KOZMINSKY, Maurice Edward (1884-1916).JPG)
M E Kozminsky (War Service)
The son of Abraham Kozminsky and Esther nee Goldberg of St Kilda, Maurice Edward Kozminsky was born on 14 May 1884.
He was educated at Wesley College and Geelong College, where he was a boarder while his parents travelled to England. He passed the Matriculation examination in his last year at the school, and was in business in Melbourne when he enlisted, and embarked with the 14th Reinforcements to 7 Battalion on
HMAT A18 Wiltshire on 7 March 1916. Second Lieutenant Kozminsky was wounded at Mouquet Farm, and subsequently died of his wounds on 19 August 1916.
Ron Austin wrote of Kozminsky’s death in his book,
Our Dear Old Battalion:
‘Meanwhile the bombers under Lt James, had moved out on the left of C Company and moving along the Bapaume road in conjunction with the barrage, and reached the enemy strong point at the road junction. James was wounded on the way over No Man’s Land, but the bombers, in conjunction with Lt Jenkin and some of his C Company men, commenced to bomb along the trench that ran north from the Bapaume road. Although they captured part of the trench, the subsequent German counter-attack forced them to withdraw back to the road, where they met up with D Company, and also a party of the 6th Battalion under Lt Percy Rauert, which was advancing on the left of the 7th Battalion. During the fighting in the trench, 2nd Lt Maurice Kozminsky was mortally wounded, and died as he was being carried back by the withdrawing party. Another attempt by the bombers and C and D Companies, was made against the German position, but was again driven back, whereupon the men halted and dug in close to the Bapaume road. With Kozminsky dying, command of the platoon now rested with Sgt Charles Dobinson (of Rutherglen) who, with the assistance of Cpl Fred Milgate, who received three wounds, calmly reorganised the platoon, and set about digging a 200 metre long communication trench from the JOT (jumping off trench) to within 70 metres of the enemy line.' Kozminsky’s Commanding Officer wrote of him after his death:
‘He had shown himself to be a brave soldier, and leader of men, possessing all the qualities which make a successful officer. Had he lived I am sure he would have won for himself much distinction.’ He was buried at Warloy-Baillon Communal Cemetery Extension - Grave III.D.5. The epitaph on his headstone reads simply:
‘AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN.’
Sources: Based on an edited extract from Geelong Collegians at the Great War compiled by James Affleck. pp58-60 (citing Commonwealth War Graves Commission; Ron Austin, Our Dear Old Battalion: the story of the 7th Battalion AIF 1914-1919; Photo Pegasus December 1916.)