SERLE, Walter Henry

Walter Henry Serle was the son of Walter Henry Serle and his wife, Kate (nee Grocock).  He was born on 25 November 1873 at the family home in Powlett Street, East Melbourne.  They had moved into the house in 1870 and were to spend just over twenty years there.  He and his two brothers, Percival and Edwin, were all founding members of the East Melbourne Harriers and regularly took part in competitive running.  In 1892 Walter, snr was a victim of the financial crash and made a secret composition under the terms of which he repaid his debts at the rate of sixpence in the pound. Nevertherless he was able to keep his job as secretary-manager with James McEwan and Co., a job he had for 49 years. The house must have been sold at this time and the family moved to Kew.   From 1890 the house was numbered 201.  It has been demolished and the land now forms a small part of the site occupied by the old Victoria Brewery building erected in 1895.

Walter, jnr, according to his enlistment papers was a clerk.  He was quite tall by the standards of the time at 5ft. 9.5ins. and had a sallow complexion with brown hair and brown eyes.  He enlisted on 31 July 1915.  He served in Egypt and France.  He was wounded three times as well as suffering gas poisoning and hospitalization with trench feet.  He was awarded a Military Medal 'for conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty'.  For the complete story of his war experience see the article compiled by his great nephew, J. David Grierson - link below.

He returned to Austalia on 16 March 1919 and settled in Kinglake with his younger brother, Edwin.  His health was affected for the rest of his life by his experiences in the war.  He never married and died in 1954.