Capt. Vernon Frederick Piesse

Vernon Piesse was born on 23 August 1889, the son of Charles Austin and Amelia Piesse from Wagin. His father died in July 1914 and was buried at Wagin.

Vernon attended the School from 1904 to 1906 as a Boarder. He won the History and Arithmetic Prize in 1904 and in 1905 won sixteen guineas for a School Council’s Exhibition for Boarders. In 1906 he also won a prize for English and Arithmetic for “Good Work in Examination”. Vernon played cricket for the School in 1906, but was not a regular member of the Darlot Cup team. His highest score in April was 12 against Christian Brothers College but he managed to score a duck against Scotch College and High School.

Prior to the outbreak of WW1 Vernon had spent three years as a member of the 25th Light Horse Regiment with the rank of 2nd Lieutenant. Vernon married Bernice Elizabeth Chipper in October 1914 but married life was very short for them both. At that time Vernon and his wife were living at Wagin and his occupation was listed as Grazier. On enlistment to the 10th Light Horse in 1914, Vernon held the rank of 2nd Lieutenant and was described as being 5ft 11 inches tall and weighing 10 stone. It was noted in the December 1914 Swan that Vernon was training at the Guildford Depot along with eleven other Old Guildfordians, including Gresley and Wilfred Harper and Bob Lukin. Vernon was promoted to Captain on 16th January 1915. After further training at Claremont, Vernon sailed from Fremantle on the HMAT Mashobra on 8th February 1915 along with his fellow Old Guildfordians. They arrived at Alexandria on March 8, 1915 and left for Gallipoli on 16 May.

For the period between 8 February 1915 and his death Vernon was paid 235 pounds 6 shillings for a total of 181 days. Vernon was killed on 7 August 1915 during the famous charge at the Nek along with Gresley and Wilfred Harper, Bob Lukin and James Wilkerson. Vernon was only 26 years old. His widow Bernice was given a pension of 101 pounds per annum in October 1915. Items in a kit bag left behind by Vernon included a pair of riding breeches, a hat, socks, pocket book, 2 pairs of mittens and one pair of spurs and chains. A brown paper parcel contained his identity disc, a pair of binoculars and case, safety razor, hair brush and comb a haversack and four photos.

It was noted in his will of 1916 that apart from his wife Bernice, Vernon had a half-brother named Mervyn, sisters Vera, Eva, Geraldine, Myrtle, Ina and half-sister Ayleen.

There is no known grave for Vernon. His name is on the Memorial at Lone Pine.

Source: Guildford Grammar School - Our Gallipoli Heroes

• Rank: Captain
• Unit: 10th Australian Light Horse Regiment
• Service: Australian Army
• Conflict / Operation: First World War, 1914-1918
• Conflict eligibility date: First World War, 1914-1921
• Date of death: 7 August 1915
• Place of death: Gallipoli, Dardanelles, Turkey
• Cause of death: Killed in action
• Age at death: 26
• Place of association: Wagin, Western Australia, Australia
• Cemetery or memorial details: Lone Pine Memorial, Gallipoli Peninsula, Canakkale Province, Turkey
• Source: AWM145 Roll of Honour cards, 1914-1918 War, Army

Documents:

• Military Personnel File Links:
• The AIF Project
• Australian War Memorial
• Commonwealth War Graves Commission Record