For sale is a 1914 – 15 Star impressed named 2/LIEUT. W.J. GALBRAITH. 23 BN. A.I.F.; British War and Victory Medals (1914 – 18) impressed named CAPT W.J. GALBRAITH. A.I.F. They come with copies of service records, research by Lt. Colonel Neil Smith and copies of the War diary extracts for Bullecourt.

Captain Walter James Galbraith was born on 9/7/1891 in Geelong, Victoria, Australia. He was a tobacconist serving as a 2nd Lieutenant with the 70th Infantry Regiment (Militia) and had 8 years’ service when the Great War started.

He enlisted into the Australian Imperial Forces on 24/3/1915 and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant.  Posted to ‘C’ Company 23rd Battalion of the 6th Brigade, 2nd Division, he sailed for Egypt on 8/5/1915 landing on the 11/6/1915.

The battalion commenced training whilst awaiting to be deployed to Gallipoli. The battalion landed on Gallipoli on the 4th September and went into the line the next day manning the Lone Pine position. Over the next 3 months whilst being on the defence it took a steady toll of the unit. He remained unharmed and evacuated with the battalion on 18th December.

After reorganising and training the new replacements, the battalion deployed to France landing in March 1916. He was evacuated sick to England on 13/7/1916 until returning to the battalion on 8/9/1916. The battalion having suffered 90% losses at Pozières whilst he was away.

He was seconded to the 6th Training Battalion in England from 1/11/1916 – 26/4/1917 no doubt in need of a break from the pressures of the trenches as a Lieutenant.

He was wounded in action during the 2nd Battle of Bullecourt on 3/5/1917 receiving shrapnel wounds to his thigh and buttock during the attack. The battalion lost 2 officers, and 12 men killed, 12 officers and 227 men wounded, 5 officers and 79 men missing. He was lucky and evacuated back to England to rejoin the battalion on 18/8/1917. Promoted to Captain on 25/8/1917, he was placed in command of ‘D’ Company on 11/10/1917 after the losses during the Battle of Broodseinde.

He continued to command the company until the end of the war. Post war he returned to Australia for discharge on 6/6/1919. He died on 22/4/1972 in Murchison, Victoria.

The battalion history ‘Forward Undeterred’ covers his service at great length.