Curlewis, Selwyn Lord
No.6 – Corporal Selwyn Lord Curlewis – 16th Battalion AIF
Selwyn Lord Curlewis was born on the 28th February 1887 in Geelong Victoria to George and Lilla Curlewis. Selwyn was one of four brothers, the others being Gordon, George and Arthur. The family moved across to Western Australia when the boys were still young and initially took up residence in Geraldton where Selwyn went to School. The family, apart from Gordon, then moved down to Mary St Fremantle and Selwyn took up work locally as an accountant and joined the Fremantle Company of the Western Australian Infantry Regiment.
With the eldest brother Gordon, having been living in Bunbury and his parents now in East Brookton, Selwyn went and joined them and took up farming. On the 9th September 1914 Selwyn went to the Perth Recruitment Office and offered his services to the AIF. He was passed as fit with the medical examiner finding him to be 5 feet 7 & ¾ inches tall; weight of 155 lbs; chest measurement of 35-36 inches; fair complexion; blue eyes and brown hair. His religious denomination was Presbyterian.
Selwyn was initially assigned to “E” Company of the 16th Battalion AIF and was joined in the 16th Battalion by his brothers Gordon and George. His other brother Arthur was in the 12th Battalion. As the 16th Battalion also had a few companies made up of South Australians it was decided that the battalion would join together in Melbourne along with the other battalions of the 4th Brigade. So after initial training in WA the 16th Battalion embarked for Melbourne, where they trained at Broadmeadows Camp for a few more weeks. On the 6th November 1914 Selwyn was promoted to Lance Corporal and on the 22nd December 1914 to Corporal. The same day as his promotion Selwyn and the 16th embarked from Melbourne aboard the H.M.A.T. “Ceramic”.
After their arrival in Egypt in late January 1915, the 16th Battalion were disembarked and the 4th Brigade found they were to join up with two New Zealand Brigades to form the Australian and New Zealand Division. They trained in Egypt until April 1915 when they departed Alexandria Egypt bound for Lemnos Island. Once they arrived at Lemnos, off the coast of Turkey, they found many troopships containing other Australian, New Zealand, British, Indian and French troops. While the 1st Australian Division would make the initial landing the NZ & A Division would land later to reinforce.
On April 25th 1915 the men of the 1st Division landed and made their way inland. As the day progressed the Turkish resistance stiffened and there was danger of a Turkish breakthrough. About 5pm on April 25th, the 16th Battalion landed and were sent up to a crucial piece of ground which was later to be known as Pope’s Hill, named for the 16th Battalion CO. In the dark there was much confusion but the 16th managed to establish a line against the Turks and for the next week held this position despite large casualties.
On May 2nd 1915, the 16th Battalion were tasked with making an advance on Turkish positions. Despite the bravery of the troops involved the men of the 16th were cut down by withering Turkish fire and the trenches they had taken had to be abandoned due to them being overlooked by Turkish machine guns. During the assault Selwyn was killed and unfortunately no eyewitness statements have been found regarding his death. His body was not recovered from the assault and he is commemorated on the Lone Pine Memorial.
His brother, Captain Gordon Curlewis was killed a week later on the 9th May at Quinn’s Post, and Arthur of the 12th Battalion died on the 15th August 1915 from wounds received at Lone Pine. George Curlewis would be the only one of the brothers to return home. Their cousin Ken Curlewis of the 14th Battalion also died at Gallipoli.