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One of our many heroic sons

Tuesday 22 April, 2008 9:01am

ELIZABETH Colless was one of the many Penrith women to be told her boy would not be coming home.

The official condolence letter she received was published in the Nepean Times on January 18, 1917, and is repeated here.

Dear Mrs Colless, I want to tell you how deeply I deplore the death of your gallant son, who, as you have already been informed, fell in the field on 1st of September last.

At the time he met his death he was bravely leading his men in the attack on Peronne.

He was killed instantly by a machine gun bullet, and he has been buried in the Hebecourt Cemetery.

Lieutenant Colless rendered exceptionally fine service while with this Division.

On many occasions he distinguished himself, particularly at Fromelles when he was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal in July, 1916; and at Wytschaete early in this year, when he was awarded the Military Cross.

His gallantry and devotion to duty gained for him promotion to commissioned rank in the field.

Such an officer is indeed hard to replace.

With your late son's comrades, by whom he was highly esteemed, I deeply sympathise with you in your great loss.

I can only hope that the memory of the splendid example which he set, and the great service he rendered to the Empire and the cause of humanity, may be some consolation to you in your sorrow.

Yours sincerely, J Talbot Hobbs, Major-General, Commanding 5th Australian Division.

In the end, his Distinguished Conduct Medal and Military Cross were of no help to Stanley Colless.

They couldn't save him from death at about 10am on September 1, 1918, near the sugar factory to the right of Mont St Quentin during the battle for Peronne.

Stan Colless was born in Penrith on November 19, 1892, to Henry and Elizabeth Jane Colless (nee Jordan).

After leaving Penrith Superior Public School he became a wool classer to AW Davis and Company at Liverpool.

Colless enlisted for The Great War on June 19, 1915, and was assigned to the 9th reinforcements 3rd Battalion as sergeant. (Brother George enlisted on August 22, 1915, with the Canadian Expeditionary Force.)

Colless left Sydney on September 30, 1915, aboard HMAS Argyllshire.

During the battle of Fromelles (July 19-20, 1916), Colless was singled out for mention by Captain N Gibbons, who said he "is doing splendid work".

In September 1916, Colless was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for bravery during the battle of Fromelles.

According to official defence records, published in the Nepean Times on January 27, 1917, Colless had kept the teams of two guns working on the enemy's second line, from which he was finally driven out by overwhelming bombing parties of the enemy.

"He covered the retreat of the company with unfaltering courage and coolness preventing many casualties," the report reads.

The newspaper editor also wrote: "Penrith will, naturally, hail with pride the heroism of one of his gallant native scions [descendants], who has so splendidly maintained the martial prestige of his country..."

Colless was promoted to Lieutenant and became an instructor at the Lewis Gun School, England, before returning to the Western Front.

Again the Nepean Times published a gushing article on February 10, 1917, about Colless, describing him as "heroic" and congratulating his parents.

Colless was awarded the Military Cross after he led a raid on German "pill boxes" and the capture of enemy machine guns.

* Sources: Penrith Library, Australian War Memorial First World War Nominal Roll, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Commonwealth War Graves Commission

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