HARMER, William Richard
| Service Number: | 1359 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 9 November 1914, Hopetown, Victoria |
| Last Rank: | Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 12th Light Trench Mortar Battery |
| Born: | Joyce, South Australia, 12 June 1882 |
| Home Town: | Hopetoun, Yarriambiack, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Farmer |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Pozieres, France, 1 September 1916, aged 34 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" No known Grave. His name is located at panel 20 in the Commemorative Area at the AWM Canberra, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, Picardie, France |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Ouyen War Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial (Australian National Memorial - France) |
World War 1 Service
| 9 Nov 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Hopetown, Victoria | |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Feb 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 1359, 5th Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières , --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '8' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Clan McGillivray embarkation_ship_number: A46 public_note: '' | |
| 2 Feb 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 1359, 5th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Clan McGillivray, Melbourne | |
| 1 Sep 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Sergeant, 1359, 12th Light Trench Mortar Battery, Battle for Pozières , --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 1359 awm_unit: 12th Australian Light Trench Mortar Battery awm_rank: Sergeant awm_died_date: 1916-09-01 |
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Born: William Richard Victor HARMER on 12 June 1882 at Joyce, South Australia (Now Hawthorn)
(SA Birth Record 1842 - 1906 Book: 284 Page: 238 District: Rob.)
Father Elias HARMER (b.14 July 1837, Salthouse, Norfolk, England- d. 25 Mar 1906, Hopetoun, Victoria) and
Mother Louisa Eunice Harmer (nee CHAMPION) b. 6 Jun 1841, Lambourn, Berkshire England,, d 24 Aug 1908, Hopetoun, Victoria)
Paternal grandparents - Francis Henry Harmer and Ann Harmer (nee Barrett)
Maternal grandparents -Richard CHAMPION and Mother Elizabeth (nee Cowley).
Siblings:
Brother Francis Harmer (b 15 May 1863, Mount Barker SA, d 15 May 1863 1863 Moutntbarker SA)
Sister Elizabeth Ann Regina Harmer (b 18 May 1864 Bugle Ranges SA, d. 21 Jan 1874, Kadina SA)
Sister Sarah Ann Gould Dart (nee Harmer) (b. 14 Sep1866, Tolderol SA, d. 2 Oct 1923 Hopetoun Vic)
Brother Francis Henry Vicars Harmer (b. 29 Mar 1869 Wistow SA, d. 7 Apr 1936 Loxton SA)
Brother James Herbert Harmer (b. 24 Feb 1871 CookePlains SA, d. 7 Aug 1947 Keith SA)
Brother William Edward Harmer (b. 26 Jul 1873, d. 3 Aug 1873 Kadina SA)
Brother Elias Albert William HARMER (b. 15/7/1874 Kadina, SA - d. 29 Aug 1951 Geelong Vic )
Sister Hannah Emily Louisa Minnie Victoria HARMER (b. 13/8/1876 Kadina, SA - d. 10 Apr 1912 Windsor Vic )
Margaret Sarah Eunice Gibbs (nee Harmer) (b. 19 Aug 1879 Lucindale SA, d. 19 Apr 1949 Loxton SA)
Sister Elizabeth Alice Harmer (b. 1884 Nhill Vic, d. 1884 Nhill Vic)
Described on enlisting as 31 years 9 months old, married (seperated by legal ),
5' 11 1/2" tall; dark complexion; hazel eyes; black hair; Church of England.
4/11/1914 completed medial at Hopetoun, Victoria
9/11/1914 enlisted at Hopetoun, Victoria
5/1/1915 Private at Depot, Broadmeadows
29/1/1915 Commanding Officer appointed William to 5th Battery, 2nd reinforcements
2/2/1915 embarked from Port of Melbourne on board HMAT Clan McGillivray A46
as a Private in the 5th Infantry Battalion,
1/3/1915 Sergeant with 2nd reinforcements, 5th Battalion
22/3/1915 embarked on board Ulysses, ex Suez, Egypt
15/4/1915 disembarked into Melbourne, Victoria
24/6/1915 transferred, ex 14th to 22 Battery
14/9/1915 admitted to and transferred to 16th Clearing Hospital (def. eyesight)
ANZAC
15/9/1915 defective vision, admitted Alexandria, per Novosa
transferred from 2/1st Anglican Field Ambulance to 16th Clearing Hospital
8/10/1915 discharged to Australian Base, ANZAC
17/10/1915 admitted to Reception Hospital, Mustepha
transferred to Convalescent Depot
8/11/1915 embarked per Alnwick Castle
3/1/1916 admitted overseas Base ex hospital
30/5/1916 to be Temporary Sergeant
2/6/1916 "2nd" embarked overseas with 46th Battalion, on board Kinfaus Castle
11/3/1916 taken on strength of the Battalion
31/3/1916 taken on strength into 46th Battalion
19/5/1916 promoted to Corporal
20/5/1916 to be temporary Sergeant
2/6/1916 proceeded to join British Expeditionary Forces, ex Alexandria
embarked on board Kinfaus Castle
8/6/1916 disembarked into Marseilles, France
3/7/1916 Sergeant with 4th Divisional Light Trench Mortar Battery
4/7/1916 transferred to 12th Light Trench Mortar Battery
8/7/1916 taken on strength into 12th Light Trench Mortar Battery
1/9/1916 killed in action - in the field in France
NO KNOWN GRAVE
Medals:
1914/15 Star (1095); British War medal (7827); Victory medal (7789); and
Memorial Plaque and Memorial Scroll (320252)
Sourced and submitted by Julianne T Ryan. 30/6/2015. Lest we forget.
Edited and extended by Jon Harmer 8/5/16.