People Australia

David Landale Maughan, c 1917 photographer unknown

DAVID LANDALE MAUGHAN, the son of Mr. David Maughan (late Manager of the Benalla Branch of the Bank of New South Wales) and of Mrs. Maughan, was born at Malmsbury, Victoria, on 9th October, 1880.

He was educated at Scotch College, Melbourne, and joined the service of the Bank at Albury on 24th July, 1899, where he was appointed ledger-keeper in 1905 and teller in 1907. His subsequent appointments were to Maldon in 1908; Newcastle, 1910; Inverell, 1911; and Glen Innes in 1912. While accountant in this Branch he enlisted in 1915, and went away with the 10th Reinforcements of the 2nd Battalion. On arriving in Egypt he was transferred to the Machine Gun Company (2nd Section) of the 54th Battalion. Proceeding to a school at Bisley, England, he obtained his commission as second-lieutenant on 25th July, 1917, and joined the 14th Machine Gun Company 5th Battalion in France.

Two months later while taking part in the capture of Polygon Wood, five and a half miles east of Ypres, he was shot through the heart by a sniper. His body lay unburied for two days, and Captain Dick of his company, who went out with one of the men to recover his body for burial, was himself shot and died from his wound.