Corporal Percy William Geraty, 9th Australian Light Trench Mortar Battery
Australian War MemorialPercy Geraty was born in 1893, the only son of Thomas and Fanny Geraty.
He was born in Cargo, New South Wales, where his father worked as the town doctor. In 1903, following the death of a baby, it was revealed that Thomas Geraty was not a qualified medical practitioner. Following the scandal, Fanny Geraty went to live on her sister’s property, and Percy spent most of his early years on Eurabba Station, near Young.
Percy left the station to attend high school, first in Bathurst and then Sydney. He later moved to Armidale, where he boarded with a Mrs Brander, and worked as a motor mechanic.
Following the outbreak of the First World War, Percy enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in November 1915. After his initial training, he was posted to A Company of the newly-raised 33rd Battalion in February 1916. By this time the Gallipoli campaign had come to an end and the AIF had returned to Egypt where it was expanded from two to five divisions.
With two new divisions, the 4th and 5th being formed in Egypt, the 3rd was raised in Australia and England with all units being sent to England to bring the formation up to strength. On 4 May, Geraty embarked from Sydney with the 33rd Battalion aboard the transport ship Marathon, bound for England.
Shortly after arriving in England in early July, Geraty was appointed lance corporal. He was sent to attend a trench mortar school at the end of August; then returned to the 33rd Battalion. He proved to be an able soldier and his leadership qualities were recognised with a promotion to corporal in mid-October.
The following month, Geraty was transferred to the 9th Light Trench Mortar Battery and on 21 November he sailed with his new unit to France. From mid-November the 3rd Division began transferring to France and units were sent to the Nursery Sector for their introduction to warfare on the Western Front.
In December 1916, Corporal Geraty was in the front lines near the French town of Armentières. His trench mortar battery came under heavy German artillery fire, and an enemy shell scored a direct hit on some ammunition in the front line. Geraty was standing close to the pile of ammunition when it exploded, killing him and five other men instantly.
He had been at the front for one month.
Percy Geraty is buried in the Cite Bonjean Military Cemetery at Armentières under the words “In loving memory of an only son: nearer my God to thee”.
He was 23 years old.
Meleah Hampton, Historian, Military History Section
- Australian War Memorial https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C2647874
