6715
READ, William Roy
| Service Number: | 431 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 26 January 1915, Keswick, South Australia |
| Last Rank: | Lieutenant |
| Last Unit: | 27th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Rosewater, South Australia, 16 April 1890 |
| Home Town: | Rosewater (Greytown), Port Adelaide Enfield, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Machinist |
| Died: | Sempahore, SA, 21 October 1943, aged 53 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
West Terrace Cemetery (AIF Section) Light Oval 3S C 23 |
| Memorials: | Rosewater Womens Memorial Roll of Honour WW1 |
World War 1 Service
| 26 Jan 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Keswick, South Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 31 May 1915: |
Involvement
AIF WW1, Private, 431, 27th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '15' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Geelong embarkation_ship_number: A2 public_note: '' |
|
| 31 May 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 431, 27th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Geelong, Adelaide | |
| 31 Oct 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, 27th Infantry Battalion | |
| 1 Aug 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 27th Infantry Battalion | |
| 14 Jul 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1 |
William Roy READ MC, MM
WO2 (retired) Wayne Burns and his family have researched the history of their great uncle.
1915. Enlisted at Keswick & joined the 27th Battalion with service #431 aged 24 years 9 months - previous occupation was Machinist. Embarked from Australia 31st May on the HMAT Geelong. Disembarked at Alexandria to join the MEF Gallipoli. Disembarked at Anzac Cove 12th Sept. 27th Bn saw service at Cheshire Ridge, Mle Gully and Happy Valley. Embarked from Gallipoli to Mudros, Lemnos 12th Dec.
1916. Disembarked Alexandria, Egypt 10th Jan. Member AWOL 2nd-5th Feb while at Tel=el Kebir and forfeited 4 days pay & awarded 5 days #2 FP. Proceeded to join BEF at Alexandria 15th Mar. AWOL again 16th Mar and awarded 14 days #2 FP. Disembarked at Marseilles, France 21st Mar. WIA at Pozieres, France 4th Aug. Transferred to #44 CCS with gun shot wound to leg, admitted & transferred to ambulance train 6th Aug. Admitted to #14 Gen Hosp Wimereux, France 7th Aug. Transferred to England from Boulonge, France 9th Aug. Embarked on HS Jan Breydel 12th Aug. Admitted to County Middlesex Mil Hosp at St Albans with gunshot wound deemed severe 18th Aug. Discharged from hosp after furlough & transferred to Command Depot, Pernam Downs, Wiltshire 27th Sept. Proceeded to France from Folkestone 16th Nov. Arrived Etaples, France 17th Nov. Joined Battalion 5th Dec.
1917. Promoted L/Cpl 5th Jan. Admitted to #38 CCS after accidently wounded in Coy drying room at Deville Wood camp - gun shot wound to hand review deemed that soldier not to blame 13th Jan. Returned to duty 17th Jan. Promoted to T/Sgt 28th Feb. Recommended for MM 11th Mar for conspicious gallantry in Wariencourt on 2nd Mar in the assault on Malt Trench, he pushed forward supplies of bombs to aid the attack and prevented confusion, and afterwards led bombing attacks which were successful, and took a prominent role in subsequently organising the consolidation. He was detached to attend #6 Officer Cadet Battalion at Oxford, 28th June. Appointed 2Lt and posted to General Battalion reinforcements, 31st Aug. Proceeded overseas to France ex Southampton 14th Aug. Taken on Strength of Cadet Battalion in Belgium, 23rd Nov. WIA Belgium, with shrapnel wound to thigh deemed mild. Admitted to #7 Aust Field Amb and transferred by train to #1 Brit Red Cross Hosp at Le Tourquet 22nd Dec.
1918. Released from Hosp and rejoined the Battalion in Belgium 9th Jan. Promoted to Lieutenant, again got sick with colic and admitted to Renal Colic #1 Red Cross Hosp, taking 3 weeks leave in the UK and rejoined his unit. Recommended for MC 16th Oct - during the operation of 5th Oct in the attack on Montbrehain, East of Peronne, this officer was in charge of a company sent forward to reinforce the 6th Australian Infantry Brigade. The tactical situation was obscure and this officer with another officer of the 24th Bn and a NCO went forward into Montbrehain with a view of clearing up the situation before advancing his company. While on reconnaissance he was subjected to intense macjhine gun fire and sniping. This officer by skillful sniping, either killed or wounded 20 enemy and cleared the village. Then with the assistance of the other officer and the NCO, gathered up a number of the 6th Bde men and established them in posts on the outer edge of the village. As a result of this work and daring, it was not necessary to bring up his own company.
1919. Returned to England for return to Australia, 10th Jan. Returned to Aust on HMAS Euripedes and disembarked in Adelaide, 22nd April. Discharged from the Army 14th July.
Married his wife Ethel Blanche in 1921. He died 21st Oct 1943 at Semaphore, Sth Aus, and is buried at Light Oval AIF Cemetery in West Terrace Cemetery.
Submitted 17 January 2023 by Maxwell HILL
Biography
Elder brother of 2450 Pte. Frank Read (/explore/people/157664) who died of wounds in France on 06 Aug 1916
"ON ACTIVE SERVICE.SERGEANT W. READ, M.M.
Mr. and Mrs. J. Read, of King William street, Rosewater, have received a letter from their son, Private William Read, who is on active service abroad, stating that he has been promoted to the rank of sergeant and has received the Military Medal for gallantry at Malt Trench, France. Sergeant Read left the Outer Harbor in May, 1915 with the 27th Battalion. He has seen severe fighting both on Gallipoli and in France. Prior to enlisting he was in the employ of Mr. Richard Honey at Port Adelaide." - from the Adelaide Advertiser 05 Jul 1917 (nla.gov.au)
Biography contributed by Woodville High School
William Roy Read was born on the 16th of April 1890 in Rosewater, Adelaide, SA. William was a white male with dark brown hair. After graduating from school he worked as a Machinist. His hometown was in Rosewater (then known as Greytown).
He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) when he was 24 years old on the 26 Jan 1915 at Keswick, South Australia. He joined the 27th Infantry Battalion.
He embarked on the HMAT Geelong ship from Adelaide. He embarked on 31 May 1915. Over the course of 4 years from 1915 to 1919 he was promoted from Private to 2nd Lieutenant on 31 October 1917 and then to Lieutenant on 1st August 1918. He also received a Military Medal for gallantry during his service. He was discharged on 14 July 1919.
He died on the 21st of October 1943. His place of death was in Semaphore, Adelaide, South Australia. He is buried at the West Terrace Cemetery in the AIF Section, Australia. His tombstone is at the Light Oval 3S C 23.
Bibliography
Vwma.org.au. (2024). Australian Soldiers, Memorials and Military History. [online] Available at: https://vwma.org.au/explore/projects/162310/edit?t=1733370845114 [Accessed 5 Dec. 2024].
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