Hamilton Spectator (Vic. : 1870 - 1918), Thursday 9 May 1918, page 4


THE LATE LANCE-CORPORAL

WALTER KINGHORN.

Mr. F. Kinghorn, of Byaduk, has received the following letter, dated Egypt, January 14, 1918, from Major Jas. Lawson :- I must apologise for not writing to you before, but we have only just arrived back in a standing camp after the recent opera-tions. I want to convey to you and yours on behalf of the officers, N.C.O's., and men of the regiment our deepest sympathy in the loss of your brave son, Walter, on 31st October at Beersheba. I led a squadron in

(the first squadron), and after a two-minute charge we jumped clean over two trenches full of enemy, and were dismounting at the third trench to get in with the first bayonet when Walter was killed instantaneously with a rifle bullet. His troop lea-der (Lieutenant Burton) was killed at the same time. In all two offi-cers and nine men in the squadron

were killed, and they are all buried together about twenty yards from where they fell. We are erecting tombstones over them, and when completed I will send photographs along to you. In your late son you had a lad who both as a man and as a soldier was a great credit to

you wherever he went. There is no

doubt in this great war the flower of Australia, which can be so ill spared, is being killed and maimed to protect the wasters who stay at home. It may be some consolation to know that the Commander-in- Chief (General Allenby) after inspect-

ing the ground and trenches next day referred to the charge as " the finest charge in the annals of modern warfare." Again assuring you of the deepest sympathy of all the members of the regiment in your ir-reparable loss.