Contributed by Ron Inglis, October 2021
Typist and Clerk Walter Leo Lussick was born in New Zealand. He enlisted at Bathurst, NSW, on 21 February 1916, nominating his mother, Rebecca Lussick, of Dudley Street, Auburn, as his next-of-kin. Lussick declared his age to be ’24 yrs 6 mths’.
Boarding the Warilda three months later, Lussick had duties in the orderly room and on arrival in England, he was posted to the large AIF Headquarters in Horseferry Road, London, where he worked for five months. Reinforcements were needed at the front, so authorities began employing female clerks in administrative roles for typing, filing, record keeping and mail distribution at Horseferry Road.
Private Lussick proceeded to France and was taken on strength of the 45th Battalion on 18 January 1917. He was killed in action the next day.
Throughout the bitterly cold northern winter of 1916-1917, Australian forces were billeted in Northern France near the villages of Le Sars, Flers and Gueudecourt, just south of the major town of Bapaume. Even in such cold conditions, when major attacks were impossible, deaths continued caused by sniper fire, random artillery barrages, accidents, disease, gas attacks, and minor skirmishes. Five Auburn Memorial men died in this period: Private Walter Lussick, Private Arthur Sheppard, Lieutenant James McGrath, Private Lewis Anderson, and Private Theodore McCooey.
Lussick was buried in the AIF Burial Ground, Flers. This cemetery contains 3,647 casualties from the latter part of the First Battle of the Somme. Of the 3,647 only 1,213 are identified. The breakdown by country of the identified casualties in this cemetery indicates the involvement of colonial forces in the First Battle of the Somme: United Kingdom 856, Australia 275, New Zealand 54, Canada 29, South Africa 3, and Germany 1.
For his grave his parents selected the inscription SACRED HEART OF JESUS HAVE MERCY ON HIS SOUL RIP MOTHER’S PRAYER
The misspelling of Lussick (as Lussich) on the Auburn War Memorial, and on the Municipality of Auburn 1914-1919 Honour Roll, is one of nine surnames misspelt on the Auburn Memorial.
Walter Lussick is honoured on the following memorials in Australia:
- Auburn War Memorial
- Municipality of Auburn 1914-1919 Honour Roll
- Roll of Honour Australian War Memorial Canberra
His decorations:
- British War Medal 1914-20
- Victory Medal
