General News
25 April, 2026
Veterans' Voices: Lindsay Gordon Wallis
Lindsay Gordon Wallis was born in Horsham in November 1895. His parents were James and Mary Ann Wallis of Horsham. Lindsay attended Horsham State School.
Lindsay’s occupation before enlisting was a clerk with Messrs Young Bros of Horsham.
Lindsay enlisted on August 18, 1914, with his Brother Gerald His unit was 8th Infantry Battalion, E Company. His service number was 614.
Lindsay entered Broadmeadows camp on August 17 and embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board Transport ship A24 Benalla on October 19, 1914, with the 1st Contingent for Egypt.
The HMAT Benalla was built for Pacific & Orient Steam Navigation Co, London, leased to the Commonwealth until August 6, 1917.
It was refitted at Cockatoo Island Drydock between October 1-14, 1915, to transport 1395 troops.
The Benalla made four voyages from Australia carrying troops before being transferred to the British Admiralty on August 6, 1917.
On December 3, 1915, in the Mediterranean while carrying 2500 troops she intervened in a surface fight between the SS Torilla and a German submarine, driving the U Boat off with her 4.7-inch gun and standing by the smaller ship until naval forces arrived.
During she was taken over under the Liner Requisition scheme for the Shipping Controller’s transatlantic munitions and supplies service.
Gaba Tepe
Kabatepe, or Gaba Tepe, is a headland overlooking the northern Aegean Sea in what is now the Gallipoli Peninsula National Historical Park (tr), on the Gallipoli peninsula in northwestern Turkey.
During the First World War, the headland was the site of an Ottoman artillery battery, known as "Beachy Bill," which constantly harassed the ANZAC troops around ANZAC Cove to the north throughout the Gallipoli Campaign
Lindsay and his battalion went through the famous landing at Gaba Tepe without being wounded.
But Lindsay was wounded on May 8th and invalided to the military hospital in Malta.
On recovery he returned to his unit in the firing line until he was killed.
Lindsay Gordon Wallis is buried at Shrapnel Valley Cemetery (plot II, Row A, Grave 37) Anzac, Gallipoli Peninsula, Canakkale Province, Turkey
The photo with story shows the original graves of Australian soldiers killed in action on the Gallipoli Peninsula.
The photo accompanying the article shows at the left is the grave of 614 Private Lindsay Gordon Wallis, 8th Battalion, native of Horsham, Victoria killed in action on 6th August 1915 aged 19 at Lone Pine, Gallipoli, Dardanelles, Turkey.
The grave on the right belongs to 769 Pte Charles Edward D’Alton 8th Battalion, who died at Gallipoli on August 6, 1915, aged 24 years.
D’Alton’s only brother 538 Pte Henry St Eloy D’Alton of Nhill, 8th Battalion, died at sea from wounds sustained during the landing at Anzac Cove, April 25-30, 1915 aged 27 years.
An extract from an article from The Horsham Times on Friday, August 27, 1915, it states” that Lindsay Gordon Wallis was quiet and unassuming, his manner, being of a rather studious turn of mind.
His conduct was always exemplary, and his career had been watched with interest by his fellow townspeople, all of whom will feel the deepest sympathy for the bereaved father.
His brother Gerald is still in the firing line, and another brother Percy is in training in Victoria.
When the news of the lad’s death was made known to Horsham, the flags in May & Millar’s Foundry, at the Fire Brigade Station and Messrs Young Bros Office, were flown at half-mast.
An additional manifestation of local esteem was afforded on Wednesday evening, when the Horsham Borough Band, which had assembled in front of the Town Hall prior to the picture entertainment, played the hymn “Nearer My God to Thee”.
Lindsay Gordon Wallis's name is located at panel 54 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial.
