GILL, William Francis
| Service Number: | 2663 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Lieutenant |
| Last Unit: | 52nd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Innisfail, Queensland, Australia, 22 May 1891 |
| Home Town: | Innisfail, Cassowary Coast, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Shipping manager |
| Died: | Halls Creek Shire, Western Australia , 22 September 1948, aged 57 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 7 Oct 1916: | Involvement Private, 2663, 52nd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '19' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Ceramic embarkation_ship_number: A40 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 7 Oct 1916: | Embarked Private, 2663, 52nd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ceramic, Sydney | |
| 5 Jan 1919: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lieutenant | |
| 4 Feb 1919: | Honoured Military Medal |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Gregory Harris
William Francis Gill, born Innisfail, Qld, shipping manager at Innisfail, parents Henry Lawrence Gill and Kate, nee Mahon, enlisted aged 24 on 30 May 1916 at Brisbane, Queensland, Australia with the 32nd Btn, AIF, service number 26636.
Corporal Gill was awarded the Military Medal for "gallantry and fine leadership during the counter attack on the enemy positions" on 25 Apr 1918 at Villers Bretonneux, France.
Subsequently promoted to Sergeant, and then after officer training, to Lieutenant. Transferred to 49th Battalion.
William lived in Berlin for some years after WWI, learning the language; then assisted with the winding up of German involvement in New Guinea, working for the Expropriation Board set up by the Australian Government.
Worked for Burns Philp as a Business Inspector at Raboul, New Guinea, for about four years until 1935.
Married Heather Bray in May 1934 at Raboul.
Storekeeper-agent at Kununoppin, Western Australia, which is about 200 km inland from Toodyay, from 1936. Closed the business in 1940 owing to ill health and bad debts from locals who enlisted, and whose debts were frozen.
Clerk of the Courts at Bridgetown, Western Australia. Temporary job while occupant enlisted during WWII.
From 1947, employed as bookkeeper at Moola Bulla cattle station, which was then run by the State Government as a place for Aboriginal people to train and work in the pastoral industry.
The Northern Times (Carnarvon, Western Australia), 14 Oct 1948, Fitzroy Notes: "The recent death of Mr Bill Gill storekeeper [bookkeeper according to death certificate] at Moola Bulla was received with regret here".
Buried in the private cemetery at Moola Bulla Station. All 15 graves unmarked. The one in the attached photo is assumed to be for William Gill, as it was most recent (he died in 1948, the last to be buried at Moola Bulla) and least damaged. Under a Snappy Gum tree.
Click images to start slideshow.