Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Private William Gilmour “Will” Jamieson

3853 – 27th Battalion, Australian Imperial Force

22 May 1889 – 7 September 1976

Early Life

William Gilmour Jamieson, known throughout his life as “Will,” was born on 22 May 1889 at Black Rock, South Australia, the son of:

John Jamieson (1852–1926)
Elizabeth Dobney (1853–1912)
His birth was registered in the Frome district:

Book/Page: 439/404
William grew up in the Mid North of South Australia during the late nineteenth century, a period shaped by farming communities, mining districts, and the expanding railway network that connected rural towns with Adelaide.

His father, John Jamieson, had been born in:

Ayr, South Ayrshire, Scotland
while his mother, Elizabeth Dobney, was South Australian born at:

Lobethal
The Jamieson family therefore combined Scottish heritage with some of South Australia’s early colonial families.

Marriage

On 23 December 1915, during the First World War, William married:

Amy Vera Haines (1892–1971)
at the residence of:

Edward John Crohurst
Paradise, South Australia
Marriage records note:

Groom’s father:
John Jamieson
Bride’s father:
Richard Dalton Haines
The wedding took place only weeks before William departed overseas for military service.

First World War Service

Enlistment

William enlisted in the:

Australian Imperial Force
on 27 August 1915
Service details:

Service Number: 3853
Rank: Private
Unit: 27th Battalion, 9th Reinforcement
Occupation: Labourer
Religion: Baptist
Address: Main Street, Clare, South Australia
His military records listed his wife Amy as next of kin:

“Mrs Amy Vera Jamieson, Paradise P.O., South Australia.”

Embarkation

William embarked from Adelaide aboard:

HMAT A28 Miltiades
on 7 February 1916
as part of the reinforcement draft for the:

27th Battalion
The battalion formed part of the famed:

7th Brigade
Australian Imperial Force
which had already suffered heavily during the Gallipoli campaign before serving on the Western Front.

Overseas Service

During the war, William later served with:

Australian Corps Cyclist Battalion
Cyclist battalions performed important wartime duties including:

reconnaissance,
dispatch carrying,
communications,
traffic control,
and rapid troop movement support.
William remained overseas throughout much of the war before eventually returning to Australia on:

29 May 1919
His service records and nominal roll later clarified the spelling:

“William Gilmour Jamieson”
Family Life After the War

Following his return from overseas service, William and Amy established family life in Adelaide’s north-eastern districts.

Together they became the parents of four sons:

Eric Donald Jamieson (1920–1987)
Russel Gilmour Jamieson (1922–1999)
Kenneth Douglas Jamieson (1924–1975)
Private Geoffrey Dalton Jamieson (1925–1943)
The family lived across:

Royston Park
Hope Valley
Tea Tree Gully
Highbury
during a period when these districts still retained much of their orchard and semi-rural character.

Second Generation Wartime Service

William’s family became one of multiple generations shaped by military service.

His son:

Sergeant Russel Gilmour Jamieson
served during the Second World War with the:
2/43 Infantry Battalion
Another son:

Private Geoffrey Dalton Jamieson
Service Number: SX24864
Army Service Corps / 126 General Transport Company
tragically died during wartime service in Brisbane on:

15 November 1943
aged only 18 years.
The loss of Geoffrey represented a devastating family tragedy during the war years.

Later Years

William lived long enough to witness enormous change across South Australia:

Federation,
two World Wars,
the Depression,
and the growth of modern Adelaide.
He spent his later years at:

Ashlea Private Hospital, St Peters
and died on:

7 September 1976
at the Repatriation Hospital, Daw Park
aged 87 years
His death registration recorded him as:

Widowed
following the earlier death of Amy Vera Jamieson in 1971.

Burial

William Gilmour Jamieson was buried beside Amy at:

Centennial Park Cemetery
Pasadena, South Australia
General AE, Path 6, Site 378
His military service is also commemorated through:

the Orroroo District Roll of Honour
and surviving Australian war records.
Legacy

Private William Gilmour “Will” Jamieson belonged to the generation of South Australians who answered the call during the First World War and returned home to rebuild family life after years of conflict.

His story spans:

rural South Australian beginnings,
overseas wartime service,
post-war family life,
and the later wartime sacrifice of his own son during World War II.
Today, his memory survives through military records, cemetery memorials, family photographs, and the continuing preservation of the Jamieson family history across generations.

Biography by Trevor Pyatt 14/05/2026