Page 24 - Memorial Groves

PLAQUE NO 36: PLAQUE NO 37: PLAQUE NO 38:

Lt Charles O. Piesse (1900-06) Pte Arthur H. Walton (1893-94) Lieut. Francis S. Burt (1896-97)

11th Battalion 51st Battalion 4th Machine Gun Coy
Died of Wounds : Rouen France Killed in Action: Villers-Brettoneaux Killed in Action: Villers Brettoneaux
7 December 1917. 2 April 1918. Age 34. 24 April 1918. Age 32.
Lieutenant Charles Piesse was from a farming family in the Wagin district. His father was a long serving member of the Private Arthur Walton, the son of a Perth Inspector, trained Lieutenant Francis Burt, the son of Queen's Counsel,
Legislative Council in the Western Australian parliament. as a teacher and worked for the Education Department Septimus Burt, attended Hale School in 1896 and 1897,
until he joined the 51st Battalion in France late in 1916. He before going off to Repton School in England to complete
Charles attended Hale School from 1900 to 1906. His nickname at school was "Oxo". He joined the 11th Battalion early was killed in action during the early phase of the furious his education. He returned to Australia, joined up in the
in 1916 and went off to the Western Front as a platoon commander. He was wounded at Passchendaele and died of his defensive actions at Villers-Brettoneaux. middle of 1916 and embarked for Europe in October.
wounds in Rouen, France. He was initially posted to the 25th Field Artillery Battery
Dedicated by Hale School. and then transferred to the 4th Machine Gun Company.
Dedicated by his family. Placed by the then Deputy Headmaster of Hale School, He was with that unit when he was killed in action at
Placed by his nephew, Mr Jock Johnston (1941-42), assisted by his niece, Geraldine Harkness. Mr Roy Kelley. Villers-Brettoneaux.

Francis Burt’s commemorative plaque in Kings Park, WA is
'The Australians were moved back southward to the Somme Valley sector the first one comes to (No 1) after exiting from the State
War Memorial precinct through the western entry (near the
eternal flame).
in France in time for the last ditch German "Michael" offensive of March Dedicated by his family.

and April in 1918. Australian troops helped turn the tide in the desperate Placed by his nephew, Sir Francis Burt, assisted by then
Hale School Year 9 student, Digby Burges, a great-great
nephew of Lieutenant Francis Burt.
fighting which took place around the town of Villers-Brettoneaux, within

sight of the major French city of Amiens.'