Lest We Forget - Wilmington and Districts

13/05/2026

Boer War Remembrance Day is on 26th May.

Mentioned here is a Wilmington man who died whilst in Service in the Boer War.

Lest we forget him or all of the others.

LEST WE FORGET

10/05/2026

The Battle of Coral–Balmoral was one of the most significant actions fought by Australian forces in the Vietnam War. From 12 May to 6 June 1968, soldiers of the 1st Australian Task Force held two fire support bases—Coral and Balmoral—against repeated large-scale attacks by North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces.

Despite being heavily outnumbered and facing intense mortar, rocket, and ground assaults, the Australians stood firm. With courage, discipline, and teamwork—supported by artillery, armour, and air support—they repelled every attack and prevented further enemy advances toward Saigon.

Twenty-six Australians were killed and many more wounded. Their actions at Coral and Balmoral remain a powerful testament to bravery under fire.

We honour their service. Lest we forget.

48 years ago on this day, 16 May 1968, the second attack on Australian Fire Support Base (FSB) Coral took place in Vietnam.

By 15 May Coral had become a strong defensive position, more prepared than it had been on that first night of 13 May to withstand further North Vietnamese attacks. The next one came early on the morning of 16 May and, like the earlier assault, it began with a barrage of mortar and Rocket Propelled Gr***de (RPG) fire, this time directed mainly against the guns of 102 Field Battery, A Battery 2/35th Battalion US Artillery and the headquarters and maintenance areas.

On this occasion two battalions of North Vietnamese soldiers were sent against Coral. 1RAR’s A, B and C companies bore the brunt of the onslaught but few of the assaulting troops were able to pe*****te the Australian defences. Fire from Coral’s small arms, artillery and mortars, a United States battery, helicopters and the lethal spookies – C-47 aircraft equipped with flares and miniguns – stopped the North Vietnamese but only after, as one Australian said later, ‘a torrid four hours’.

By 6.30 am the battle was over; only the North Vietnamese rearguard fought on to cover the main force’s withdrawal. Five Australians had been killed and thirty-four North Vietnamese bodies were found in front of the Australian positions. A medic in C Company, 1RAR, remembered the unsettling effect of seeing the enormous amount of weaponry arrayed against the North Vietnamese only to find ‘a few bodies’ the next morning. The practice of removing as many of their dead as possible from the battlefield meant that no-one had any real idea of how many North Vietnamese had been killed or wounded in these battles.

Between 12 May and 6 June 1968, 25 Australians were killed and 99 Australians, 5 New Zealanders and 5 Americans were wounded in the battles at FSB's Coral and Balmoral. At least 267 NVA were killed (officially) and 7 were captured. But many NVA dead and wounded were taken away from the battlefield.

Download this great, detailed outline of the first Battle of Coral 12 & 13 May 1968 - http://bit.ly/1qn4hyo (854 KB)

Learn more about the Battles of Coral and Balmoral here - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Coral%E2%80%93Balmoral

03/05/2026

Lance Corporal
Ernest Willie GOODENOUGH

Born 29 - 10 - 1890
–
Killed in Action 6 - 5 - 1917 (109 years ago)

Ernest Willie GOODENOUGH was born 29th October 1890 at PINDA (near WILMINGTON), to George and Eliza GOODENOUGH who moved to WILMINGTON. Ernest had 4 brothers and 8 sisters.

LEST WE FORGET

29/04/2026

Private
James Albert Oliver JONES

Born 12 - 2 - 1892
–
Killed in Action 3 - 5 - 1917

Killed in the Battle of Bullecourt JONES' body was never recovered after the war.

LEST WE FORGET

23/04/2026

This years Anzac Day service is at 6am at the Soldiers Memorial Hall. Rug up, be early. LEST WE FORGET

11/04/2026

85th anniversary of the siege of Tobruk

This month marks the 85th anniversary of the commencement of the famous siege of Tobruk.

