GAVIN ALEXANDER PORTER, elder son of Alexander Porter, of Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, and his wife Hannah (Shaw), was born on June 23rd, 1891. He was educated at Guildford Grammar School, Western Australia, whence he came to England in 1905 and entered U.C.L. to study for matriculation. He returned to Australia in 1907 but was back in England in 1910, and started an Engineering Course. He found this too slow for him, and obtained a commission in the R.F.A., being gazetted on September 30th, 1911. On May 24th, 1913, he transferred to the R.A., and was promoted Lieutenant on June 9th, 1915. He went to France in August, 1914, and with the 68th Battery took part in the retreat from Mons and all the subsequent fighting. He had for some time been interested in flying, and after acting as observer with the R.F.C. he took his pilot’s certificate at Etampes and returned to England to complete his course of instruction. On July 5th, 1915, he was gazetted to the R.F.C., and on November 17th was promoted Flight-Commander. On Sunday, December 5th, 1915, Porter's squadron was engaged in an air fight, and his machine was brought down by a Fokker just outside Havrincourt, which was then in German hands. Both occupants seem to have been killed in the air. On the following Tuesday they were given a military funeral in the cemetery of Havrincourt with full honours. The French civilians, in spite of prohibition by the Germans, attended the funeral, and until they were evacuated, kept the graves well tended. Flight-Commander Porter's body now lies in the Communal Cemetery Extension of Achiet-Ie-Grand. View attachment 2331 View attachment 2332 View attachment 2333 Australian Roll of Honour Gavin Alexander Porter Rank Captain Unit 68th Battery Royal Field Artillery and 13th Squadron Royal Flying Corps Service British Army Conflict 1914-1918 Date of Death 5 December 1915 Cause of Death Killed in aerial action Age at Death 24 Cemetery or Memorial Details FRANCE 518. Achiet-Le-Grand Communal Cemetery Extension. IV. O. 4. He participated in the following! Stayed within the same organisation until 14th January 1917 (when the Brigade became an Army F.A.brigade). Took part in the following... 1914 Battle of Le Cateau. 26 Aug 1914. Affair of Nery. 1 Sep 1914. Battle of the Marne. 7-10 Sep 1914, including the passage of the Petit Morin and the passage of the Marne. Battle of the Aisne. 12-15 Sep 1914, including the capture of the Aisne Heights including the Chemin des Dames. Battle of Messines. 12 Oct-2 Nov 1914. Battle of Armentieres. 13 Oct-2 Nov 1914, including the capture of Meteren. 1915 Battle of St. Julien. 24 Apr-5 May 1915. Battle of Frezenberg. 8-13 May 1915. Battle of Bellewaarde. 24-25 May 1915. Porter joined the RFC / Died December 5th 1915 1916 Battle of Albert. 1-13 Jul 1916, including the capture of Montauban, Mametz, Fricourt, Contalmaison and La Boisselle. Battle of Le Transloy. 1-18 Oct 1916, including the capture of Eaucourt l'Abbaye, Le Sars and the attacks on Butte de Warlencourt.
