Corporal
David Milne TURNER
Infantry
Died: 3rd September 1916 - Age: 25

Commemorated:

1. Memorial:London Cemetery And Extension, Longueval1.D.3.
2. Book:The (1921) Masonic Roll of Honour 1914-1918Pg.137
    

Awards & Titles:

 

Family :

Son of David and Annie Turner, of Alex St., Glenmore Rd., Leith, Edinburgh. Clerk? Public Servant (Civil Servant 1914).

Wildman, Owen. Queenslanders Who Fought in The Great War 1914 -1918. Brisbane, Besley and Pike. 192? p.273
"TURNER, David Milne, Corporal, No. 3510, 49th Battalion.
Born at Leith (Scotland) and educated at Boys' Grammar School, Rockhampton. The son of David and Annie Turner, of Alexander Street, North Rockhampton. Enlisted at Brisbane July, 1915, and went into Enoggera Camp, attached to 9th Battalion. Left for Egypt, October 1915, and arrived November, 1915, where he went to Tel-el-Kebir. Here he was transferred to the 49th Battn. Left for France May, 1916, arrived June 1916, and went into action on the Somme, through the battles of Pozieres, and Moquet Farm, where he was reported missing and finally reported killed in action 3rd September, 1916."

Service Life:

Campaigns:

Unit / Ship / Est.: 49/Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 

Mike: BEAN 13th Brigade-Q?land, S ?Airst, U? .gust Tns , 49th, SOfk, 51st, 152iid disbanded), Bus -1q3, 353n, 486, < I I , 6oin, 717n. 888. 1067n. reduced to three bns, 68n; nr. Sailly- Laurette, IO-11 lunr. 227n, 231. 235. cas, zjon:

Mike: BEAN 49th Bettalion (Q?land). 42. 49. 88n, 764. 774%. 792% 838, 8-10. 841. 846,.. 847, 849, 850, 860 885; at Pozieres: relieves 14 Bn., i3-14 Aug., 759. casualties, 5-15 Aug., 77on; attacks near Mouquet Farm, 3 Scpt, 842-3 853 855-7casualties, 8j8n

Mike: BEAN captures Noreuil, a Apr., ao5-ao. 251, 380,

Mike: BEAN iia?ttk of Polygon Wood, 797, 8a8. 829. 830; casualties219, aaI b82n 831n.

Mike: BEAN 119

Mike: BEAN Battle of.Messine?. VI, 614 653 advances to position 7 ? J U ~ 611-1 615-6 2;: 620, 49 bn. attacks up dlauwe?oortbeek. 631, 632. 642, and towarfs Wambeek 634 6 4 6 ~ . 654 663 52 Bn. idvanc;s past Waheek.? 632-5 641-7 65 6 leaves gap in Blauwhpoortbeek %{., 634, 636, 645, 653-4. 661-5, shelled by own guns, 642, situation, 8 June 653-5. 661 attached to 25 Divd. 664. attimpts to close gap, June 669.72 reaches Oost. and closes?gap IO June 6 6 4 Bde. re- Iieves, 11 ?lune, 67;

Mike: BEAN Battle of.Messine?. VI, 614 653 advances to position 7 ? J U ~ 611-1 615-6 2;: 620, 49 bn. attacks up dlauwe?oortbeek. 631, 632. 642, and towarfs Wambeek 634 6 4 6 ~ . 654 663 52 Bn. idvanc;s past Waheek.? 632-5 641-7 65 6 leaves gap in Blauwhpoortbeek %{., 634, 636, 645, 653-4. 661-5, shelled by own guns, 642, situation, 8 June 653-5. 661 attached to 25 Divd. 664. attimpts to close gap, June 669.72 reaches Oost. and closes?gap IO June 6 6 4 Bde. re- Iieves,11 ?lune, 67;

Mike: BEAN 49th Bettalion (Q?land). 42. 49. 88n, 764. 774%. 792% 838, 8-10. 841. 846,.. 847, 849, 850, 860 885; at Pozieres: relieves 14 Bn., i3-14 Aug., 759. casualties, 5-15 Aug., 77on; attacks near Mouquet Farm, 3 Scpt, 842-3853 855-7 casualties, 8j8n

Action : The Battles of the Somme 1916 

The Battle of the Somme 1st July - 18th November 1916 is inevitably characterised by the appalling casualties (60,000) on the first day, July 1st 1916. Having failed to break through the German lines in force, and also failed to maximise opportunities where success was achieved, the battle became a series of attritional assaults on well defended defence in depth. The battle continued officially until 18th November 1916 costing almost 500,000 British casualties. German casualties were about the same, and French about 200,000. The Somme could not be counted a success in terms of ground gained or the cost, but it had a strategic impact as it marked the start of the decline of the German Army. Never again would it be as effective whilst the British Army, learning from its experience eventually grew stronger to become a war winning army. The German High Command recognised that it could never again fight another Somme, a view that advanced the decision to invoke unrestricted submarine warfare in an attempt to starve Britain of food and material, and in doing so accelerated the United States declaration of war thus guaranteeing the eventual outcome. 287 Brethren were killed on the Somme in 1916.

Detail :

Enlisted July 1915 Listed as 'Wounded' 3 Sept 1916 Eventually recorded missing presumed killed (court of enquiry 31/7/17) A Company Series of letters trying to establish what happened to him. Seems family receoved a report from The Red Cross but no copy on file (unless it is the comment by Sgt Smith possibly Smith was a POW?).

The Queenslander 26th May 1917 "Advice has been received that Corporal David Milne Turner, previously reported missing, is now reported to have been killed on September 3, 1916. The deceased soldier was a son of Mrs. Turner, Park-avenue, Rockhampton, and a grand son of Mr. David Milne, of Newhaven, Edinburgh. He enlisted in August, 1915. Prior to enlisting he was in the stores branch of the Post Office. He was a member of the Prince of Wales Masonic Lodge and the Oddfellows' Lodge."

Masonic :

TypeLodge Name and No.Province/District :
Mother : Prince of Wales No. 908 E.C.Unknown

Initiated
Passed
Raised
3rd November 1914
6th April 1915
6th July 1915
 

Source :

The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:

Additional Source:

Last Updated: 2019-08-17 05:34:45