Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

William FOON

Military Medal

Recommendation:-  

'For conspicuous gallantry on the 10th day of August 1918 at LIHONS. this soldier acted as a Company Runner, and during the attack showed wonderful courage and coolness while carrying messages from front to rear over an exceptionally flat and open space of country swept by a hail of Machine Gun and rifle bullets. On one occasion, when a Runner forward had been mortally wounded in advance of our main line this soldier crept forward to the wounded man, secured his despatches, and succeeded in carrying them safely to Battalion Headquarters.'

Recommendation date: 17 August 1918

The Bendigonian weekly newspaper reported the following on November 8, 1917 under the heading Wounded Soldiers: - FOON.- Mrs. F. Foon, of 95 Baxter Street, on Thursday received notification from the officer in charge of the Base Records, Melbourne, stating that her son, Private W. Foon, who is connected with the 6th Battalion, was admitted to the County of Middlesex War Hospital, Napsury, St. Albans, England, on the 14th of October last, suffering from a severe gun shot wound in the right shoulder. Private Foon enlisted about two years ago, and was stationed in the Bendigo camp for a short period. He was subsequently transferred to Egypt, and had a few months training there, whence he was despatched to England, and thence to France. He has been in the firing line for 18 months, and celebrated his 16th birthday whilst participating in the fighting in France with his unit. [1]

William Foon had obviously inflated his age when he enlisted in February 1916. He stated he was 18 years of age in his attestation papers, yet if we believe the entry above he was more likely to be 15 when he enlisted. Both his parents had also signed a ‘Consent’ document allowing William to sign up.

William was possibly one of the youngest serving in the AIF to face serious discipline charges in his first year of service. He arrived in France in June 1916 however; just over a month later he faced Court Marshall on three serious discipline charges. Research by the Chinese Museum in Bendigo who interviewed family members of William Foon, stated this was the in response to William refusing to take orders from a corporal who as things escalated, called him, “a little Chow bastard”. [2]  William received 56 days of Field Punishment Number 2 and a forfeiture of 63 days pay.

Field Punishment was a common punishment during World War I. A commanding officer could award field punishment for up to 28 days, while a court martial could award it for up to 90 days, either as Field Punishment Number One or Field Punishment Number Two. Field Punishment Number two saw the prisoner placed in fetters and handcuffs but was not attached to a fixed object and was still able to march with his unit. This was a relatively tolerable punishment. In both forms of field punishment, the soldier was also subjected to hard labour and loss of pay. [3]   Despite this difficult start to life in uniform, William Foon would go on and serve with his unit throughout 1917 and 1918. He would be wounded in action in October 1917 at the battle of Broodseinde Ridge and evacuated to England for treatment. In June 1918 he would be sent back to England to train as a Signaler, returning to France in time for one of the most famous battles known as the ‘Battle of Amiens’, which commenced on August 8 as was the opening phase of the Allied campaign later known as the 'Hundred Days Offensive' that ultimately led to the end of the First World War. William would be wounded for a second time, just two weeks after his heroic deeds on August 23, 1918. This would bring to a close William’s fighting days.

Nineteen Chinese-Australian soldiers received gallantry awards during the war. In addition to William Foon, George Lee-Kim from East Bendigo would also be awarded a Military Medal just three weeks later at the battle for Peronne in Northern France on September 2, 1918.   

SERVICE DETAILS: 

Service No. 5377

Born: Queenscliff, Victoria

Religion: Church of England

School: Marist Bros.

Occupation:Labourer

Address: Howard Place, Bendigo, Victoria

Marital status: Single

Age at enlistment: 18

Next of kin:Father, William Foon, Howard Place, Bendigo,

Enlistment date: 24 February 1916

Unit name:6th Battalion, 17th Reinforcement

Embarked: HMAT A14 Euripides on 4 April 1916

Final Rank: Private

Recommendations (Medals and Awards)                 

Military Medal: Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 109

Date: 15 September 1919

Fate: Returned to Australia 19 February 1919

LIHONS- Following the swift victory of August 8, known as the Battle of Amiens, The AIF commander, Sir John Monash was keen to maintain the ascendancy on the following days. The Australian and Canadian forces took the hill and following a stubborn German defence of the village of Lihons involving attacks with gas and tanks the village was in Allied control on 11 August 1918. 

[1] Bendigoian newspaper reported the following on November 8, 1917

[2] Chinese ANZACs of the Loddon Mallee Region Published by the Golden Dragon Museum, Author: Leigh McKinnon
[3] (Source - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Field punishment )