Langford Wellman Colley-Priest was an Australian soldier who served as a stretcher bearer during the First World War. Born in September 1890, he is remembered for his notable service with the 8th Field Ambulance, a role that placed him directly in the line of fire on the Western Front as he worked to rescue and treat wounded soldiers.
His actions during the conflict earned him significant military recognition. In 1917, Colley-Priest was awarded the Military Medal, a decoration presented for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty under fire. His survival through some of the war's most intense campaigns marked him as a resilient figure of his generation.
Following the conclusion of the war, Colley-Priest returned to civilian life. However, his post-war life was cut short by a tragic accident. In February 1928, he drowned, and subsequent reports indicated that his body was believed to have been eaten by a shark.
