Walter PUNCHARD

Year of Birth:  1892

Place of Birth:  Brisbane, Queensland

Date of Enlistment: 9 February 1915

Date and Place of Embarkation: 29 June 1915, Brisbane, Queensland

Ship:  HMAT Aeneas

Rank:  Private

Unit(s): 25th Australian Infantry Battalion (1st Reinforcement), 2nd Machine Gun Corp

Regimental Number:  1564

Died:  4 October 1918

Walter Punchard. Photograph courtesy of Mr W Punchard, Cairns, Qld.

Walter was born 21 March 1892 in Brisbane, Queensland the son of Edmund Punchard and Susannah Boyd Taylor. Walter had a number of siblings inlcuding Ivy Clementina (1890-1975), Edith Isabelle (1893-1961), Arthur Lamington (1895-1975), Herbert (1898-1898), Alice Mary Punchard (1898-), Wilfred Ernest (1901-1948). Edmund Punchard was Welsh having been born in Abergwili Carmarthenshire, Wales in 1864. Edmund Punchard married Susannah Boyd Taylor 29 August 1889 in Queensland. Susannah was from New South Wales.

Walter was aged 22 years and 10 months when he enlisted at Cairns. He was a cabinet maker and had served an apprenticeship. Walter was 5 feet 4 inches tall, he had a fair complexion, brown eyes, dark brown hair and belonged to the Church of England.  He gave his next of kin as Edmund John Punchard of Sheridan Street, Cairns and later of McLeod Street, Cairns. Walter was a member of the Cairns Aquatic Club.

Walter served on the Gallipoli Peninsula and in France.  He suffered injuries in France including Shell Shock and Gas Poisoning. After spending nearly 12 months in England recovering from his injuries and working at military depots, he again returned to France 12 September 1918. Walter was reported killed in action 4 October 1918. At the time of Walter’s death he was serving in the 2nd Machine Gun Battery. Walter Punchard’s name is inscribed on the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, the Somme, France.

Cairns Aquatic Club Members on Active Service. L-R: R Robinson, W Magu, A Moody, A Ferguson (front), Walter Punchard, J Birch. Northern Herald 25 June 1915, p 26
25th Battalion Expeditionary Force Football Team. Wally Punchard is located front row seated, 2nd from right. Photograph courtesy of the Australian War Memorial
An account of Walter Punchard death.
Walter Punchard’s next of kin
Cairns Post 21 October 1918
Letter from Gallipoli – Cairns Post 21 January 1916
Walter Punchard. Photo courtesy of Mr W. Punchard, Cairns Qld
Walter Punchard. Photo courtesy of Mr W. Punchard, Cairns Qld.

Online Resources

NAA B245: Walter Puchard. National Archives of Australia

Discovering Anzacs: Photo of Walter Punchard

The above link is to a photo attributed to Walter Punchard, however it is unlikely this is Walter. Marjorie Earl has a copy of the original photograph (postcard) and on the back, the written message, is to Wally written by someone named Bill. The photo is more likely to be of Bill.

Soldiers’ Postbag – Walter Puchard. Cairns Post 21 January 1916. Trove

Private Punchard Killed in Action. Cairns Post 24 October 1918. Trove

If you have a photograph or further information about this soldier you would like to share and add to his biography, please contact the Society at projects@cdfhs.org or leave a comment below. Thank you!