Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

From Australian Remembrance Army

Over the past six years we have submitted the service records and causes of death of several hundred veterans to the Office of Australian War Graves for assessment for Official Commemoration. To date, more than 100 of these veterans interred at Lutwyche Cemetery have been accepted as Official Commemorations, and their graves are now being formally marked and will be maintained in perpetuity by the Office of Australian War Graves.

Australian World War One veteran Gunner William Ernest Tanner (Service No. 3639), is one of the previously unmarked WWI veterans’ graves in Lutwyche Cemetery that has been accepted as an Official Commemoration by the Office of Australian War Graves.
WWI service file:
See Australian Remembrance Army Facebook page

OAWG Official Commemoration: https://connect.dva.gov.au/.../viewCommemoration.html...

William Ernest Tanner was born in 1896 in Chelmsford, Essex, England, to Henry William Tanner and Jessie Blanche Tanner (née Remnant). He later emigrated to Australia and resided in New South Wales prior to enlistment.

He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on 25 October 1915 at Holsworthy, New South Wales, aged 26 years. His occupation was recorded as japanner, and he nominated his brother Henry as his next of kin. On 12 December 1915, he embarked for overseas service aboard HMAT Berrima from Sydney.

His service record shows multiple medical entries, including hospital treatment for trench feet and periods of reduced fitness. The record indicates ongoing health issues during and after service, including conditions later identified as venous thrombosis and complications following pneumonia.
Following discharge, Tanner married Gladys Ellen Langtry in Sydney, New South Wales, at approximately 28 years of age. They had one child, a son, Reginald William Tanner.

In 1937, Tanner applied for a war pension through the Repatriation Commission. The claim was rejected. He appealed to the War Pensions Entitlement Appeal Tribunal, which upheld his appeal in 1938 and granted a pension based on total incapacity.

Subsequently, the Commission required a further medical examination by Dr. Wilfred Evans of Macquarie Street, Sydney. Evans reported that there was no evidence of cardiac or pulmonary disease attributable to war service and that Tanner’s venous thrombosis followed post-war pneumonia and was not associated with his military service. On this basis, the Commission appealed, and in May 1938 the Tribunal upheld the appeal and cancelled Tanner’s pension.
Tanner then initiated legal proceedings. He claimed £1,000 damages against Dr. Evans, alleging negligence and wrongful reporting in connection with the medical examination and the cancellation of his pension. He conducted his own case. The matter was heard in the courts in Sydney and proceeded to the High Court of Australia in November 1939. The Court held that Tanner’s claim disclosed no cause of action and that it had no jurisdiction to review the merits of the tribunal’s decision. Judgment was entered in favour of the Repatriation Commission and the defendant. His claim failed.

Gunner William Ernest Tanner died at Brisbane General Hospital on 8 November 1955, aged 59, and was buried two days later in Monumental Portion 2, Lutwyche Cemetery, Brisbane.

His death certificate records long-term cardiovascular and vascular disease, with the cause of death recorded as coronary occlusion and hypertension, and venous thrombosis of the legs noted as a contributing condition.

In August 2024, sixty-nine years after his death, we received notification that the Office of Australian War Graves had accepted our application for an Official War Graves Commemoration.

After decades in an unmarked grave, his final resting place now bears a plaque commemorating his service to Australia, ensuring his name endures among those remembered for their duty and sacrifice. His identity and dignity have now been restored.

Lest We Forget