PROFITT, William James
| Service Number: | 2208 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 5 July 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 23rd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Collingwood, Victoria, Australia, 20 August 1894 |
| Home Town: | Collingwood, Yarra, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Salesman |
| Died: | Died of wounds, Cambridge Military Hospital, Aldershot, England , 25 October 1916, aged 22 years |
| Cemetery: |
St. Minver (St. Michael) Churchyard, Cornwall, England, |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 5 Jul 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2208, 23rd Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 27 Sep 1915: | Involvement Private, 2208, 23rd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '14' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Hororata embarkation_ship_number: A20 public_note: '' | |
| 27 Sep 1915: | Embarked Private, 2208, 23rd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Hororata, Melbourne | |
| 26 Aug 1916: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 2208, 23rd Infantry Battalion, Mouquet Farm, GSW to right elbow DoW (Acute Septicaemia) England |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Evan Evans
The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland
Died on this date – 25th October…… William James Profitt was born in Collingwood, Victoria on 20th August, 1894.
He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 5th July, 1915 as a Salesman, aged 20 years & 11 months from Collingwood, Victoria. William Profitt stated on his Attestation Papers that he had previously served with Senior Cadets & also with Citizen Forces. He had previously been rejected as unfit for His Majesty’s Service due to his height – he was 5 feet 2 ½ inches.
As William Profitt was under the age of 21 – his parents were required to sign their consent for their son to enlist in the Australian Imperial Force. “….the Bearer William James Profitt is anxious to serve his King & Country & we the undersigned willingly give our consent” signed by Francis Profitt (Father) & Mary A. Profitt (Mother) on 12th July, 1916.
Private William James Profitt, Service number 2208, embarked from Melbourne, Victoria on HMAT Hororata (A20) on 27th September, 1915 with the 6th Infantry Brigade, 23rd Infantry Battalion, 4th Reinforcements.
He was taken on strength of 23rd Battalion at Tel-el-Kebir on 11th January, 1916.
On 19th March, 1916 Private Profitt from Alexandria to join B.E.F. (British Expeditionary Force) & disembarked at Marseilles, France.
Private Profitt was admitted to 2nd Australian Field Ambulance on 31st July, 1916 then transferred to 3rd Casualty Clearing Station the same day with a sprained right ankle. He was transferred to Ambulance Train on 31st July, 1916 & admitted to 13th General Hospital at Boulogne, France on 2nd August, 1916. Private Profitt was admitted to No. 1 Convalescent Dept at Boulogne on 5th August, 1916. (Note: The Casualty Form – Active Service, War Gratuity Schedule form & Statement of Service form all incorrectly recorded that he was wounded in action in France on 4th August, 1916 & was invalided to England on 5th August, 1916).
He was posted to 2nd Australian Division Base Depot at Etaples, France on 13th August, 1916 from Boulogne. The following was recorded on the Casualty Form – Active Service for 14th August, 1916 “Admitted Boulogne 2/8/16 trivial, will not interfere with his efficiencey, occurred 30/7/16. Being relieved from trenches slipped and fell into old German dugout was in no way to blame.” Private Profitt was marched out from 2nd Australian Divisional Base Depot at Etaples on 21st August, 1916 & rejoined 23rd Battalion in France on 24th (25?) August, 1916.
Private William James Profitt was wounded in action on 26th August, 1916 at Pozieres. He was admitted to 4th Australian Field Ambulance on 27th August, 1916 with Shrapnel wounds to right Arm then transferred the same day to 49th Casualty Clearing Station with a bullet wound to right Arm. Private Profitt was transferred to No. 29 Ambulance Train on 27th August, 1916 & admitted to 9th General Hospital at Rouen, France on 28th August, 1916 with G.S.W (gunshot wounds) to left elbow, right forearm. He was invalided to England on 31st August, 1916 on Hospital Ship St. Patrick.
On 2nd September, 1916 Private Profitt was admitted to Cambridge Military Hospital, Aldershot, England. The Hospital Admissions form recorded “Compound commuted fracture of right radius opening into elbow joint. Acute Septicaemia.”
Private William Profitt died at 3.45 pm on 25th October, 1916 at Cambridge Military Hospital, Aldershot, England from wounds received in action in France – gunshot wound/s to right elbow.
He was buried in WadeBridge Cemetery, Cornwall, England. The funeral arrangements were carried out by relatives.
Private William Profitt is now recorded by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission as being buried in St. Michael’s Churchyard, St. Minver, Cornwall, England. He has a Private Headstone but his death is still acknowledged by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/st-minver.html
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