JOHNSTON, William James
| Service Numbers: | 2397, 5114 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 14 June 1915, Was deemed unfit. Did not embark. Record stamped "Australian Deserter" |
| Last Rank: | Sapper |
| Last Unit: | 11th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Fremantle, Western Australia, 3 December 1870 |
| Home Town: | Fremantle, Fremantle, Western Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Pearler |
| Died: | Drowning, Onslow, Western Australia, 16 June 1942, aged 71 years |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: | Fremantle Scots Church Honour Roll |
World War 1 Service
| 14 Jun 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2397, Was deemed unfit. Did not embark. Record stamped "Australian Deserter" | |
|---|---|---|
| 25 Jun 1915: | Involvement Private, 2397, 11th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '10' embarkation_place: Fremantle embarkation_ship: HMAT Karoola embarkation_ship_number: A63 public_note: '' | |
| 25 Jun 1915: | Embarked Private, 2397, 11th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Karoola, Fremantle | |
| 4 Nov 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Sapper, 5114, Appointed to 1st Australian Tunnelling Company on 10.5.1916 | |
| 2 Apr 1918: | Discharged AIF WW1, Sapper, 5114, Returned to Australia per Balmoral Castle on 1.2.18 for discharge with premature senility. |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Helen Harmer
William James Johnston was born on the 3.12.1870 in Fremantle to William Frederick (1836 – 1879) and Catherine Jane Johnston (1830 – 1906). His father had for many years been the chief warder at Fremantle prison. He had 3 brothers and a sister. Rev Hanlin conducted his mother’s burial service. William James had previously served for 3 years with the Fremantle Volunteer Forces. There are two enlistments – the first was transcribed at Perth on the 3rd of May 1915 aged 38 years 8 months old and his occupation was a pearler. Next of kin was his brother, George Johnston of Irwin St East Fremantle. William was described as being 5 feet 5¾ inches tall, with a chest measurement of 36-39 inches, dark complexion, brown eyes and dark hair. He had the tattoo of a full rigged shop on his right forearm. He gave his denomination as Church of England. At Blackboy Hill on the 14.6.1915, he was allocated to the 7th reinforcements, 11th Battalion. He was deemed unfit due to haemorrhoids and his teeth needed fixing. He was allocated Service Number 2397 but he did not embark. His records are stamped “Australian Deserter”.
William reattended Blackboy Hill on the 4.11.15 and reenlisted on the 16.11.15 with Service number 5114. He stated that he was a carpenter aged 40, who had served an apprenticeship in New Zealand. His hair was now iron grey. He was appointed a Sapper with the 1st Aust Tunnelling Company on the 10.5.1916. William embarked on the 19.7.16 from Melbourne on A26 Armadale and marched in to No 3 Camp Parkhouse on the 21.9.1916. William proceeded to France on the 17.10.16. He was sanctioned for being drunk in the field on 28.4.17 and AWL on 27.7.17. On 3.11.17 he was sent to hospital sick, then to Bath War hospital with P.U.O. (fever), He was diagnosed with typhoid on 9.11.17. and returned to France on the 28.1.17. William returned to Australia per Balmoral Castle on 1.2.18 for discharge with premature senility. He disembarked on the 18.3.18 and was discharged on the 2.4.18. His war medals were returned on the 30.9.24.
The registrar General’s Office in Perth declared him presumed dead on 16.6.1942, body not recovered, presumed drowned. A certificate and Identification Card sent by the Postmaster General’s Department in Onslow on 9.6.1942 stated “The Pensioner left his hut on the other side of Beadon creek to walk into town about 2 weeks ago. It appears that he lost his balance while crossing the creek at low tide, and the heavy flood waters coming down from the creek after the recent heavy rains have carried him out to sea. No trace of him has been found, the Police found his tracks into the water but none coming out.”
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