57148
REYNOLDS, William Ernest
| Service Number: | 4851 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 8 May 1917 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 43rd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Norwood, South Australia, 20 March 1884 |
| Home Town: | Norwood (SA), South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Laborer |
| Died: | Fullarton, City of Unley, South Australia, Australia, 5 January 1956, aged 71 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Enfield Memorial Park, South Australia Anglican, Row E, Site Number 2 |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 8 May 1917: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 4851, 32nd Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 23 Jun 1917: | Involvement Private, 4851, 32nd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '17' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Borda embarkation_ship_number: A30 public_note: '' | |
| 23 Jun 1917: | Embarked Private, 4851, 32nd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Borda, Adelaide | |
| 11 Nov 1918: | Involvement Private, 4851, 43rd Infantry Battalion |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Trevor Pyatt
William Ernest Reynolds
20 March 1884 – 5 January 1956
Private, Australian Imperial Force (Service No. 4851)
Early Life
William Ernest Reynolds was born on 20 March 1884 at Norwood, South Australia, the son of William Reynolds and Elizabeth Darby.
He grew up in Adelaide's eastern suburbs, particularly Norwood and Parkside, in a working-class family. As a young man, he worked as a labourer, later associated with physically demanding employment, including maritime work.
Enlistment & Description (1917)
William enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on 8 May 1917 at Port Adelaide, aged 33.
At enlistment he was described as:
Height: 5 ft 7 in
Weight: 145½ lbs
Complexion: Dark
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Black
Religion: Church of England
His record also notes distinctive tattoos:
Left forearm and right hand
Including rose and clasped hands designs
First World War Service
Service Number: 4851
Unit: 32nd Battalion (reinforcements), later 43rd Battalion
Embarkation
Departed Adelaide on 23 June 1917
Aboard HMAT Borda (A30)
After training in England, William proceeded to France and joined the 43rd Battalion in the field in late 1917.
Western Front (France)
William served on the Western Front during 1917–1918, during the final and most intense phase of the war.
His service included:
Front-line duty with the 43rd Battalion
Exposure to trench warfare conditions
Participation in the closing campaigns of the war
Illness – 1918
In September 1918, he was:
Hospitalised in France
Diagnosed with impetigo, a common infection under trench conditions
Return & Discharge
Returned to Australia: 25 April 1919 (per HMAT Nevasa)
Discharged: 26 May 1919, Adelaide
Reason: Cessation of hostilities
Service Summary
Total Service: 2 years, 19 days
Overseas Service: 1 year, 307 days
His service was later officially described as:
"Satisfactory" (Base Records, 1956)
Medals Entitlement
William was awarded:
1914–15 Star
British War Medal
Victory Medal
These confirm full overseas wartime service.
Marriage & Family Life
Following the war, William married:
Gertrude Berg
6 December 1921
St John's Church, Adelaide
William: 37 years old
Gertrude: 36 years old
Bride's father: Carl Wilhelm Berg
The couple settled in Adelaide, later residing at Dulwich, indicating a stable post-war life.
Later Life
William lived through the post-war decades in South Australia.
Records show:
Residence: Dulwich
Continued civilian life following his war service
His application for War Service Homes assistance (1956 correspondence) reflects participation in post-war veteran support systems.
Death
William Ernest Reynolds died on:
5 January 1956
Fullarton, South Australia
Aged 71 years
Burial
He was laid to rest at:
Enfield Memorial Park, Clearview
Section: Anglican
Row: E
Site: 2
Legacy
William Ernest Reynolds represents the story of many Australian soldiers of the First World War:
A working-class man who answered the call to serve
A late-war reinforcement who endured the Western Front
A returned soldier who built a life in post-war Australia
His life spans the full arc of the Anzac generation—from colonial South Australia through war, recovery, and into modern Australia.
Sources & Evidence
South Australian Birth Registration
William Ernest Reynolds, 1884 (Norwood)
National Archives of Australia (NAA: B2455)
Attestation Papers (1917)
Service & Casualty Forms
Medical Examination Records
Discharge Papers (1919)
War History Index (Medals)
Base Records Correspondence (1956)
AWM Embarkation Roll
HMAT Borda (1917)
South Australian Marriage Registration
Reynolds / Berg, 1921 – St John's Church, Adelaide
South Australian Death Registration
William Ernest Reynolds, 1956 – Adelaide District
Cemetery Records
Enfield Memorial Park, Anglican Row E, Site Number 2
Disclaimer
This biography is based on verified civil registrations, military service records, and cemetery data. All major life events—birth, service, marriage, death, and burial—are supported by primary or official sources.
Biography by Trevor Pyatt 17/04/2026
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