Lest We Forget - Wilmington and Districts

01/09/2026

Leading Aircraftsman
Ralph Wilton HARDING

Born:- 13-4-1921 Little Spring Creek
Died:- 8-9-1986 and is buried at Pt PIRIE.



Ralph Wilton HARDING was born at Little Spring Creek via WILMINGTON on 13th of April 1921.

He enlisted in the RAAF on the 3rd of August 1940 at WILMINGTON and was allocated RAAF Service number 141387. On enlistment he listed his employment as a Machine Apprentice at HUME Steel PORT PIRIE.

On enlistment he advised he had served for 3 months with the 9/23 Light Horse Regiment Militia in 1941 (S7252) . He was described as 5ft 7” tall with dark complexion and hair and blue eyes,

Ralph married Neita (Nettie) HINKS at Port Pirie in December 1941.
Ralph was a Leading Aircraftsman. He served overseas in MILNE BAY, LAE and MADANG

He discharged from the RAAF on the 10th January 1946 and was awarded the 39-45 star, Australian Service Medal 39-45 and the Returned from Active Service badge.

Ralph HARDING died on the 8th of September 1986 aged 65 years.

He is buried in the Port Pirie General Cemetery with Neita his wife who died on 18-5-2000 aged 81 years.

Ralph and Neitas son Lynton HARDING continued the family service to the country when he served with the 3rd Royal Australian Regiment in Vietnam in 1971.

LEST WE FORGET

22/08/2026

Corporal
Randolph John Stewart Payne

Regimental Number SX7762, 2/48 Infantry Battalion

Born 9-3-1921 ADELAIDE
Died 29-8-1992 ADELAIDE

Randolph John Stewart Payne was born on 9 March 1921 in Adelaide, son of Ross Campbell Payne and Christmas Pearl Pepper.

Randolph J S PAYNE was the grandson of Randolph PAYNE who was a headmaster at the WILMINGTON School and father (amongst others) to Ross Campbell PAYNE and John R S PAYNE.

Ross PAYNE, this Randolphs father, was the brother of John Randolph Stewart PAYNE who left WILMINGTON to fight in the Boer War only to return badly injured and then die of his injuries on 2-8-1902.

Randolph John Stewart PAYNE was brought up and living in PARUNA and BARMERA and working as a mechanic and a horticulturalist in BARMERA. He was working as a chemists assistant in Barunga (near KATHERINE) NORTHERN TERRITORY.

Prior to the war PAYNE had been arrested a number of times as a leader of a gang of youths in ADELAIDE who assaulted others and illegally used cars in the ADELAIDE area. He appears to have moved to the NT and started sorting his life out.

He returned home and attended at GLOSSOP when he enlisted on 4 July 1940 stating he was a labourer, joining the 2/48th Infantry Battalion, one of Australia’s most decorated units. On enlistment Randolph was described as having fair hair, blue eyes a number of scars and tattoos. He was 24 years old and 5’2 ½” tall. On the 10th of October 1940 Randolph married Thelma Irene and they moved to 20 Stafford Street ADELAIDE.

On the 7th of November 1940 the 2/48th embarked aboard the HMAT STRATHEDEN from ADELAIDE. During his service Randolph attained the rank of Corporal and had Service Number SX7762.

The 2/48th Battalion fought with distinction in campaigns across North Africa, including the legendary battles of El Alamein, Tobruk and later in the Pacific. Service with the 2/48th Battalion placed soldiers in the heart of some of the fiercest fighting of the war. Randolph was discharged on the 22nd of December 1944 after 1,575 days service due to illness and an injury to his left elbow.

Randolph PAYNE died of throat cancer on the 29th of August 1992, aged 71 years and was later buried in Dudley Park Cemetery, South Australia

Randolph PAYNE is related to John PAYNE and so is remembered here for his service and his link to WILMINGTON.

LEST WE FORGET

19/08/2026

103 years ago now, the laying of the foundation stone for the Wilmington Soldiers Memorial Institute.

14/08/2026

VP DAY, the end to WW2

LEST WE FORGET

13/08/2026

John "Jack" GROVES

Born:- Stone Hut , South Australia, 22 November 1890
on enlistment living at Booleroo Centre, Mount Remarkable, South Australia

Died of wounds:- ( (gun shot wound, left knee, thigh and arm) at 11th Stationary Hospital, Rouen, France, on 14 August 1916, aged 25 years .

