JACKAWAY, William Roy
| Other Name: | JACKWAY, William Roy - CGGC Listing |
|---|---|
| Service Number: | 4445 |
| Enlisted: | 6 July 1915, Melbourne, Vic. |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 21st Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Cudgee, Victoria, Australia, 1894 |
| Home Town: | Warrnambool, Warrnambool, Victoria |
| Schooling: | State Schools |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Killed in Action, France, 15 June 1918 |
| Cemetery: |
Mericourt-L'Abbe Communal Cemetery Extension III C 5 |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Warrnambool Soldiers' Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 6 Jul 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 4445, 21st Infantry Battalion, Melbourne, Vic. | |
|---|---|---|
| 29 Mar 1916: | Involvement Private, 4445, 21st Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '13' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: RMS Orontes embarkation_ship_number: '' public_note: '' | |
| 29 Mar 1916: | Embarked Private, 4445, 21st Infantry Battalion, RMS Orontes, Melbourne |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Faithe Jones
Son of Charles and Maria Jackway, of Normanby St., Oakleigh, Victoria, Australia. Native of Cudgee, Victoria.
DEEPLY REGRETTED
4445 Private William Roy ‘Jacka’ Jackway, 21st Battalion (11th Reinforcement Group). Born in Allansford in 1894, the son of Charles Enos and Maria (Lovell) Jackway [Elizabeth Esther (May), Charles Henry 1891-1951, Jessie May (Brunyers) 1891-1961, William Roy 1894-1918, Thomas Stanley 1896-1964, Lillian Victoria (Daley) 1900-84]. Will was a labourer, single, when he enlisted on 6th July 1915, aged 21, at Cudgee, embarking on RMS Orontes on 29th March 1916. He was evacuated to Bethnal Green on 25th June 1917 suffering from trench fever. Killed in action in a night-time raid on German trenches at Morlancourt on 15th June 1918. He was buried in the military cemetery at Treux, and reburied after the Armistice at Mericourt-l’Abbe Communal Cemetery Extension, France, Grave III.C.5.
The Warrnambool Standard of Friday 28 June 1918 reported his death: “HEROES AT THE FRONT. PTE. WM. ROY JACKWAY. The Rev. W. Edgar Wood received word on Monday that another of the band of boys who went from St. George's Church, East Warrnambool - Pte. William Roy Jackway had been killed in action in France on 15th June. Pte. Jackway enlisted in August 1915 and so had seen almost three years of service. His parents now reside at Kangaroo Road, Oakleigh, but his brothers, Charles and Tom, and his sister, Mrs. T. Baillie, still live in Warrnambool. Mr. Tom Jackway went to Melbourne to convey the sad news to his parents. Pte. Jackway was a fine manly young fellow, who was much loved by his friends who deeply mourn his death.” Will Jackway and Edward Lovell who are both on the Christ Church Roll of Honour are first cousins, as Will’s mother Maria and Edward’s father Christopher were siblings.
Sources: Blair & Affleck, For King & Country – Great War Enlistments from Warrnambool and District; Australian War Memorial – Roll of Honour; National Archives of Australia; The AIF Project; Virtual War Memorial Australia; Warrnambool Standard 28 June 1918; The Age 15 June 1920.
Courtesy of James Affleck 2025