Ernest Richard PASTORELLI

Ernest Pastorelli joined the Queensland Police in April of 1911, after 3 years in the Royal Artillery in England. He served four months at Roma Street before being transferred to Mackay where he spent three years. When war was declared, all British Military Reservists were directed to report of duty. Constable Pastorelli was relieved of police duty in August of 1914 and reported to Victoria Barracks to return to England. Gunner Pastorelli was assigned to 'A' Battery of the 156th Brigade of the Royal Field Artillery which was a part of the 52nd (Lowland) Division. The division landed at Cape Helles, Gallipoli, in June 1915. They supported allied troops in action from Gully Ravine, Achi Baba and Krithia Nullah until evacuated in January 1916. The division was transferred to the Western Front in April of 1918. When the Germans broke through the Somme in March 1918, Ernest Pastorelli, 33, and other personnel were captured and became prisoners of war. Pastorelli was reported to have died on 12 October 1918 from exhaustion while a prisoner at the Lagensala War Hospital Camp in Palestine, just one month before hostilities ended.