FINN, William Edmund
| Service Number: | 2591 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 4th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Randwick, New South Wales, Australia , 1889 |
| Home Town: | Bungulla, Tenterfield Municipality, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Tram Conductor |
| Died: | Killed in Action, France, 18 April 1918 |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, Picardie, France |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Bungulla Honour Roll, Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board, Tenterfield & Districts Fallen Soldiers Roll of Honor Light Horse, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial (Australian National Memorial - France) |
World War 1 Service
| 9 Aug 1915: | Involvement Private, 2591, 4th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '8' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Runic embarkation_ship_number: A54 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 9 Aug 1915: | Embarked Private, 2591, 4th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Runic, Sydney | |
| 18 Apr 1918: | Involvement Corporal, 2591, 4th Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 2591 awm_unit: 4th Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Corporal awm_died_date: 1918-04-18 |
Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board
William Edmund FINN, (Service Number 2591) was born at Randwick in 1889 and joined the Tramways in Sydney in 1912 as a conductor. In June 1915 he enlisted in the AIF at Liverpool.
He was killed in action in France on 18 April 1918.
He was buried at a map reference in the vicinity of Strazele, but after the war the grave could not be located, and he is remembered with honour on the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial.
Submitted 3 July 2023 by John Oakes
Biography contributed by John Oakes
William Edmund FINN (Service Number 2591) was born at Randwick in 1889. Hejoined the Tramways in Sydney in 1912 as a conductor. In June 1915 he enlisted in the AIF at Liverpool.
He embarked from Sydney in August 1915. He spent a fortnight in hospital with mumps in Egypt. Then he joined the 4th Battalion at Gallipoli on 7th December. On 14th December he was given three days field punishment for ‘Neglect of Trench Standing Orders, ie (1) Dirty Possie (2) Bayonet fixed until 8am.’ At the end of the month he was evacuated, with all other Anzacs, and landed again in Egypt.
In March 1916 Finn was sent to France. He spent a month in hospital with bronchitis in May-June. H re-joined his unit in July. He was wounded in action (shell shock) on 18 August. After two weeks in hospital in France, he re-joined his battalion in September. He was promoted to Lance Corporal and then Corporal in July 1917. He was detached for duty with a training battalion in England. In December, however, he was reprimanded following ‘improper conduct’ at the course office, and ‘using obscene language to a senior N.C.O.’ On New Year’s Eve he was sent back to France. He re-joined the 4th Battalion there in January 1918. He was killed in action on 18th April 1918.
He was buried at a map reference in the vicinity of Strazele. After the war the grave could not be located, and he is remembered with honour on the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial.
- based on notes for the Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board