas Lionel Savage
Military Information
Reg Number 971
Date of Enlistment 13 Dec 1915
Rank Private
Unit/Formation 44th Battalion Headquarters Company / 11th brigade, 3rd Division
Date of Embarkation 6 Jun 1916 - 21 Jul 1916
Ship Embarked On HMAT A29 Suevic
Fate Wounded in Action 18 Oct 1917 Battle for Passchendaele
Died of those Wounds on 28 Oct 1917
Monument Kelmscott Congregational Church Honour Board
Kelmscott War Memorial (South panel)
Australian War Memorial [1]
Medals British War Medal
Victory Medal


Pre War

Arrived in Australia from England on 1 Dec 1913.

War Service

Prior to leaving Australia Lionel was trained as a signaller (he was morally opposed to taking life) and posted to the Signalling Section attached to the 44th Battalion Head Quarters. During the passage from Fremantle to England, he was admitted to the ship's hospital for 2 days with bronchitis.

On arrival in England, along with the rest of the 3rd Division units, his battalion undertook 4 months training to bring them up to battle readiness. They were housed at Camp 13 at Larkhill, not far from Stonehenge

The battalion proceeded to France via Southampton on 25 Nov 1916 after being reviewed by the King. Disembarking at Le Havre at 6.30am on the 26th and the battalion spent two days in a 'rest camp' before it entrained on the 27th for Steenwerck where they went into reserve, remaining there until 22 Dec 1916.

After inspection by Gen Sir Douglas Haig they moved to Armentieres, still in reserve until they moved into the line for the first time east of Armentiès on 30 Dec 1916. They remained in the line until relieved by the 42nd Battalion on 5 Jan 1917, and returned to the front line after a rest on 24 Jan 1917 for a further five days.

February was spent in the Armentieres area before moving to Ploegsteert (Woods) in the middle of March. On 4 April 1917 they were withdrawn from the front lines / reserves and spent most of April and May providing troops for working parties.

On 7 June 1917 they participated in the attack on Messines Ridge as the reserve battalion, moving forward on the 8th to capture the green line, while taking very few casualties. However, they then were to lose up to 300 casualties defending their new positions, twice having to fall back under shelling by their own artillery.

They were relieved by the 43rd Battalion on the night of 11/12th June, but returned to the front line for a further 5 day stint on 22 Jun 1917. They next went into the front lines on 6th July for another 5 days and carried out patrol work. During July while in the front line trenches, the men were in water and mud up to their waists. The first three weeks in August were spent as reserve before being withdrawn from the front entirely to regroup, retrain and take on reinforcements during September.

From the 44th Battalions War Diary, Lionel was one of 5 Officers and 80 men who were either Killed in Action or Died Of Wounds received during October while they were in the front line to the east of Ypres. On the 18th October they had been pulled back to Hill 40 where they were in reserve, so it is likely that his wound was caused by enemy artillery. The wound was a compressed fracture to the base of his skull.

His Red Cross file [2] contains a letter from the Officer Commanding 7th Canadian General Hospital

.."This patient was admitted in an unconscious condition, suffering from Compound fractures to the base of skull, the result of a shell wound on 20.10.17 and remained unconscious until his death on 28.10.17. He was buried 29.10.17 in grave No. V407 at the Étaples Military Cemetery with full military honours."

In the 11 months that Lionel served in France he appears to have remained with the 44th Battalion without incident until he was wounded.

  • Lionel's Original Grave
  • Commonwealth War Graves Commission
  • Étaples Military Cemetery


Post War

Parents moved to Leake Street, Victoria Park in late 1917 and to Carlisle in 1923.

Notes

Buried in ÉTAPLES MILITARY CEMETERY - Plot XXX, Row G, Grave 20. Son of Thomas Lionel and Laura Kate Savage of Carnarvon Street, Carlisle, WA. Native of Forrest Gate London. Étaples is a town about 27 kilometres south of Boulogne.

For further information relating to Lionel's time with the 44th Battalion see Eggs-a-Cook The Story of the Forty Forth War - as the Digger Fought It. Capt C. Longmore The Imperial War Museum.

External Links