GRIFFITHS, William
| Service Number: | 522 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Lance Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 15th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Carmarthen, Wales, United Kingdom, date not yet discovered |
| Home Town: | Perth, Western Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Outfitter. |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Polygon Wood, Belgium, 26 September 1917, age not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Panel 7 - 17 - 23 - 25 - 27 - 29 - 31., Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Flanders, Belgium |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Menin Gate Memorial (Commonwealth Memorial to the Missing of the Ypres Salient) |
World War 1 Service
| 22 Dec 1914: | Involvement Private, 522, 16th Infantry Battalion (WW1), Third Ypres, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '12' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Ceramic embarkation_ship_number: A40 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 22 Dec 1914: | Embarked Private, 522, 16th Infantry Battalion (WW1), HMAT Ceramic, Melbourne | |
| 26 Sep 1917: | Involvement Lance Corporal, 522, 15th Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 522 awm_unit: 15th Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Lance Corporal awm_died_date: 1917-09-26 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Geoffrey Gillon
William was the son of Thomas and Rachel Griffiths, of Wardwll, Llangunnor. He served with the 7th Welsh Territorials at Swansea for five years, before emigrating to Australia in 1913, where he worked as an outfitter. He enlisted on 20 September 1914 at Helena Vale, WA, into the 16th Battalion, Australian Infantry, which moved to Egypt for training before being landed at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915, attached to the 4th Brigade, 1st ANZAC Division. William was wounded at Gallipoli on 3 May, and sent to Alexandria for treatment. After several months as a storeman on light duties, he re-joined his battalion in France on 25 April 1917. William would have fought at Bullecourt soon after, before the Australians moved to Ypres. He was 27 years old when he was killed during an attack on Polygon Wood on 26 September 1917. William was due to marry his fiancée, Miss Florence B. Marshall, of New Cross, London.