MACQUIBBAN, William James
| Service Number: | 6283 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 25 April 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 1st Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Perth, Scotland, date not yet discovered |
| Home Town: | Caulfield, Glen Eira, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Perth Academy, Perthshire, Scotland |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Bullecourt, France, 5 May 1917, age not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Commemorated Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, Picardie, France |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Barmedman War Memorial, Perth (Scotland) Academy Honour Roll, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial (Australian National Memorial - France) |
World War 1 Service
| 25 Apr 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1 | |
|---|---|---|
| 9 Sep 1916: | Involvement Private, 6283, 1st Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '7' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Euripides embarkation_ship_number: A14 public_note: '' | |
| 9 Sep 1916: | Embarked Private, 6283, 1st Infantry Battalion, HMAT Euripides, Sydney |
Help us honour William James MacQuibban's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Sharyn Roberts
William McQuibban was educated at Perth Academy before emigrating to Australia.
William McQuibban enlisted with the 1st Battalion (20th Reinforcement), Australian Imperial Force, on the 25th April 1916 when he was 24 years of age and a labourer. He was living at Spray Street, Elsternwick, Melbourne, Victoria and embarked on H.M.A.T. A14 Euripides in Sydney on the 9th September 1916.
The German retreat to the Hindenburg Line
During the fighting on the Somme the German’s constructed a formidable new defensive system some miles in their rear. From February 1917 they began to withdraw into it, giving up ground, but in carrying out operation Alberich they made the ground as uninhabitable and difficult as possible. The Allies detected the withdrawal and cautiously followed up, and advanced, being brought to a standstill at the outer defences of the system.
While there is no definitive record of how, or where, William McQuibban lost his life, it would have been at some stage of this advance in pursuit of the German’s. He was 25 years old, and having no known grave, is commemorated on the Villers-Bretonneux Memrorial.
Perthshire Advertiser, 19th May 1917
“OUR OWN MEN - Private W. J. M‘Quibban”
“Private W. J. M‘Quibban, Australians, elder son of Mr and Mrs M‘Quibban, 1 Marshall Place, was killed in action on 5th April. He was 25 years of age. He went to Australia about six years ago, joined the Anzacs, and came over to this country. He spent a short furlough in Perth at the New Year, and shortly after proceeded to France with his contingent. A younger brother is on home service at Montrose.”
This biography was written by students of Perth Academy, Perthshire, Scotland, and kindly donated to the Virtual War Memorial Australia.
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