Between 10th April and August (continuing for some until October),1941 around 14,000 Australian soldiers were besieged in Tobruk by a German–Italian army commanded by General Erwin ROMMEL. The garrison, commanded by Lieutenant General Leslie MORSHEAD, consisted of the 9th Division (20th, 24th, and 26th Brigades), the 18th Brigade of the 7th Division, along with four regiments of British artillery and some Indian troops.

It was vital for the Allies' defence of Egypt and the Suez Canal to hold the town with its harbour, as this forced the enemy to bring most of their supplies overland from the port of Tripoli, across 1500 km of desert, as well as diverting troops from their advance.

Tobruk was subject to repeated ground assaults and almost constant shelling and bombing. The N**i propagandist Lord Haw Haw (William JOYCE) derided the tenacious defenders as 'rats', a term that the Australian soldiers embraced as an ironic compliment.

The soldiers from then on proudly referred to themselves as “The Rats of Tobruk” and it was considered a matter of pride if you were “a Rat of Tobruk”.

The Royal Navy and the Royal Australian Navy provided the garrison's link to the outside world, the so-called 'Tobruk ferry'. These ships included the Australian destroyers Napier, Nizam, Stuart, Vendetta and Voyager. Losses comprised two destroyers, including HMAS Waterhen, three sloops, including HMAS Parramatta, and 21 smaller vessels. (Alexander “Lex” LAW served on these Navy supply ship missions)

Half the Australian garrison was relieved in August, the rest in September-October. However, 2/13 Battalion could not be evacuated and was still there when the siege was lifted on 10 December, the only unit present for the entire siege.

Australian casualties from the 9th Division from 8th April to 25th October numbered 749 killed, 1,996 wounded and 604 prisoners. The total losses in the 9th Division and attached troops from 1st March to 15th December amounted to 832 killed, 2,177 wounded and 941 prisoners.

The Australian positions at Tobruk were said to have been more heavily bombed than all of London in WW2!

The brave service of these Australians was also begrudgingly admired by the German Commander General Edwin ROMMEL.

LEST WE FORGET.

30/03/2026

Private
Robert Henry McCOLL

Born 27 – 12 - 1886 at WILMINGTON
–
Killed in Action 15 – 4 - 1917

Robert Henry McCOLL was born 16th August, 1896 in WILMINGTON to Hugh and Hannah MCCOLL who lived in WILMINGTON.
He was brought up in WILMINGTON but moved to GREENTHORPE, NSW and was a Farmer there before enlistment.

After fighting regularly on the Western Front and pushing the Germans back, the Germans efficiently launched a counter-attack in the Lagnicourt area at dawn on 15 April, 1917 utilising a massive 23 German battalions.

They rapidly occupied Lagnicourt and captured several batteries of the 1st Australian Division's artillery. It was cold and rained heavily during the entire day.

A vigorous counter-attack by four Australian battalions (including Robert with the 20th Battalion), just after 7 am recaptured the village and most of the guns, This forced a premature German withdrawal.

This was bitter fighting and during the battles on this date, unfortunately Robert was one of 56 men of the 20th battalion killed in action.

As Robert McCOLLs body has not been recovered his name is one of the over 4,000 killed in action and never found from this area whose names are now etched on the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial.

LEST WE FORGET

13/03/2026

Information about the GAZA War Cemetery and its recent desecration

19/02/2026

Private
Frederick GRAY

Born 29 - 11 - 1894
–
Died of illness 8 - 3 - 1917

Dying 109 years ago on 8-3-2026, a long time ago
but definitely not forgotten.

He became ill after prolonged fighting against the Germans as they had retreated to the Hindenberg Line and on the 21st day of February 1917 was admitted to hospital.

Frederick GRAY died on the 8th March 1917.

Freds brother, Mark GRAY, also died in service during WW1.

A devastating loss for the family.
Lest we forget

16/02/2026

Private
Richard Edwin BAILEY

Born WILMINGTON 31-10-1893

Killed in Action 17-2-1917

Killed in Action near Bapaume, FRANCE.

LEST WE FORGET.