PIGGOTT, Valentine

Although he enlisted at Holsworthy in October 1915, Valentine’s name appears on several lists of the First Contingent of The Kurrajongs. His enlistment papers state that he was a twenty two year old Clerk, the son of John George Piggott of Sydney and that he had served five years with the Senior Cadets. 

He was appointed as Driver with the 11th Army Service Corps Regimental Transport and sailed with the 33rd Battalion Headquarters unit on HMAT A74 Marathon in May 1916.  Shortly afterwards he was appointed Lance Corporal with the 33rd Battalion.  After arriving in England he would have participated in activities with the Battalion at Salisbury Plain before being sent to France in November.  During the Battle of Messines in June 1917 Valentine was affected by shell shock.  He returned to Australia as part of the Australian Army Pay Corps in January 1919.

After the War, he lived in Sydney until his death in 1952.  His brother Francis served with the 36th Battalion and was Killed in Action on 10 June 1917.

Lance Corporal Valentine Piggott is remembered at Inverell where his name is inscribed on the town’s Honor Roll.