Errol Cappie Nepean Devlin

Service number: 1166

Rank: Private

Unit: 18th Battalion (Infantry)

Service: Australian Army

Date of death: 30 May 1916

Cause of death: Killed in action

Cemetery or memorial details: Brewery Orchard Cemetery, Bois-Grenier, France

War Grave Register notes:

DEVLIN, Pte. Errol Cappie Nepean, 1166. 18th Bn. Australian Inf. Killed in action 30th May, 1916. Age 25. Son of Sidney William and Mary Devlin, of 3, Cromer Flats, West Esplanade, Manly, New South Wales. Native of Penth, New South Wales. IV. C. 5.

Source: AWM145 Roll of Honour cards, 1914-1918 War, Army

Mr Devlin was born at Penrith, NSW. He served a four year apprenticeship on a sailing ship. His parents lived at Kia Ora, Darley Road, Manly, then Eumeralla, 140 Addison Road, Manly.

He saw two periods of service. He enlisted with the Naval and Expeditionary Force to New Guinea 11 August 1914-4 March 1915. He then re-enlisted on 4 March 1915, aged 24. He was at Gallipoli then France.

He was killed in action in France on 30 May 1916. He was a friend of George Stewart, who also died in WWI. A letter he wrote home to his mother has been used on the AWM website. The letter, written in August or September 1915, was quoted in Singleton Argus 20 November 1915, p6, and is strikingly revealing.

“I only know of five left out of fifty in my platoon... It would be impossible for me to describe the scene of Sunday 22nd August when we lost hundreds of men in a few hours... They are lucky who get buried now.