Louis David George Warnecke McNamara MM (abt. 1887 - 1918)

Born about 1887 in Nuriootpa, South Australia (Australia)

Ancestors

Died 18 Sep 1918 at about age 31 in Picardie, France

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Biography

Louis McNamara MM was born in the Colony of South Australia (1836-1900)

Louis McNamara MM is an Anzac who served in World War One.

Sapper Louis McNamara MM served in the Australian Imperial Force in World War I
Service started: 19 Aug 1914
Unit(s): 1st Division Signals Company
Service ended: 18 Sep 1918

Sapper Louis McNamara MM Died of wounds 18 September 1918 during World War I.

Louis McNamara MM was awarded the Military Medal (Imperial Award), Australia.

Louis McNamara MM was awarded the British War Medal.

Louis McNamara MM was awarded the Victory Medal.

Louis Warnecke McNamara was the first child of Emma Warnecke and David McNamara. He was born at Nuriootpa, South Australia on 13th December 1887.

Louis received all his early education from his father who was a school teacher. He then attended P A C from 1901 to 1905. He went to Adelaide University 1906 to 1909 where he attained his Bachelor of Science (Electrical Engineering).

In October 1914 Louis enlisted with 3rd Field Company Engineers. He was a Sergeant with that company at Gallipoli in 1915.^[1] He served:

• In France variously with the 1st Australian Wireless Squadron and 1st Divisional Signal Company;
• At Messines, the 3rd Ypres and the 2nd Passchendaele (Where he was blinded by Mustard Gas for a month); and
• On September 18th Louis was critically wounded by shellfire at Jeancourt on the Western Front. He was out of the trenches erecting a wireless antenna when he was mortally wounded.

He died in a field hospital and was buried at Cerisy-Gailly French National Cemetery. He was 31. ^[2]

Louis was "mentioned in despatches" a very high honour and awarded the "Military Medal" for conspicuous bravery. His other medals include the 1914/15 "Star", "British War Medal" and "Victory Medal".

See more details in attached images

Sources

1. ↑ World War 1 Service: Veteran Details for Louis Warnecke McNAMARA for Service with the Australian Imperial Force (AIF). Regimental Number: 71; Rank: Sapper; Unit: 3rd Field Company Engineers, Headquarters, Section 1, Section 2 and Section 4; Enlistment Date: 19 Aug 1914; Died of wounds 18 September 1918 Link to UNSW AIF Project Record: accessed 11 Jan 2023
2. ↑ FindAGrave, database and images, memorial page for Sergeant Louis Warnecke McNamara; Born: 13 Dec 1887 Nuriootpa, South Australia; Died: 18 Sep 1918 France; Cemetery: Cerisy-Gailly French National Cemetery Cerisy, Departement de la Somme, Picardie, France; Find A Grave: Memorial #58804791; maintained by: A Family Member; created by: International Wargraves Photography Project; accessed: 11 Jan 2023

• NAA War Service Records
• NLA Newspapers online
• SAGHS bdm online database
• Nathan Rohrlach of Nuriootpa for biographical details See his excellent full biography of Louis McNamara on the RSL Virtual War Memorial Site