Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

William John 'Billy' Hampshire was born in Melbourne, Victoria in 1870 (Victorian birth registration #24515/1870) the eldest child of Alfred Hampshire and Amelia Huttley. 

He married Mary Josephine Delaney on 14 June 1899 in Colac, Victoria, Australia. They moved to Western Australia sometime between the births of their two children in 1900 and 1902.

Mary was a nurse and worked as a nurse and matron in various WA regional hospitals, becoming the full time Inspector of the WA War Patriotic Fund in Nov 1916 (The West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954) Saturday 4 November 1916 p 7 Article - trove.nla.gov.au).

Although a railway worker at the time of enlistment, Billy had several occupations, including the licencee of the Ocean Beach Hotel Cottesloe in 1909 (The West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954) Tuesday 23 November 1909 p 2 Advertising, trove.nla.gov.au).

More detail is given in a personal article about him in the Sunday Times; 

"Not generally known that Billy Hampshire, one time of the Ocean Beach Hotel, Cottesloe, and later of the W.A.G. Railways, is a crack rider, having been for many years dragman of a swell Victorian Hunt Club. Billy can sit a roughie with the best, and in the campaign in Europe should give a good account of himself." - from the Perth Sunday Times 06 Nov 1914

The birth date given on Billy's enlistment papers (18 Sep 1877, his age stated as 37) perhaps indicates that he was keen to serve and wished to appear younger than his 44 years when he enlisted on 19 Oct 1914, joining the 10th Light Horse. 

He obviously did do well, as he was promoted to Lance Corporal on 15 Mar 1915 two months before he embarked for Gallipoli on the 'Alexandria' on 16 May 1915.

He was again promoted to Sergeant from 19 Aug 1915 but tragically suffered shell shock on 2 Sept 1915 and after spending time in hospital in England was returned home in early 1916.

He was mentioned in despatches of Sir Ian Hamilton on 11 December 1915.

An article in the Goomalling-Dowerin Mail reveals a connection to home in his repatriation;

"By the last mail Sister Despard, who was matron of the Toodyay, Beverley and Greenbushes hospital for some years in succession, wrote, to a friend from the Colchester Hospital, England, where she has been resting for a few weeks. Her first engagement was in the 15th General Hospital, Alexandria, Egypt. Then she was on hospital ship for two months, running to Malta and Alexandria from the Dardanelles. Among the first patients she nursed on this ship was Billy Hampshire, whose wife, Matron Hampshire, succeeded Sister Despard at the Toodyay Hospital. Writing of the Australians, she says:

"I shall never forget them coming on to the ship. Some of them had been in the trenches for months, and their uniforms were torn and faded almost white with the sun's rays. They were ill and footsore, but they came on with their heads held high. I used to feel I wanted to cheer them. They just loved to have one of their own nurses."

Sister Despard caught malaria on a trip to the Dardanelles and was invalided home to Essex, she is now recovered and expects to be detailed for duty "somewhere in
France or Egypt" shortly." - from the Goomalling-Dowerin Mail 31 Dec 1915

After the war Billy eventually settled down as a farmer, his property was "10 miles north of Walgoolan, described as 770 acres first-class salmon, gimlet and mallee, 152 acres second-class mallee and scrub, balance third-class gravelly country, 623 acres cleared, Goldflelds Water supply." (The West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954) Friday 23 June 1933 p 9 Advertising - trove.nla.gov.au)

He died a widower on March 18, 1932, at Merredin Hospital, William John Hampshire, late of Walgoolan, loving father of Molly (Albany), Alfred (Kondut), and father-in-law of Vera, and grandfather of baby Patricia. (Family Notices The West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954) Monday 21 March 1932 p 1 Family Notices - trove.nla.gov.au).

The following obituary was published in the Sunday Times;

"OBITUARY BILLY HAMPSHIRE. A Tenth Light Horseman

Veterans of the Tenth Light Horse and the public generally who appreciate the work and value of the "Warriors Who Went," will be grieved to hear of the passing of one of their number-Sergeant Billy Hampshire at Merredin. An original at the landing, be was one of the first on to the beach and up the cliffs on that fateful April 25 1915, and did such prodigous deeds of valor that a high officer singled him out for a special decoration, but owing to a cross-fire order the well-earned mark was never awarded him. Years ago a high military official of the landing, seeing Hampshire in Hay street, pointed to him and spoke to several officers who were with him. "That is the man whom I strongly
recommended for the V.C. far his courage and resource on Gallipoli," he said warmly, "but he never received it." Since the war Hampshire had been farming near Merredin." - from the Perth Sunday Times 20 Mar 1932

Rest in peace Billy - Lest we forget.