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Local Heroes WW1
SHIELS, Walter
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- Last Updated: Sunday, 12 April 2015 00:11
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(Pte) Walter Shiels MM
Private Walter Shiels MM 15699 a Farm hand from McGregor Terrace, Rosewater, South Australia, prior to enlistment 9th August 1915, he embarked with the 32nd Battalion, B Company from Adelaide, South Australia, on board HMAT A2 Geelong on 18 November 1915.
| Regimental number | 426 |
| Place of birth | Rosewater, South Australia |
| School | Marist Brothers Roman Catholic School, South Australia |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
| Occupation | Farm hand |
| Address | McGregor Terrace, Rosewater, South Australia |
| Marital status | Single |
| Age at embarkation | 18 |
| Next of kin | Mother, Mrs M Shiels, McGregor Terrace, Rosewater, South Australia |
| Previous military service | Participated in Compulsory Military Training. |
| Enlistment date | 9-Aug-15 |
| Rank on enlistment | Bugler |
| Unit name | 32nd Battalion, B Company |
| AWM Embarkation Roll number | 23/49/1 |
| Embarkation details | Unit embarked from Adelaide, South Australia, on board HMAT A2 Geelong on 18 November 1915 |
| The 32nd Bn (Headquarters, Signallers, A, B, C, and D Companies) embarked from Adelaide, South Australia, on two ships, HMAT A2 'Geelong', on 18 November 1915, and HMAT A13 'Katuna', on 24 November 1915. The Embarkation Roll does not distinguish between these ships, and it is therefore not possible from the Embarkation Roll to ascertain on which ship an individual embarked. | |
| Unit from Nominal Roll | 5th Machine Gun Battalion |
| Other details from Roll of Honour Circular | Served with the 32nd Battalion for two years before transferring to the 5th Machine Gun Battalion. He was gassed at Villers-Bretonneux, France and died at Rouen on 29 April 1918. |
| Fate | Died of wounds 29 April 1918 |
| Place of death or wounding | Rouen, France |
| Age at death | 20 |
| Age at death from cemetery records | 20 |
| Place of burial | St. Sever Cemetery Extension (Block P, Plot XI, Row J, Grave No. 6B), Rouen, France |
| Panel number, Roll of Honour, | |
| Australian War Memorial | 177 |
| Miscellaneous information from | |
| cemetery records | Parents: Charles and Margaret SHIELS, McGregor Terrace, Rosewater, South Australia. Commemorated in Cheltenham Cemetery, Adelaide, South Australia. |
| Medals | |
| Military Medal | “For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in the vicinity of ZONNEBEKE on the night of 10th/11th October, 1917. The C.O. becoming wounded he attended to his wounds and carried instructions to Section Officers in isolated parts of the line. Throughout the night he worked continuously under heavy shell fire and adverse weather conditions and displayed great courage and determination in his capacity as a runner.” |
| Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 95 | |
| Date: 27 June 1918 | |
| Family/military connections | Brother: 614 Pte Richard SHIELS, 32nd Bn, returned to Australia, 8 May 1919. |
| Other details | |
| War service: Egypt, Western Front | |
| Medals: Military Medal, 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal | |
Honours
Walter Shiels was eligible to receive the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal trio and was awarded a Millitary Medal. He did not live to receive his war medals however: his file shows that Base Records Melbourne sent the Millitary Medal to his Parents in July 1919. The British War Medal and Victory Medal would have been posted out in 1923.
The Millitary Medal was Awarded to other ranks for 'acts of gallantry and devotion to duty under fire'. In 1916, the Medal was extended to other ranks of the Navy serving in France, but only for actions in World War 1. In 1931, the availability of the Medal was extended to other ranks of the Air Force for gallant conduct on the ground. Recipients of the medal are entitled to use the post-nominal MM.
“For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in the vicinity of ZONNEBEKE on the night of 10th/11th October, 1917. The C.O. becoming wounded he attended to his wounds and carried instructions to Section Officers in isolated parts of the line. Throughout the night he worked continuously under heavy shell fire and adverse weather conditions and displayed great courage and determination in his capacity as a runner.”
The 1914-15 Star rewarded operational service within a theatre of war between the commencement of hostilities on 5 August 1914 and 31 December 1915. Almost 2.3 million Stars were awarded throughout the Commonwealth, of which 82,000 were awarded to Australians serving in an Australian unit.
The British War Medal 1914-1920 was awarded to members of British and Imperial forces for service between the outbreak of hostilities on 5 August 1914 and the Armistice on 11 November 1918, although eligibility was extended to include service in various theatres up to 1920. Some 5.7 million medals in silver were issued throughout the British Commonwealth, of which 338,000 were awarded to Australians.
The Victory Medal 1914-1919 was awarded to members of British and Imperial forces for operational service only, between 5 August 1914 and 11 November 1918, although eligibility was extended to include service in various theatres during 1919. Some 5.7 million medals were issued throughout the British Commonwealth – 336,000 were awarded to Australians.
The letter describing Private Walter Shiels Gallantry and devotion to Duty
The Semaphore War Memorial was dedicated in 1925 to honour all of those from the district who fought in the war, such as Private Harold Walter Shiels.
Local commemoration
The Semaphore War Memorial on the Esplanade was dedicated in 1925 to honour all of those from the district who fought in the war. A temporary ‘Memorial Arch’ of wood and iron was first erected at the entrance to the Semaphore Jetty bearing the banner title, ‘For King & Empire’. On 27 April 1924, four foundation stones for the new memorial were laid at the approach to the jetty – one on behalf of the citizens of Port Adelaide district, one for the RSSILA, one on behalf of the parents of the fallen men, and one on behalf of the widows and orphans.
No doubt Walter Shiels Parents Margret and Charles would have attended the laying of these foundation stones in 1924 – with its immediate relevance to her. The stone for the parents of those who fell, such as Private Walter Shiels was laid by Mrs Magnus Wald. The late Magnus Wald had been owner of Glanville Hall, proprietor of the South Australian Stevedoring Company and member for Scarborough Ward 1898-00.
They were also most likely among the several thousand people who attended the actual unveiling of the Semaphore War Memorial the following year.
The following year, a granite obelisk was erected on the foundation stones, with an electric ‘turret type’ clock and topped by a marble Angel of Peace with wings outspread. The local newspaper noted, “all the names of those who enlisted from the district or who made the supreme sacrifice cannot be placed on the monument” so it instead bears a simple commemorative plaque.
This foundation stone for the Semaphore War Memorial was laid at the approach to the jetty on 27 April 1924 by Mrs Magnus Wald on behalf the parents of those who fell. For Mrs Margret Shiels, this memorial honoured her son Walter who died of his wounds in Rouen, France on 29 April 1918.
Semaphore & Port Adelaide RSL
For the 2015 commemoration of the Anzac Centenary, the Semaphore & Port Adelaide RSL has created a virtual Honour Board listing the names of over 2,000 local men who volunteered to serve in World War 1. Among them are counted Private Walter Shiels from Rosewater who served in an AIF 32nd Battalion in Egypt and France.
