On the 5th of July 1918 in Hamel, France, Private Berthold Walter Beinke was among thousands of men who fought in the Hamel Battle. The attack started at 3:10am and the soldiers from the 44th battalion (Western Australia) progressed uphill while the 43rd battalion and Uncle Walter pushed their way east towards the Germans.
Uncle Walter was a stretcher bearer, meaning he would go and get the wounded from the front lines and bring them back to safety. This job was extremely risky because he was putting his own life in danger to help someone else. At 4:35am both the 43rd and 44th battalions had driven the Germans from many of their trenches and dugouts to the top of a hill. This attack was one of many great triumphs.
Click on pictures below to see larger version.
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- Australian and German lines of battle, Source: http://www.ww1westernfront.gov.au/le-hamel/what-happened-here.php
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- Combined before and after photo of the 43rd battalion, Source: http://avaxnews.net/fact/Ghosts_of_the_World_Wars.html
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- Result of the Battle of Hamel in Hamel, Source:http://www.ww1westernfront.gov.au/le-hamel/visiting-le-hamel/battle-of-hamel.php
