Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

This extract from a letter to his father appeared in the The Argus, Tuesday 22 February 1916.

“ I was promoted to the rank of lieutenant on August 6, just before that deadly Lone Pine charge, that you probably know all about, and transferred to the 7th Battalion the same day, just in time to take part in one of the severest fights fought on Gallipoli. One regiment, the 7th, lost 300 out of 500 in one night, so you can see the poor old 7th lost heavily. Still, I lived to see another day of honour. About September 15 I was taken ill, and arrived in England by hospital ship on October 26,  and spent from five to six weeks at Wandsworth Hospital, then came down here (Penrice Castle) for a few weeks to convalence. I have now been here two weeks, but am leaving tomorrow morning to go and stay at Brighton for a few days. Then I go up to London for four or five days. Then back to Swansea to spend Christmas week with a wealthy steel plate manufacturer. Then I have been asked by another wealthy gentleman in Swansea to spend a few days in his lovely house with the kind use of his motor car. We have been taken in everywhere with open hands and the people are exceedingly kind to us – we have been asked everywhere. Just a word about this place where I am staying. It will give you an idea of the love and kindness of the English people to the Australians. Swansea is about 12 miles from Penrice Castle, and is in the south of Wales, and an enormously wealthy coal and steel district. This estate has a fine castle, and 50,000 acres surrounding it. It is owned by a Miss Talbot, reputed to be one of the richest women in England. She also owns another fine estate about 60 miles from here, at point Talbot, which has a grand castle, called Margam Park, and 65,000 acres. She built the Port Talbot Docks, costing £2,500,000, and practically owns the Great Western Railway, so you can see she is fairly well in. Well, she put the castle, with all the servants, at the disposal of convalescent and wounded Australian officers, and a fortnight ago 14 of us from Wandsworth Hospital came here for a few weeks. This is a beautiful place, and I am at a loss for words. From my bedroom window I can look out on a lovely terraced garden, with all its lawns. Then beyond that you can see the sheep resting in the park, with a beautiful lake in the grounds, and far beyond that you can see the breakers, dashing up on the coast-line.

We have plenty of motoring and shooting, &c. Last week the agent, who lives here in Miss Talbot’s interests, and three of us went out for a day’s shooting on the moors with four guns in all, and we got a splendid bag of 185 pheasants, 10 woodcock, 20 pairs of rabbits, and 1 plover. I have sent two of the most pleasant weeks of my life down here, among  friends so kind and true. I often think that it is very gratifying to be compensated for doing our little bit for the mother country by such unbounded hospitality and kindness on the part of these splendid English people, who have taken nus in, just as we were their own sons.”

Roy Lyndon Piercey was born at Hobart, Tasmania, on 25 September 1894, the son of Rev. Joseph T. Piercey and Mrs. Sarah J. Piercey. He was a 19 year old bank clerk at the Melbourne branch of the Bank of New South Wales when he enlisted at Prahan  on 17 August 1914. Prior to enlistment Roy had served 1 year with the Senior Cadets and 2 years with the Citizen Forces 2/24th Infantry Brigade with which he held the rank of Lance Sergeant.

Allocated to F Company 5th Battalion with the rank of Private he was soon promoted to Lance Corporal.  On 21 October 1914  5th Battalion embarked from Melbourne aboard HMAT A3 Orvieto. After a brief stop in Albany, Western Australia, the battalion proceeded to Egypt, arriving on 2 December. When they arrived at Colombo Roy had the honour of being guard over the Kaiser’s nephew, the young Prince being one of the prisoners from the Emden, destroyed by HMAS Sydney on 9 November.  Shortly after arriving in Egypt Roy was suffering from influenza and admitted to 2 Australian General Hospital in Cairo for 5 days.

            Roy and 5th Battalion took part in the ANZAC landing at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915, as part of the second wave. Ten days after the landing the 2nd Brigade was transferred from ANZAC to Cape Helles to help in the attack on the village of Krithia.  On 9 May Roy was promoted to Corporal. The battalion was later engaged in the battle at Lone Pine and having captured the Turkish trenches, the Australians tried to hold what they had taken while the Turks desperately tried to throw the Australians out. From nightfall on 6 August until the night of 9 August a fierce battle ensued underground in the complex maze of Turkish tunnels. On this last day Roy was promoted to Acting Second Lieutenant and allocated a new Regimental Number 1218.

