Walter Bell Blair
From Our Contribution
 | |
| Personal Information | |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | c 1893 |
| Place of Birth | Murwillumbah, New South Wales |
| Death | 2 May 1915 |
| Place of Death | Gallipoli, Turkey |
| Age at Enlistment | 20 years, 5 months |
| Description |
5'7½" (1.71m); 145lbs, fair complexion, blue eyes, ginger hair tall ; 150lbs 68.039 kg ; fair complexion ; blue eyes ; ginger hair |
| Occupation | School Teacher |
| Religion | Presbyterian |
| Address | Maddington, Western Australia |
| Next of Kin | Father , Mr Thomas Blair |
| Military Information | |
| Reg Number | 145 |
| Date of Enlistment | 17 Aug 1914 |
| Rank | Lance Corporal |
| Unit/Formation | B Company 11th Battalion / 3rd Brigade, 1st Division |
| Date of Embarkation | 31 Oct 1914 ‒ 5 Dec 1914 |
| Ship Embarked On | HMAT A7 Medic |
| Fate | Killed in Action 2 May 1915 |
| Monument |
Gosnells War Memorial Gosnells Road Board Honour Roll Lone Pine Memorial Australian War Memorial |
| Medals |
1914-15 Star British War Medal Victory Medal |
Contents
Pre War
Born during 1893, at Murwillumbah, New South Wales, his parents were Thomas Blair and Jessie Blair. By 1914 the Walter and his parents had moved to Perth, and resided in Kelvin road, Maddington. Walter had completed 8 months prior service in the Western Australian Scottish Rifles (Citizen Military Forces). At the time of his enlistment he was teaching at the Maylands State School.
War Service
An original member of the 11th Battalion who enlisted on the day that the 11th Battalion was created, entered Blackboy Hill camp and following some basic training was taken on strength by the battalion on 6 Oct 1914 and allocated to 'B' Company. By late September the unit was complete, and on 31 October the unit received its embarkation orders. While Walter's records show him as boarding the HMAT A11 Ascanius, in fact 'A' and 'B' Companies travelled aboard HMAT A7 Medic[1] Boarding occurred on 31 October, and the ships departed harbour late that day, only to anchor in Gauge Roads. Late on 2 Nov 1914 both ships sailed out to meet the 1st Convoy on the other side of Rottnest Island.
Arriving in Alexandria on 5 Dec 1914, they did not disembark until the following day when they enjoyed a 5 hour rail journey to Mena camp near Cairo along the banks of the Nile River. Walter was appointed Lance Corporal on 16 Feb 1915. The battalion remained in camp training until late on 28 Feb 1915 when they travelled by train to Alexandria where the 11th Battalion boarded HMAT A23 Suffolk for Lemnos Island, arriving there on 5 Mar 1915.
The 11th Battalion were part of the Covering Force, first ashore to secure a foothold. 'B' Company formed part of the second wave ashore and travelled to Gallipoli aboard transports before transferring to British Destroyers offshore. After landing they were embroiled in three days of fierce fighting, taking heavy casualties until they were relieved and gathered on the beach late on 28 Apr 1915.
On Saturday, 1 May 1915 the battalion was sent back into the line, and on 2 May 1915 the 11th Battalion was in the middle of the southern sector of the front line. There is nothing in either the battalion's War Diary or their History Book "Game to the Last" to indicate how Walter was killed on 2 May, although Turkish snipers were active. As he is remembered on the Lone Pine Memorial he does not occupy a known grave.
BLAIR.-On April 25, killed in action at the Dardanelles, Walter Bell Blair, third surviving son of Thomas and Jessie Blair, of Maddington, and brother of Herbert, Thomas, Isabella, Elizabeth, and John Blair. Dearly beloved, deeply mourned.[2]