William George JOHNSTONE

William George JOHNSTONE Update Details

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JOHNSTONE, William George

Service Number:	42
Enlisted:	17 September 1914, Bowen, Qld.
Last Rank:	Private
Last Unit:	2nd Light Horse Brigade Machine Gun Squadron
Born:	Warwick, Queensland, Australia, 10 June 1883
Home Town:	Proserpine, Whitsunday, Queensland
Schooling:	Not yet discovered
Occupation:	Labourer
Died:	28 November 1968, aged 85 years, cause of death not yet discovered, place of death not yet discovered
Cemetery:	Proserpine General Cemetery, Qld NP3-104
Memorials:

World War 1 Service

17 Sep 1914:	Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 42, 5th Light Horse Regiment, Bowen, Qld.
21 Dec 1914:	Involvement Private, 42, 5th Light Horse Regiment, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '2' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Persic embarkation_ship_number: A34 public_note: ''
21 Dec 1914:	Embarked Private, 42, 5th Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Persic, Sydney
26 Jul 1916:	Transferred 2nd Light Horse Brigade Machine Gun Squadron

Help us honour William George Johnstone's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.

Biography contributed by Lyn Burke

William was born in Ingham on 10.6.1883 and admitted to Townsville Orphanage.

Enlisted in Bowen on 17.9.1914 (he was 1 of the 1st 6 to enlist from Proserpine). Embarked from Sydney (as well as his horse) aboard Persic on 21.12.1914 as part of the 1st convoy to leave Australia.

On Gallipoli from 20.5.1915 – 20.12.1915

Promotions 10.12.1915 Lance Corporal

28.11.1916 Corporal

His machine gun section was involved in battles in Suez Canal, Sinia and Palestine. He was hospitalised on 7.9.1918 with gastritis (inflammation of stomach and kidneys). Medically discharged on 24.1.1919.

He was hospitalised in Proserpine for a lengthy stay.

Married 1 of his nurses Dorothy Atkinson and they had 4 children. 2 of their sons enlisted in WW2, Charles making the supreme sacrifice and Robert.

William passed away on 28.11.1968 leaving Proserpine over 390 box brownie photos from his WW1 service. These photos can be viewed at the Proserpine Museum. NP3-104

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