BIRRELL, William Alexander Hamilton
| Service Numbers: | Not yet discovered |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Lieutenant |
| Last Unit: | Not yet discovered |
| Born: | Laen, Victoria, Australia, 24 January 1885 |
| Home Town: | Laen, Yarriambiack, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Geelong College, Melbourne University |
| Occupation: | Medical Practitioner |
| Died: | Repatriation Hospital, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia, 11 May 1948, aged 63 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Springvale Botanical Cemetery, Melbourne Ashes scattered within the cemetery |
| Memorials: | Geelong College WW1 Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| Date unknown: | Involvement Lieutenant |
|---|
Help us honour William Alexander Hamilton Birrell's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed
William Birrell was born on 24 January 1885 at Laen near Donald Victoria, the son of Albert Birrell and Christina nee Matheson. He became a boarder at Geelong College in 1903 and his address at enrolment by A V Birrell was Traralgon. He was a member of the 1st Football XVIII in 1903 and 1904, and the 1st Cricket XI in 1904. The Annual Report of 1903 lists him as the recipient of the Boarders' Scripture Prize in the 5th Class.
He later studied at the University of Melbourne, where he graduated MBBS, and was awarded a half blue for football.
During World War I, he volunteered immediately after graduation and enlisted in the Royal Army Medical Corps in 1915 as a Lieutenant. He served in France at the Western Front where he was posted to 58th Field Ambulance and as RMO of the 9th Battalion of the Cheshire Regiment, 7th Battalion of the East Lancashire Regiment, 6th Battalion of the Wiltshire Regiment and 7th King’s Own Royal Lancaster Regiment. He was gassed on 26 July 1916, having been promoted Captain shortly before, and was discharged medically unfit in January 1917.
He was Vice President of the Nathalia Football Club in 1923
Some years after returning to Australia he commenced a medical practise in Cheltenham, Victoria in 1927
Dr Birrell died 11 May 1948 at Repatriation Hosptial, Heidelberg, Victoria
Cremated Springvale Botanical Cemetery - ashes scattered at Cemetery