GALLEN, William
| Service Number: | 4684 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 12 January 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 18th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Shellharbour,New South Wales, Australia, 1 August 1884 |
| Home Town: | Annandale, Leichhardt, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Annandale Public School, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Labourer at Locomotive Depot |
| Died: | Died of wounds, France, 20 May 1918, aged 33 years |
| Cemetery: |
Crouy British Cemetery, Crouy-sur-Somme |
| Memorials: | Annandale War Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board |
World War 1 Service
| 12 Jan 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 4684, 18th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 13 Apr 1916: | Involvement Private, 4684, 18th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '12' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Ceramic embarkation_ship_number: A40 public_note: '' | |
| 13 Apr 1916: | Embarked Private, 4684, 18th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ceramic, Sydney | |
| 20 May 1918: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 4684, 18th Infantry Battalion, Shell wounds to the abdomen, leg and arm. Died the same day. |
Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board
William GALLEN was born at Shellharbour, NSW, on 1 August 1884. His parents were William and Margaret Gallen. It is unknown when the family moved to Annandale in Sydney, but it is known that young William went to the Public School there. According to information provided by Margaret Gallen to the AIF in 1920 and 1922, William (his father) deserted the family in about 1900 and disappeared, leaving Margaret to raise seven children without any maintenance payments from him. This was in spite of a Maintenance Order being issued against him at the Central Police Court. While Margaret Gallen stated she had no knowledge of the whereabouts of her husband, the AIF had an address for him in Shellharbour in 1918.
Young William joined the NSW Government Railways and Tramways as a labourer in the Locomotive Branch at Eveleigh on 25th March 1912.
On 12th January 1916 he enlisted in the AIF.
On 20 May 1918, while in action in France, near Amiens, William received shell wounds to the abdomen, leg and arm. He died of his wounds the same day. His grave is in Crouy British Cemetery, Crouy St Pierre, Amiens, Picardie, France.
Submitted 11 July 2023 by John Oakes