BORN in Rockhampton, Queensland, in 1896, Colin Morgan-Reade travelled by train from his home at Bladensburg, Winton, soon after his 18th birthday on August 17, 1914, to enlist in Brisbane.
He was posted to B Squadron, 2nd Australian Light Horse Regiment, and boarded the troopship Star of England in September. After training in the Egyptian desert, Colin’s regiment was held back from the initial assault at Gallipoli but was called up on May 12, arriving under fire at Anzac Cove on May 12.
They were rushed up to Quinn’s Post where the Turks' trenches were only 15 metres away.
Colin was then rotated to Pope’s Hill at the top of Monash Gully, joining what became known as 'the great slaughter' that saw 10,000 Turks killed in a matter of hours.
A few days later, on Sunday May 30, Colin raised his head over a parapet after shooting a Turk to have another try, and was hit in the forehead by a bullet.
He died before the bearers could carry him to the beach and he was buried at the Shrapnel Gully cemetery.
Sally Cripps
Journalist
Journalist
