VICKERY, Ashley William
| Service Number: | 704 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 28 August 1914, Royal Navy |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 4th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Birmingham, Warwickshire, England, 23 February 1891 |
| Home Town: | Surry Hills, City of Sydney, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Milkcarter |
| Died: | Died of Wounds, Birmingham, Warwickshire, England, 28 December 1920, aged 29 years |
| Cemetery: |
Birmingham (Brandwood End) Cemetery |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 28 Aug 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 704, 4th Infantry Battalion, Royal Navy | |
|---|---|---|
| 20 Oct 1914: | Involvement Private, 704, 4th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '8' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Euripides embarkation_ship_number: A14 public_note: '' | |
| 20 Oct 1914: | Embarked Private, 704, 4th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Euripides, Sydney | |
| 12 Mar 1916: | Discharged AIF WW1, Private, 704, 4th Infantry Battalion, Medically unfit, illness. Discharged in England |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Evan Evans
The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland
Died on this date – 28th December…… William Ashley Vickery was born at Birmingham, Warwickshire, England on 23rd February, 1891.
He joined the Royal Navy on 19th May, 1908 & was to sign on for a period of 12 years from when he turned 18. He was discharged to Shore on 23rd October, 1908 due to Chorea.
William Ashley Vickery enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 28th August, 1914 at Kensington, Sydney, New South Wales as a 24 year old, single, Milkcarter from Surry Hills, Sydney, NSW.
On 20th October, 1914 Private Ashley William Vickery, Service number 704, embarked from Sydney, NSW on HMAT Euripides (A14) with the 4th Infantry Battalion, “D” Company.
He embarked from Alexandria on 5th April, 1915 on Troopship Lake Michigan to join M.E.F. (Mediterranean Expeditionary Force) in the Gallipoli campaign.
Private Vickery was admitted to Transport Ship Gloucester Castle on 9th May, 1915 from No. 2 Stationary Hospital at Mudros with Diarrhoea. He was transferred to Base Details at Zeitoun on 3rd June, 1915 for return to Australia.
A Medical Report was completed on Private Ashley William Vickery on 19th June, 1915 at 1st Australian General Hospital, Heliopolis, Egypt. His disability was listed as Functional Spasm Neurosis which had first occurred at Gallipoli on 6th May, 1915. “Twitching of left side of face & left arm & hand, spasm cannot be controlled. Fingers continually moving. Noticed for 1 month. No improvement. Reflexes normal. Scarlet fever & some twitching after it 11 days at the front not wounded. Sent to Base for dysentery. Noticed at the Clearing Hospital that he had a continuous twitching of left side of face, arm & hand. Cannot control the spasm. In Royal Navy for 9 months and was discharged for spasm. Said to be “Chorea.” The Officer in charge of the Medical case recommended that Private Vickery have a change to England. He was not regarded as permanently unfit.
He was admitted to Convalescent Camp at Helouan on 6th July, 1915 then transferred to 1st Australian General Hospital on 19th July, 1915.
On 20th July, 1915 Private Vickery was embarked for England from Alexandria on Hospital Ship Warilda. He was admitted to No. 3 London General Hospital at Wandsworth, England on 31st July, 1915 with Debility.
Private Vickery was admitted to 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Harefield, Middlesex on 16th September, 1915.
A Medical Report was completed on Private Ashley William Vickery on 17th September, 1915 at Harefield Park, England. His disability was listed as Loss of power & tremor on left side & Dysentery. Private Vickery first had dysentery on 5th May, 1915 at Gallipoli. “Has had Tremor on & off since he was 12 years old when he had Scarlet Fever. Did not have it when he enlisted. It became worse after he had the dysentery.” The Officer in charge of the Medical case recommended that Private Vickery be discharged as permanently unfit for War Service. Active Service had aggravated the disability.
Private William Ashley Vickery was discharged from the Australian Imperial Force with effect from 12th March, 1916 in consequence of being permanently unfit for War Service at home or abroad but was fit for employment in civilian life. He was discharged in the United Kingdom (normally Australian Soldiers were discharged in Australia) & had served for 1 year & 198 days. Private Vickery’s conduct & character while serving in the Australian Imperial Force were described as very good.
William Ashley Vickery married Lucy M. Ault in Birmingham, Warwickshire, England. Their marriage was registered in the June quarter, 1918.
(ex Private) William Ashley Vickery died on 28th December, 1920.
He was buried in Brandwood End Cemetery, Birmingham, Warwickshire, England with a private Headstone. His death is still acknowledged by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/brandwood-end.html
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