On 30 August Roy was transferred to A Company 7th Battalion which the following day relieved 1st Battalion at Lone Pine. 7th Battalion embarked from Gallipoli on the transport ship Osmanieh and disembarked on the island of Mudros on 13 September. A week later Roy was hospitalised for a week at 2 Stationary Hospital on the island of Mudros suffering from dysentery and Bronchitis. After a relapse he was sent to England on HS Assaye and admitted to 3 London General Hospital at Wandsworth on 20 October. On discharge Roy was employed at 2 Command Depot at Weymouth, London.

            On 2 May 1917 Roy proceeded overseas to France and returned to his unit with which he fought at Ypres. He fell ill in April 1918 with influenza and was admitted to St. Johns Hospital at Etaples. On 9 May Roy was discharged to Infantry Base Depot where a Medical Board deemed him to be debilitated and recommended he be granted 3 weeks leave in England.

            On 23 August 1918 at St. Martin’s Wood France, Roy was wounded (gassed) but remained on duty until the following day when he was admitted to General Hospital in Rouen. A few day later he was invalided to England on HS  Gloucester Castle and admitted to 3 London General Hospital. For his actions at St. Martin’s Wood Roy was awarded a Military Cross.

During operations against enemy positions in vicinity of ST. MARTIN’S WOOD, East of PROYART, on 23.8.18 and succeeding days performed gallant and valuable work.

As Coy. Commander of the Coy. Detailed to move in support to attacking Battalion he went personally forward through ST. MARTIN’S WOOD, reconnoitred general lines and positions, returned again and disposed his Coy. Quickly in a position to best support the attack if called on. This reconnaissance was performed at an early stage in the attack under heavy barrage fire of the of the enemy and under steady fire from concealed snipers and machine gunners in ST. MARTIN’S WOOD which had not then been mopped up. Lt. PIERCEY immediately led his Coy. through the Wood and skilfully & quickly dispersed his Coy. to advantage. He subsequently organised & distributed parties and had his section of the Wood thoroughly mopped up taking many prisoners and some machine guns. In the subsequent heavy artillery retaliation & gas shelling by the enemy much of it fell on the sector of this officer & by his great personal courage & skill he disposed his men so successfully that his Coy. escaped with comparatively few casualties. His general work during the operations was of an extremely high standard.

This officer was wounded on 23/8/18 but pluckily remained with his unit until its relief three days later. -  Recommendation for a Military Cross

            Roy returned to France on 29 October 1918 only twelve days before the armistice and on 2 November 1918 was awarded a Military Cross.

“HIS MAJESTY THE KING has been graciously pleased to approve of the above award to the undermentioned officer in recognition of his gallantry and devotion to duty in the field:-

Lieutenant (temporary Captain) ROY LYNDON PIERCEY

For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty at St. Martin’s Wood, on 23rd August, 1918, in command of a support company. He went forward, under heavy artillery and machine-gun fire, to reconnoitre, so that he was able to dispose his company to the best advantage when he brought it up. He subsequently organised and distributed parties for the thorough mopping up of the wood, taking many prisoners and machine guns.”

            As a 1914 enlistment Roy was entitled to an early return to Australia 26 November 1918 and embarked as Ship’s Adjutant Quartermaster on HT Zealandia and disembarked at Port Melbourne  on 6 January 1919. Roy was met by his English bride, Jane Adele Cooman, a voluntary aid in one of the military hospitals. He was discharged in February 2019 after which Roy and Jane returned to live in Wales where Janes father owned large coal mines. Roy died in Wales in 1979.

ROY LYNDON PIERCEY was born inHobart, Tasmania, on 25th September, 1894, the son of the Rev. Joseph T. and Mrs. Sarah J. Piercey. He was educated at the Scotch College, Melbourne, and on 1 st May, 1911, entered the service of the Bank at Melbourne.

Roy Linden Piercey enlisted as a private in the AIF on 19th August, 1914. He left Australia with the 5th Battalion and took part in the Landing at Gallipoli. He fought through several of the fiercest battles on the Peninsula, including Lone Pine, until he contracted enteric fever and was invalided to England. Afterwards he fought in France with the 7th Battalion, and was engaged in many battles there, winning promotion by degrees to a captaincy. He was personally congratulated by General Birdwood and awarded the Military Cross in recognition of his gallant action at St. Martin’s Wood on 23rd August, 1918.

In writing to Captain Piercey, General Birdwood said: — “You made a daring reconnaissance under heavy artillery and machine-gun fire, as a result of which you were able to dispose your company to the greatest advantage when you brought it up from support. You also rendered valuable service in organizing and directing parties in mopping up the Wood, in which a large number of prisoners and machine guns were captured. Thank you very much for your splendid work, in which you displayed high powers of leadership, initiative and devotion to duty.”

Roy Piercey returnred to Australia in December 1918