FOR THE EMPIRE'S CAUSE
PRIVATE DAVID ERWIN SEATON
Private David Erwin Seaton, who gave his life for his country in Crete, was born at Portobello 34 years ago. He was the second youngest son of Mr and Mrs R. Seaton, very old and respected residents of Portobello. He spent his school days at Portobello, and went on to the Dunedin Technical School. He became apprenticed to Messrs Turnbull and Jones, electrical engineers, Dunedin, his apprenticeship ending in the slump period, during which he failed to secure electrical work, and came to North Otago to follow farm work. Eventually, he became associated with Mr R. Pirie, millowner, of Deborah, managing one of his mills. When war broke out Private Seaton was among the earliest to enlist, and left with the Second Echelon. He was very popular, and will long be remembered by many friends. He was a brother of Mrs W. G. Smith, Alma. -Otago Daily Times, 20/6/1941.
David Seaton was in the New Zealand 23rd battalion and, on the day of his death, the 23rd had been held in reserve until ordered by Kippenberger to attack and retake the Cretan town of Galatas in the evening. The Official History of the 23rd mentions David Seaton's last moments: "Entering from another angle, D Company had its measure of success. The leading platoon, No. 18, under Lieutenant Cunningham, took the hardest way of entering Galatas by going over walls and through backyards, but this was sound tactics as it enabled some heavy machine-gun posts to be outflanked or overrun. When they did find themselves forced to charge up a narrow street, a machine gun held up the attack for a minute or two until Private David Seaton broke the spell by striding forward firing his Bren gun from the hip. While he kept up steady bursts, others edged round to a flank and knocked out the machine gun with grenades. Seaton was killed but the attack surged on again."
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| David Seaton's grave, Galatas, Crete. Commonwealth War Graves Commission photo. |
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