HAM, William Francis
| Service Number: | 4452 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 1 February 1916, Melbourne, Vic. |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 22nd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Clunes, Victoria, Australia, 4 January 1873 |
| Home Town: | Wonthaggi, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Clunes State School, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation: | Miner |
| Died: | GSW to right arm, fractured Humerus, Bishop’s Knoll Auxiliary Hospital (affiliated with 2nd Southern General Hospital), Bristol, England, 23 November 1916, aged 43 years |
| Cemetery: |
Bristol (Arnos Vale) Cemetery, Gloucestershire, England His name is remembered on the CWGC Screen Wall & he has a flat Memorial Stone. Cemetery/Memorial reference Screen Wall 4. 733. |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 1 Feb 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 4452, 22nd Infantry Battalion, Melbourne, Vic. | |
|---|---|---|
| 29 Mar 1916: | Involvement Private, 4452, 22nd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '14' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: RMS Orontes embarkation_ship_number: '' public_note: '' | |
| 29 Mar 1916: | Embarked Private, 4452, 22nd Infantry Battalion, RMS Orontes, Melbourne | |
| 26 Aug 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 4452, 22nd Infantry Battalion, Mouquet Farm | |
| 13 Nov 1916: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 4452, 22nd Infantry Battalion, 'The Winter Offensive' - Flers/Gueudecourt winter of 1916/17, GSW to right arm (fractured) sustained in the line at Flers. Evacuated to 2nd General Hospital, Bristol, where he later died of his wounds on 23 November 1916. |
Help us honour William Francis Ham's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Cathy Sedgwick
The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick (OAM) – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland”
William Francis Ham was born at Clunes, Victoria on 4th January, 1873 to parents William Henry & Maria Johns Ham (nee Uren).
William Henry Ham, father of William Francis Ham, died on 5th December, 1895 in NSW.
William Francis Ham married Mary Griffiths on 22nd August, 1907 at St. Arnaud, Victoria.
Maria Johns Ham, mother of William Francis Ham, died 11th December, 1908 at Catherine Hill Bay, NSW.
On 5th February, 1916 William Francis Ham enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) as a 44 year old, married, Miner from Merrin Crescent, Wonthaggi, Victoria.
Private William Francis Ham, Service number 4452, embarked from Melbourne, Victoria on RMS Orontes on 29th March, 1916 with the 6th Infantry Brigade, 22nd Infantry Battalion, 11th Reinforcements.
He proceeded to join B.E.F. (British Expeditionary Force) from Alexandria on 30th May, 1916 on Tunisian & disembarked at Marseilles, France on 5th June, 1916.
On 31st July, 1916 Private Ham joined 22nd Battalion in France.
Private William Francis Ham was wounded in action on 13th November, 1916. He was admitted to 38th Casualty Clearing Station on 13th November, 1916 with G.S.W. (gunshot wounds) to both Arms. He was transferred to Ambulance Train & admitted to 6th General Hospital at Rouen, France on 15th November, 1916. Private Ham embarked for England on 19th November, 1916 on Hospital Ship Dunluce Castle.
He was admitted to Bishop’s Knoll Auxiliary Hospital, Bristol, England on 20th November, 1916 with G.S.W. to arms & fractured left Humerus. The Hospital sent a Telegram to Administrative Headquarters, A.I.F. on 23rd November, 1916 advising that Private Ham had been placed on the dangerously ill list.
Private William Francis Ham died on 23rd November, 1916 at Bishop’s Knoll Auxiliary Hospital (affiliated with 2nd Southern General Hospital), Bristol, England from wounds received in action – GSW to right arm, fractured Humerus. The Hospital Admissions form also recorded that Private Ham also died of Septic poisoning.
He was buried in Arnos Vale Cemetery, Bristol, Gloucestershire, England. His name is remembered on the CWGC Screen Wall & he has a flat Memorial Stone. Cemetery/Memorial reference Screen Wall 4. 733.
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/arnos-vale.html
Click images to start slideshow.