Private Walter Keith Ardagh
- Rank
- Private
- Service number
- 7940
- Unit
- 16 Battalion
- Cause of death
- Killed in Action
- Place of death
- Le Verguier, France
- Date of death
- 18 September 1918
- Age
- 20
- Plaque number
- L345
- Co-located plaques
- L345A - PTE Edward Hawkins
- Dedicated by
- Family on 14 February 2015
- More information
Biography presented during plaque dedication:
Private Walter Keith Ardagh was born in Fremantle and attended Christian Brothers college. He had a sister, Queenie.
He became a farm labourer in Beverley prior to joining the Australian Imperial Force.
He enlisted on 5 October 1917 and embarked for service abroad on 24 November 1917 aboard HMAT Canberra. At the time he was only 19 years old.
Shortly after arriving at Southampton in England, he was hospitalised for about a month with a severe case of measles.
Walter finally reached France on 17 March 1918 and was taken on strength with the 16 Battalion on 4 May 1918. On 8 August, he was detached to attend the 4th division signal school and returned to his unit on 9 September.
The next day, the battalion marched, in heavy rain, and bivouacked south of Cartigny in an old trench for 2 days. One of the tasks carried out while there was the burning of carcasses of dead horses.
The battalion then moved to Beaumetz and then into the front line as part of the attack on the village of Le Verguier.
Sometime during the afternoon of 18 September, Walter was killed by an artillery shell, a splinter of which hit him in the head.
Private Walter Keith Ardagh, service number 7940 of 16 Battalion, was killed in action at Le Verguier, France on 18 September 1918.
He was aged 20 and is now interred in the Jeancourt communal cemetery.