SEELENMEYER, Cyril Robert
| Service Number: | Officer |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 31 October 1914 |
| Last Rank: | Major |
| Last Unit: | Australian Veterinary Corps |
| Born: | East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 29 April 1892 |
| Home Town: | North Brighton, Bayside, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Melbourne C of E Grammar School; Melbourne , Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation: | Veterinary Surgeon |
| Died: | Died of wounds, France, 8 August 1918, aged 26 years |
| Cemetery: |
Fouilloy Communal Cemetery, Somme B 15 |
| Memorials: | Attwood University Veterinary School Honour Roll, Melbourne Grammar School WW1 Fallen Honour Roll |
World War 1 Service
| 31 Oct 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Captain, Officer, 4th Infantry Brigade Headquarters | |
|---|---|---|
| 22 Dec 1914: | Involvement Captain, 4th Infantry Brigade Headquarters, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '7' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Ulysses embarkation_ship_number: A38 public_note: '' | |
| 22 Dec 1914: | Embarked Captain, 4th Infantry Brigade Headquarters, HMAT Ulysses, Melbourne | |
| 22 Sep 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Captain, Australian Veterinary Corps, Third Ypres | |
| 16 Apr 1918: | Promoted AIF WW1, Major, Australian Veterinary Corps, France (attached to 10th Field Artillery Brigade). | |
| 8 Aug 1918: | Wounded AIF WW1, Major, Australian Veterinary Corps, The Battle of Amiens, Severe SW to left thigh/leg. Evacuated to 13th AFA at Fouilloy however died of wounds the same day. | |
| 8 Aug 1918: | Involvement Major, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: awm_unit: Australian Army Veterinary Corps awm_rank: Major awm_died_date: 1918-08-08 | |
| 24 Oct 1918: | Honoured Military Cross, The action for which he was awarded the M.C. on 3rd June 1918 was "devotion to duty and most efficient service during the period 22nd September 1917 to 24th February 1918, and including all the operations leading up to the capture of the Broodseinde Ridge (east of Ypres). He performed his duties in a most efficient manner, notwithstanding shell fire and aeroplane bombing attacks to which the animals under his care were frequently subject. It was largely owing to his ready assistance, care and skill that the pack animals were enabled to keep the batteries supplied with ammunition, notwithstanding their heavy expenditure during the above operations." Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 165 Date: 24 October 1918 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Sharyn Roberts
Son of Dr. Adolphe and Mrs. Alexandra SEELENMEYER
CYRIL ROBERT SEELENMEYER who died of wounds in France on 8th August 1918 was the son of Dr. A. F. Seelenmeyer of Brighton. He was born in 1893 and entered the School from Cumloden in 1906.
He left in 1907, and entered on the Veterinary course at the Melbourne University, taking his degree B.V.Sc. in 1914
with the Agricultural Society's Silver Medal. His commission as Captain in the Army Veterinary Corps, A.I.F., was dated 17th October 1914, and he saw a great deal of service in Egypt and France, being attached to 12th F.A. Brigade on 13th June 1916.
He was Mentioned in Sir Douglas Haig's Despatches of 7th April 1918
"for gallant and distinguished services in the field," and was promoted to Major on 16th April 1918.
The action for which he was awarded the M.C. on 3rd June
1918 was "devotion to duty and most efficient service during the period 22nd September 1917 to 24th February 1918, and including all the operations leading up to the capture of the Broodseinde Ridge (east of Ypres). He performed his duties in a most efficient manner, notwithstanding shell fire and aeroplane bombing attacks to which the animals under his care were frequently subject. It was
largely owing to his ready assistance, care and skill that the pack animals were enabled to keep the batteries supplied with ammunition, notwithstanding their heavy expenditure during the above operations."
When attending a horse in the Artillery Horse lines on 8th August 1918 he was wounded by a shell. He was taken to a hospital at Fouilloy, on the Somme, but died almost immediately and
was buried there.
Biography contributed by Robert Wight
Cyril Seelenmeyer played 6 games (1914) with the University FC in the VFL prior to his enlistment.
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