LT SYMONS
William John
Unit: 7th Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 1st Division
Date: 8 - 9 August 1915
Place: Lone Pine, Gallipoli Peninsula, Turkey
Conflict: World War 1
CITATION: For most conspicuous bravery on the night of 8th-9th August 1915, at Lone Pine Trenches, in the Gallipoli Peninsula. He was in command of the right section of the newly captured trenches held by his battalion and repelled several counter-attacks with great coolness. At about 5 a.m. on 9th August, a series of determined attacks were made by the enemy on an isolated sap, and six officers were in succession killed or severely wounded, a portion of the sap being lost. Lieutenant Symons then led a charge and retook the lost sap, shooting two Turks with his revolver. The sap was under hostile fire from three sides and Lieutenant Symons withdrew some 15 yards to a spot where some overhead cover could be obtained, and in the face of heavy fire, built up a sand barricade. The enemy succeeded in setting fire to the fascines and woodwork of the headcover, but Lieutenant Symons extinguished the fire and rebuilt the barricade. His coolness and determination finally compelled the enemy to discontinue the attacks. (London Gazette: 15th October 1915.)
LT TUBB
Frederick Harold
Unit: 7th Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 1st Division
Date: 9 August 1915
Place: Lone Pine, Gallipoli Peninsula, Turkey
Conflict: World War 1
CITATION: For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty at Lone Pine Trenches, Gallipoli Peninsula, on 9th August 1915. In the early morning the enemy made a determined counter-attack on the centre of the newly captured trench held by Lieutenant Tubb. They advanced up a sap and blew in a sandbag barricade, leaving only one foot of it standing, but Lieutenant Tubb led his men back, repulsed- the enemy and rebuilt the barricade. Supported by strong bombing parties the enemy succeeded in twice again blowing in the barricades, but on each occasion Lieutenant Tubb, although wounded in the head and arm, held his ground with the greatest coolness and rebuilt it, and finally succeeded in maintaining his position under very heavy bomb fire. (London Gazette: 15th October 1915.)
CPL BURTON
Alexander Stewart
Unit: 7th Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 1st Division
Date: 9 August 1915
Place: Lone Pine, Gallipoli Peninsula, Turkey
Conflict: World War 1
CITATION: For most conspicuous bravery at Lone Pine Trenches, on the 9th August 1915. In the early morning the enemy made a determined counter-attack on the centre of the newly captured trench held by Lieutenant Tubb, Corporals Burton, Dunstan and a few men. They advanced up a sap and blew in a sandbag barricade, leaving only one foot of it standing, but Lieutenant Tubb, with the two Corporals, repulsed the enemy and rebuilt the barricade. Supported by strong bombing parties, the enemy twice again succeeded in blowing in the barricade, but on each occasion thee were repulsed and the barricade rebuilt, although Lieutenant Tubb was wounded in the head and arm and Corporal Burton was killed by a bomb whilst most gallantly building up the parapet under a hail of bombs. (London Gazette: 15th October 1915)
CPL DUNSTAN
William
Unit: 7th Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 1st Division
Date: 9 August 1915
Place: Lone Pine, Gallipoli Peninsula, Turkey
Conflict: World War 1
CITATION: For most conspicuous bravery at Lone Pine Trenches, on the 9th August, 1915. In the early morning the enemy made a determined counter-attack on the centre of the newly captured trench held by Lieutenant Tubb, Corporals Burton, Dunstan and a few men. They advanced up a sap and blew in a sandbag barricade, leaving only one foot of it standing, but Lieutenant Tubb, with the two Corporals, repulsed the enemy and rebuilt the barricade. Supported by strong bombing parties, the enemy twice again succeeded in blowing in the barricade, but on each occasion thee were repulsed and the barricade rebuilt, although Lieutenant Tubb was wounded in the head and arm and Corporal Burton was killed by a bomb whilst most gallantly building up the parapet under a hail of bombs. (London Gazette: 15th October 1915)
PTE BEATHAM Robert Matthew
Private Robert Matthew Beatham
Born 16th June 1894 at Glassonby, Cumberland, England. While still in his teens he migrated alone to Australia
Unit:8th Battalion, 2nd Brigade, !st Division.
Date:
Place
Conflict:World War 1
On 9th August 1918 at Rosieres, near Villers-Bretonneux France, when the 8th Battalion was held up during an action Beatham, assisted by Lance Corporal Nottingham, rushed forward and bombed and fought the crews of four guns, killing ten and capturing ten others, thus allowing the advance to continue and saving many casualties. On 11 August Beatham, though wounded, rushed another machine gun and bombed and silenced it. In doing so he was riddled with bullets and killed.
He is buried at Heath Cemetery, Harbonnieres, France.
His VC medal is lodged with the United Service Club, 183 Wickham Terrace, Brisbane. It sold in 1999 for a then record price for an Australian VC of $178,500