REYNOLDS, William Ernest
| Service Number: | 6134 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 11 September 1916, Sydney, NSW |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 17th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Auburn, New South Wales, Australia, 8 March 1891 |
| Home Town: | Auburn, Auburn, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Auburn Boys Public School, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Blacksmith |
| Died: | Died of wounds, France, 31 August 1918, aged 27 years |
| Cemetery: |
Suzanne Military Cemetery No.3 I E 8, |
| Memorials: | Auburn Boys Public School Pictorial Honour Roll, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board |
World War 1 Service
| 11 Sep 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 6134, 17th Infantry Battalion, Sydney, NSW | |
|---|---|---|
| 25 Oct 1916: | Involvement Private, 6134, 17th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '12' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Ascanius embarkation_ship_number: A11 public_note: '' | |
| 25 Oct 1916: | Embarked Private, 6134, 17th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ascanius, Sydney | |
| 20 Sep 1917: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 6134, 17th Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres, Wounded by shellfire in the thigh, leg and arm. Evacuated to England. Went to a hospital in Brighton, then to the 3rd Australian Hospital in Dartford in December. He was discharged to a convalescent depot at Hurdcott in January 1918. |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Faithe Jones
Son of William and Elizabeth REYNOLDS; husband of Ethel REYNOLDS, 10 Union Road, Auburn, New South Wales
Biography contributed by John Oakes
William Ernest REYNOLDS (Service Number 6134) was born on 8th March 1891 at Auburn. He joined the Railways as a casual engine cleaner at Murrurundi locomotive depot in August 1911. He was made permanent after two months, but resigned in February 1912. He re-joined the NSW Government Railways as a blacksmith’s striker at Eveleigh in July 1915. In September 1916 he enlisted in the AIF in Sydney. His tattoos were noted to include an anvil and hammer on the right arm.
He was allotted to the 17th Reinforcements of the 17th Battalion. He embarked from Sydney in October 1916 and landed in England in December. After training he was sent to France and joined his Battalion in April 1917. He was wounded in action at Ypres on 20th September 1917 by shellfire. His wounds were in the thigh, leg and arm. He was evacuated to England, where his hospital in Brighton noted in November that his wounds were healing well. Although he had:
‘a fracture of fibula in upper part without displacement – He will soon be fit for transfer to Aust. Aux. H’pl.’
He was transferred to the 3rd Australian Hospital, at Dartford in December. In January 1918 he was discharged to a convalescent depot at Hurdcott. He was absent Without Leave there one day that month. he was admonished and forfeited one day’s pay. He was absent Without Leave again in March, this time overnight. He was punished with ‘2 days C.B.’ (confined to barracks) and forfeited two days’ pay. In April he was sent to an Overseas Training Brigade at Longbridge Deverell, and from there he was sent back to France in May 1918.
He re-joined his Battalion in France on 10th May 1918.
On 31st August 1918 he was mortally wounded in the neck during action at Mont St Quentin. He died the same day at the 9th Australian Field Ambulance. He was initially buried in Curlu French Military Cemetery, five miles WNW of Péronne. After the war his remains were exhumed and re-buried in Suzanne Military Cemetery, about seven miles NW of Péronne.
- based on the Australian War Memorial Honour Roll and motes for the Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board.
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