Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Stanley was born ar Weismantals, near Gloucester, to grocer George Deards and his wife Adela Saxby Deards in 1891. He was the third of four children and the second and younger brother. His mother died when he was five.

Stanley listed his occupation as a farmer when he enlisted at Newcastle on 25th Jun 2015 but his father was a grocer and he generally helped with the family business. Like his cousin Herbert Everett who also served, he was quite short, only 5’ 4”. He was admitted to the 30th Battalion at Liverpool. He disembarked from the HMAT Ballarat at Suez. He disembarked in Marseille from the Horarta 23rd June 2016.

Stanley served in the trenches of France in WW1, initially in the infantry of the 30th battalion and then in 8th Light Trench Mortar Battery to which he was transferred on 10th May 2017. The trench mortars were deployed near the front line and operated by two men. The ‘Number One’ in the crew would lay or aim the mortar - although they were not in direct line of sight to the enemy. The ‘Number Two’ loaded and fired the mortar.

During the course of his service, Stanley was court martialled for arguing wth a superior officer, but this was struck out after he was recommended for a medal for bravery in the field on 31 Aug 2018 by Lieutenant JW Clark.

On 21st October 1918, Stanley was the awarded Military Medal. The citation read...

'During the enemy counter attack on our newly won positions near VILLE sur ANCRE on the evening of 4th July 1918, he fired on S.O.S. lines until his mortar was taken forward by the N.C.O. in charge of the detachment to a shell hole position on 'No Man's Land'. Without waiting for orders he followed his N.C.O. with ammunition, making in all four trips through an intense barrage, and assisted in firing the mortar, thus helping to put out of action a machine gun which was enfilading our position and causing us many casualties and much inconvenience. Throughout the action he showed great bravery and assisted his Officers in every possible way.'
Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 23
Date: 12 February 1919

Stanley was discharged on 21 Sept 2019. He returned home to Australia on the Beltana.

In 1923, he married Elsie Adelard. They had two sons, Warren and Dudley.

He died in 1961 at the age of 66 in Gloucester. Elsie lived on to the age of 97.

'During the enemy counter attack on our newly won positions near VILLE sur ANCRE on the evening of 4th July 1918, he fired on S.O.S. lines until his mortar was taken forward by the N.C.O. in charge of the detachment to a shell hole position on 'No Man's Land' without waiting for orders he followed his N.C.O. with ammunition, making in all four trips through an intense barrage, and assisted in firing the mortar, thus helping to put out of action a machine gun which was enfilading our position and causing us many casualties and much inconvenience. Throughout the action he showed great bravery and assisted his Officers in every possible way.'
Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 23
Date: 12 February 1919