William Henry COLE

William Henry COLE Update Details

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COLE, William Henry

Service Number:	2123
Enlisted:	12 July 1915
Last Rank:	Private
Last Unit:	18th Infantry Battalion
Born:	Bourke, New South Wales, Australia, October 1885
Home Town:	Dubbo, Dubbo Municipality, New South Wales
Schooling:	Not yet discovered
Occupation:	Farmer
Died:	Killed in action, Pozieres, France, 31 July 1916
Cemetery:	No known grave - "Known Unto God" Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, Picardie, France
Memorials:	Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Dubbo Memorial Drive & Rose Garden, Eumungerie - Coboco RSL Memorial, Eumungerie Mogriguy Soldiers WWI Roll of Honour, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial

World War 1 Service

12 Jul 1915:	Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2123, 18th Infantry Battalion
30 Sep 1915:	Involvement Private, 2123, 18th Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières , --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '12' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Argyllshire embarkation_ship_number: A8 public_note: ''
30 Sep 1915:	Embarked Private, 2123, 18th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Argyllshire, Sydney

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Biography contributed by Stephen Brooks

William Henry Cole was the son of Thomas and Rose Cole, of Mogriguy, New South Wales. Five of his brothers also enlisted in the AIF and embarked for overseas service during WW1.

‘Will’ as he was known enlisted in July 1915 with his brothers Jack and Tom. All three were assigned to the 18th Battalion and given consecutive regimental numbers.

Will died at Pozieres on 31 July 1916 and his younger brother, 2121 Lce. Cpl. John ‘Jack’ Alexander Cole died of wounds in Belgium only six weeks later on 13 September 1916, aged 22.

The other brother, 2122 Private Thomas Cole was severely wounded during August 1916 and returned to Australia medically unfit during early 1917.

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