KEARNS, Wilson Charles Cooper
| Service Number: | 2574 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 10 August 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 51st Infantry Battalion (WW1) |
| Born: | Innamincka, South Australia, 26 July 1887 |
| Home Town: | Kodj Kodjin, Trayning, Western Australia |
| Schooling: | East Adelaide School, St Peters, South Australia |
| Occupation: | Machinist |
| Died: | Died of wounds, France, 2 April 1917, aged 29 years |
| Cemetery: |
Pozières British Cemetery Plot II, Row D, Grave No. 35. |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Boulder Roll of Honor, St. Peters East Adelaide Public School Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 10 Aug 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2574, 28th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Nov 1915: | Involvement 2574, 28th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '16' embarkation_place: Fremantle embarkation_ship: HMAT Ulysses embarkation_ship_number: A38 public_note: '' | |
| 2 Nov 1915: | Embarked 2574, 28th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ulysses, Fremantle | |
| 3 Mar 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 51st Infantry Battalion (WW1) | |
| 20 Feb 1917: | Promoted AIF WW1, Sergeant, 51st Infantry Battalion (WW1) | |
| Date unknown: | Involvement 2574, 51st Infantry Battalion (WW1) |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Stephen Brooks
Kearns was born in Innamincka, South Australia, but his parents both died when he just three years of age. He had three sisters and two brothers. It appears from letters, that he was raised by his sister, Laura, who was 11 years older than her young brother.
Kearns was well known on the gold fields as a miner, member of the Miners Union and worked last on the South Kalgurli mine. He was a noted athlete and also fought as a heavyweight boxer for Goldfields title, in 1911, going down to “Kid George”.
According to witnesses in his Red Cross file Kearns was a member of the Battalion scouts. He was known to his mates as ‘Peter’ and was tall and thin, a very good runner, and from the Boulder area of Western Australia. He was seen badly hit in the abdomen when scouting on the 2 April 1917. He was taken to the 3rd Casualty Clearing Station, near Pozieres, but died of wounds the same day.
Laura eventually received her brother’s medals and effects, as the medals were earmarked to go to Wilson Kearns’s brother, Howard, who was also on active service with the 28th Battalion.
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