Jack was recommended for a Victoria Cross for his brave actions where he was injured and later succumbed to.

Sadly he did not receive this honour and even sadder is the fact he was not recommended for any other honour for this his ultimate sacrifice.

The link in this story is well worth following for more information, The VITUAL WAR MEMORIAL AUSTRALIA site is a fantastic source of information.

LEST WE FORGET

John Farthing (Jack) GROVES from Mount Remarkable, South Australia was given a recommendation for a Victoria Cross that read:

"During the morning of 25th July the attack for Melvilles redoubt was hung up for some time by a M G some 200 yards up the trench - Pte Groves crawled across the open to within 30 yards of the emplacement& threw 3 bombs into the trench which put the gun out of action & allowed the attack to proceed. During this gallant action Pte Groves was under heavy MG fire he was severely wounded in three places & only returned to his trench with the utmost difficulty. - E.G. Sinclair-Maclagan"

Unfortunately, Private John Groves died of wounds on 14 August 1916 and no award was made.

Read more here: https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/372069

We will remember him.

08/08/2026

Lance Corporal

John James NELSON

Born WILMINGTON 27 – 4 - 1890
–
Killed in Action POZIERES (Circular Trench) 10 – 8 - 1916

John James NELSON was born in WILMINGTON to William James & Elizabeth NELSON.

He was killed in the Pozieres battles on the attack on Circular Trench.
His body was never located.

LEST WE FORGET

07/08/2026

Private
George Frederick MASTERMAN

16th Auckland Infantry Brigade
NEW ZEALAND Expeditionary Force

Born 16-8-1886
-
Killed in Action Gallipoli 08-08-1915

George was apparently doing some very good work as a sniper when as he was retiring from the front line he was killed.

8 days short of his 29th birthday..

LEST WE FORGET

06/08/2026

Private
Arthur DENNIS

Born WILMINGTON 27 - 4 - 1888
–
Killed in Action POZIERES 7 - 8 - 1916

Lest We Forget

05/08/2026

Lone Pine.

The Battle of Lone Pine (6–10 August 1915) was a fierce diversionary attack by Australian forces during the Gallipoli campaign, resulting in a costly but strategically significant victory over Ottoman troops.

The battle was part of the August Offensive, a coordinated Allied effort to capture the Sari Bair Range and break out of the ANZAC perimeter at Gallipoli. Lone Pine, located on the 400 Plateau near Anzac Cove, was chosen as a diversionary attack to draw Ottoman attention and reserves away from the main assaults on Chunuk Bair and Hill 971. The attack was ordered by Brigadier General Harold Walker, despite his reservations about assaulting well-fortified Turkish trenches

The Assault
The attack began at 5:30 PM on 6 August 1915, with Australian troops advancing under the slanting evening sun, which blinded the defenders. Preparations included artillery bombardments, destruction of barbed wire, tunneling across no-man’s-land, and the detonation of mines to provide cover

Within 20 minutes, the Australians captured the main Turkish trench, which was roofed with timber and earth, forcing soldiers into a fierce fight in communication trenches and partially enclosed positions!

Intense Fighting
From 6 to 9 August, the battle devolved into brutal hand-to-hand combat in a complex network of trenches and tunnels. Grenades, bayonets, knives, and even fists were used as the Australians defended their gains against repeated Ottoman counterattacks. Reinforcements were brought forward through safe passages dug by engineers to maintain the captured positions

The Turkish 47th Regiment, commanded by Tewfik Bey, led counterattacks but ultimately failed, with Bey killed in action

Casualties and Recognition
The battle was extremely costly: over 2,300 Australian casualties and approximately 6,000 Ottoman casualties were recorded!!

Seven Australians were awarded the Victoria Cross, the highest number for a single action in the campaign

Despite the tactical victory at Lone Pine, the wider August Offensive failed, and a stalemate persisted around the area until the evacuation of Allied troops in December 1915

Significance
Lone Pine demonstrated the courage, resilience, and ingenuity of ANZAC troops under extreme conditions. While it did not achieve the strategic breakthrough intended by the August Offensive, the battle remains one of the most iconic and celebrated engagements of the Gallipoli campaign, symbolizing the determination and sacrifice of Australian forces.

Also a detailed description here ... https://wm.awm.gov.au/read/bloody-ridge
LEST WE FORGET