Private Henry Dalziel

Private Henry Dalziel

15th Battalion

18 February 1893 at Irvinebank, Queensland

4 July 1918

Hamel Wood, France

During an action artillery fire had been brought down on an enemy trench but it had missed the protecting wire. The trench and its garrison were insufficiently damaged and the battalion’s advance was halted by strong resistance. Dalziel, as second member of a gun team, helped his partner to counter enemy machine-gun fire. When fire opened up from another post he dashed forward and, with his revolver, killed or captured the crew and gun, thus allowing the advance to proceed. During this action the tip of his trigger finger was shot away. He was ordered to the rear, but continued to serve his gun in the final storming of Pear trench. Although again ordered to go back to the aid post, he continued to bring up ammunition which had been dropped by aeroplane, until he was shot in the head. Dalziel’s wound was so severe that his skull was smashed and the brain exposed.

24 July 1965 at the Repatriation Hospital, Greenslopes, Brisbane.

Plaque at Mount Thompson Crematorium, Brisbane.

Privately held