DOWNEY, William Clarence
| Service Number: | 4773 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 15th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Belfast, Co. Antrim, Ireland , 21 April 1885 |
| Home Town: | Townsville, Townsville, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Miner |
| Died: | Gassed (shell), 1st Southern General Hospital - Stourbridge Section, Birmingham, England, 23 September 1918, aged 33 years |
| Cemetery: |
Stourbridge Cemetery Grave 6 INSCRIPTION FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 28 Mar 1916: | Involvement Private, 4773, 15th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '11' embarkation_place: Brisbane embarkation_ship: HMAT Commonwealth embarkation_ship_number: A73 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 28 Mar 1916: | Embarked Private, 4773, 15th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Commonwealth, Brisbane | |
| Date unknown: | Honoured Military Medal, 1919 |
Help us honour William Clarence Downey's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Geoffrey Gillon
Son of Michael and Jane Downey; husband of Martha Downey, of 31, Third St., Belfast, Ireland.
He was 33.
Deaths Sep 1918 Downey William C 33 Stourbridge 6c 71
Biography contributed by Cathy Sedgwick
The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick (OAM) – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland”
William Clarence Downey was born at Belfast, Co. Antrim, Ireland on 21st April, 1885 to Mitchell Newman (Michael) Downey & Agnes Jane Downey (nee McFall).
According to information provided by his wife for the Roll of Honour – William Clarence Downey came to Australia when he was 6 months old.
He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 23rd September, 1915 at Townsville, Queensland as a 30 year old, single, Miner. His next of kin was listed as his father – Mr M. D. Downey, Okavaire, via Oakland, New Zealand.
Private William Clarence Downey, Service number 4773, embarked from Brisbane, Queensland on HMAT Commonwealth (A73) on 28th March, 1916 with the 4th Infantry Brigade, 15th Infantry Battalion, 15th Reinforcements & disembarked at Egypt on 5th May, 1916.
On 13th May, 1916 Private Downey was admitted to 2nd Australian Stationary Hospital at Tel-el-Kebir with Influenza. He was discharged to duty on 14th May, 1916.
He was admitted to 2nd Australian Stationary Hospital at Tel-el-Kebir on 26th May, 1916 with Mumps (The Casualty Form – Active Service recorded he had Influenza). Private Downey was transferred to 4th Auxiliary Hospital at Heliopolis on 28th May, 1916 & discharged on 29th May, 1916.
Private Downey embarked from Alexandria on 6th August, 1916 for Overseas on Megantic.
On 23rd September, 1916 Private Downey embarked for overseas to France from 4th Training Battalion in England.
Reinforcements were only given basic training in Australia. Training was completed in training units in England. Some of these were located in the Salisbury Plain & surrounding areas in the county of Wiltshire.
He was marched in to No. 4 A.D.B.D. (Australian Divisional Base Depot) at Etaples, France on 24th September, 1916. He proceeded from No. 4 A.D.B.D. on 8th December, 1916 to join his Battalion. Private Downey joined 15th Battalion in the Field on 12th December, 1916 from 15th Reinforcements.
Private William Clarence Downey was wounded in action on 1st February, 1917. He was admitted to No. 12 Australian Field Ambulance on 2nd February, 1917 then transferred to No. 45 Casualty Clearing Station on the same day. Private Downey was transferred from Casualty Clearing Station on 4th February, 1917 & admitted to No. 10 General Hospital at Rouen, France on 5th February, 1917. He was transferred from Rouen on 8th February, 1917 & embarked from Havre, France on 9th February, 1917 for England on Hospital Ship Dunluce Castle.
He was admitted to 3rd Southern General Hospital, Oxford, England on 10th February, 1917 with G.S.W. (gunshot wounds) to left knee & right foot. The Hospital Admissions form recorded: “X Ray shows 2 pieces of metal behind knee. 24.3.17 Piece of bullet casing removed from __poplitel nerve, just above bead opadius. Nerve completely perforated. To be transferred to Harefield Park.”
On 8th August, 1917 Private Downey was transferred to 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Harefield, Middlesex, England after spending 179 days in 3rd Southern General Hospital, Oxford.
Private Downey was discharged & granted furlo from 16th August, 1917 & was then to report to No. 2 Command Depot at Weymouth on 30th August, 1917.
He was marched in to No. 2 Command Depot at Weymouth, England on 30th August, 1917 from A.H.Q. London (Australian Headquarters & from furlo). Private Downey was transferred to No. 3 Command Depot at Hurdcott, Wiltshire on 5th October, 1917.
On 7th October, 1917 Private Downey was medically classified as B1 A1 (fit for light duty) at No. 3 Command Depot, Hurdcott, Wiltshire. He was medically assessed on 26th October, 1917 as B1 A2 (fit for Overseas Training Camp in 3 – 4 weeks) & again on 8th November, 1917 as B1 A3 (fit for Overseas Training Camp in 2 – 3 weeks). Private Downey was medically classified as A3 (fit for Overseas Training Camp, to which transferred for hardening, prior to rejoining Unit overseas) on 13th November, 1917.
He was marched out of No. 3 Command Depot at Hurdcott & into Overseas Training Brigade at Longbridge Deverill, Wiltshire on 16th November, 1917.
Private William Clarence Downey, aged 30, married Martha Alderdice, aged 22, on 8th December, 1917 at St. Luke’s Church of Ireland, Lower Falls, Belfast, Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland.
On 10th January, 1918 Private Downey proceeded overseas to France from Overseas Training Brigade at Sandhill Camp, Longbridge Deverill. He was marched in to A.I.B.D. (Australian Infantry Base Depot) at Havre, France on 11th January, 1918. Private Downey was marched out from A.I.B.D. on 13th January, 1918 & rejoined 15th Battalion in the Field on 18th January, 1918.
Private William Clarence Downey was recommended for the Military Medal on 11th August, 1918 by General E. G. Sinclair Maclagan, Commanding 4th Australian Division “is recommended for his bravery and devotion to duty during the attack of CERISY on 8th August, 1918 (E. of CORBIE). Throughout the operation he showed an utter contempt for danger and carried in wounded all day under very heavy Machine Gun and artillery fire saving numerous lives.”
On 24th August, 1918 Private William Clarence Downey was wounded in action – Gassed. He was admitted to 92nd Field Ambulance on 25th August, 1918 – Gassed Shell (classed as wounded) then transferred the same day to 53rd Casualty Clearing Station. Private Downey was transferred to 31st Ambulance Train & admitted to 5th General Hospital at Rouen, France on 26th August, 1918. He was reported to be seriously ill on 8th September, 1918 & embarked for England on Hospital Ship Formosa on 15th September, 1918.
He was admitted to 1st Southern General Hospital - Stourbridge Section, Birmingham, England on 16th September, 1918 – Gassed (severe).
Private William Clarence Downey died at 8.40 pm on 23rd September, 1918 at 1st Southern General Hospital - Stourbridge Section, Birmingham, England from wounds received in action – Gassed (shell) as a result of enemy action.
He was buried in Stourbridge Cemetery, Stourbridge, West Midlands, England where 12 other WW1 Australian Soldiers are laid to rest.
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/stourbridge.html
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