SYMONS, William Henry
| Service Number: | 6895 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 20 April 1917, Enlisted in Adelaide |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 27th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Morgan, South Australia, 13 July 1895 |
| Home Town: | Morgan, Mid Murray, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Skerry's College, Scotland |
| Occupation: | Postal Assistant |
| Died: | Tuberculosis, Fovant Military Hospital, Wiltshire, England, United Kingdom, 2 February 1920, aged 24 years |
| Cemetery: |
Fovant (St. George) Churchyard, Wiltshire - South West, England Plot 1, Row E, Grave 4 - Chaplain H. J. Clarke officiated - Headstone inscription: Forever with the Lord in loving memory of our dear son |
| Memorials: | Adelaide Grand Masonic Lodge WW1 Honour Board (1), Adelaide National War Memorial, Adelaide Officers of S.A. Post, Telegraph and Telephone Department Great War Roll of Honor, Adelaide Officers of S.A. Post, Telegraph and Telephone Department Great War Roll of Honor, Adelaide Postmaster General's Department WWI Honour Board , Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 20 Apr 1917: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 6895, 27th Infantry Battalion, Enlisted in Adelaide | |
|---|---|---|
| 30 Oct 1917: | Involvement Private, 6895, 27th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '15' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Aeneas embarkation_ship_number: A60 public_note: '' | |
| 30 Oct 1917: | Embarked Private, 6895, 27th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Aeneas, Melbourne | |
| 2 Sep 1918: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 6895, 27th Infantry Battalion, Gunshot wound to the left arm and invalided to England | |
| Date unknown: | Wounded 6895, 27th Infantry Battalion |
Help us honour William Henry Symons's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Carol Foster
Son of John Symons and Matilda Jne (nee Pendle) Symons; brother of John Percy Harrold Symons, Nellie Eliza May Symons, Stuart Gordon Symons and Gertrude Lilean Symons
Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal
Biography 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 – 2nd February…… William Henry Symons was born at Morgan, South Australia in 1895. He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 4th March, 1916 as a 20 year old, single, Postal Assistant from Morgan, South Australia.
On 15th May, 1916 Private Symons was admitted to Hospital at Exhibition Camp with Influenza then transferred to Military Hospital, Keswick, Adelaide from 16th May, 1916 to 26th May, 1916.
A Medical Report was completed on Private W. H. Symons on 16th June, 1916 at Exhibition Camp due to a disability – Hammer Toes. He had the condition for as long as he could remember & stated that his feet get very sore with walking. His little toe on right foot had been amputated. The Medical Board recommended that Private Symons be discharged as permanently unfit.
Private William Henry Symons was discharged being medically unfit on 15th July, 1916 due to defective feet.
William Henry Symons re-enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 20th April, 1917 as a 21 year old, single, Postal Assistant from Morgan, South Australia.
Private William Henry Symons, Service Number 6895, embarked from Melbourne, Victoria on HMAT Aeneas (A60) on 30th October, 1917. He was admitted to Ship’s Hospital on 3rd - 7th November, 1917 with sea sickness & again from 17th - 22nd November, 1917. Private Symons was again admitted to Ship’s Hospital with sea sickness from 28th November - 2nd December, 1917 & again from 12th - 26th December, 1917. Private William Henry Symons disembarked at Devonport, England on 27th December, 1917.
He was marched in to 6th Training Battalion, Fovant Wiltshire from Australia on 27th December, 1917.
On 9th February, 1918 Private Symons was admitted sick to Hospital at Hurdcott, Wiltshire & discharged on 26th February, 1918.
Private Symons was written up for an Offence at Fovant – absent without leave from 5 pm on 1st March, 1918 until 3.40 pm on 2nd March, 1918. He was awarded 3 days confined to camp & a total forfeiture of 4 days’ pay.
A Medical Report was completed at 6th Training Battalion, Fovant on 19th March, 1918 on Private William Henry Symons who was being medically reported on due to a disability of Hallup Valgus (deformity of the big toe). The disability prevented Private Symons from doing heavy marching. The Medical Board found that Private Symons was permanently unfit for General Service but fit for Home Service.
On 9th April, 1918 Private Symons was attached for duty to A.M.T.S. (Australian Mechanical Transport Service) at Tidworth, Wiltshire & detached on 10th April, 1918 to Camp Commandant Headquarters.
Private William Henry Symons was medically reclassified at Tidworth on 16th May, 1918. The Report stated Private Symons was “very anxious to go to France; general health quite good now; states can march without difficulty now. It is considered he should be given another try-out. Fit General Service, after training & Hardening A3.”
He was transferred to 27th Battalion & was marched out to Overseas Training Brigade at Longbridge Deverill, Wiltshire from Tidworth on 28th May, 1918.
On 22nd June, 1918 Private Symons was admitted to Military Hospital at Fovant with Influenza & discharged to Training Depot on 26th June, 1918. He was sent sick again to Fovant Hospital on 9th July, 1918.
Private Symons proceeded overseas to France from 5th Training Battalion at Fovant via Folkestone on 15th August, 1918. He joined 27th Battalion from 20th Reinforcements in France on 19th August, 1918.
He was wounded in action in France on 2nd September, 1918. Private Symons was admitted to 5th Australian Field Ambulance with gunshot wounds to left arm then transferred to 37th Casualty Clearing Station. He was transferred to Ambulance Train on 3rd September, 1918 & admitted to 25th General Hospital on 4th September, 1918. Private Symons was invalided to England on 7th September, 1918 & admitted to General Military Hospital at Edmonton, England on 7th September, 1918 with gunshot wounds to forearm (slight). He was discharged to furlo from 30th October, 1918 to 13th November, 1918 & was then to report to No. 1 Command Depot at Sutton Veny.
On 13th November, 1918 Private Symons was marched in to No. 1 Command Depot at Sutton Veny, Wiltshire from furlo. He was marched in to Overseas Training Battalion on 30th November, 1918.
He was detached from 27th Battalion for duty with Australian Army Postal Corps for duty from 24th January, 1919.
Private Symons was granted leave from 16th May, 1919 to 16th August, 1919 with pay to attend Skerry’s College, Hill Place, Nicholson Square, Edinburgh for Non Military Training. He was granted an extension of leave from 17th August, 1919 to 31st October, 1919 with pay.
Private William Henry Symons was retransferred to 27th Battalion on 31st October, 1919.
On 19th December, 1919 Private Symons was admitted to Fovant Camp Military Hospital with tuberculosis of lung – seriously ill.
Base Records advised Mrs M. J. Symons, mother of Private W. H. Symons, on 28th January, 1920 that “I regret I have to advise you information has been received from A.I.F. Headquarters, London, to the effect that your son, No. 6895 Private W. H. Symons, 27th Battalion, is sinking slowly and no hope is held for his recovery. On receipt of any later advice concerning him you will be promptly notified.”
Private William Henry Symons died at 18.30 hrs on 2nd February, 1920 at Fovant Military Hospital, Wiltshire, England from Tubercular disease of lung.
He was buried in St George’s Churchyard, Fovant, Wiltshire, England where 43 other WW1 Australian War Graves are located.
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/h---w.html
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