Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Private H. W. Fawley, 3rd Battalion, Australian Imperial Force, killed in action at Lone Pine, Gallipoli, between 7 and 12 August 1915

1914-15 Star (1528 Pte. H. W. Fawley. 3/Bn. A.I.F.); British War and Victory Medals (1528 Pte. H. W. Fawley. 3 Bn A.I.F.) extremely fine (3) £360-400

Henry Wilfred Fawley was born in Rotherham, Yorkshire, and enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in August 1914. He was killed in action fighting with the 3rd Battalion, Australian Infantry at Gallipoli between the 7th and 12th of August, 1915.

The Allies landed on the peninsula on 25-26 April 1915; the 29th Division at Cape Helles in the south and the Australian and New Zealand Corps north of Gaba Tepe on the west coast, an area soon known as Anzac. On 6 August, further landings were made at Suvla, just north of Anzac, and the climax of the campaign came in early August when simultaneous assaults were launched on all three fronts. Lone Pine was a strategically important plateau in the southern part of Anzac which was briefly in the hands of Australian forces following the landings on 25 April. It became a Turkish strong point from May to July, when it was known by them as ‘Kanli Sirt’ (Bloody Ridge). The Australians pushed mines towards the plateau from the end of May to the beginning of August and on the afternoon of 6 August, after mine explosions and bombardment from land and sea, the position was stormed by the 1st Australian Brigade. By 10 August, the Turkish counter-attacks had failed and the position was consolidated. It was held by the 1st Australian Division until 12 September, and then by the 2nd, until evacuation of the peninsula in December.

Private Fawley has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Lone Pine Memorial, Gallipoli.