Coming Soon.
DOWNEY, William Robert
Personal Details
| Service Number: | 1620 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 10 January 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 47th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Ballarat, Victoria, Australia, 1886 |
| Home Town: | Ballarat, Central Highlands, Victoria |
| Schooling: | State School, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation: | Farmhand |
| Died: | Killed in Action, France, 4 August 1916 |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, Picardie, France |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
Service History
World War 1 Service
| 10 Jan 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 1620, 47th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 20 Apr 1916: | Involvement Private, 1620, 47th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '19' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: SS Hawkes Bay embarkation_ship_number: '' public_note: '' | |
| 20 Apr 1916: | Embarked Private, 1620, 47th Infantry Battalion, SS Hawkes Bay, Sydney | |
| Date unknown: | Wounded 1620, 27th Infantry Battalion |
Personal Stories
Great Uncle
William was my great grandmother's brother's son. He must have truly wanted to serve his country to lie about his age and take on a new identity, where he would receive no accolades for his service. He died in France at 20 years old - God rest his soul. I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to identify him correctly and remember him in death. Blessings.
Submitted 25 October 2020 by k g
Biography contributed by k g
Enlisted and served under alias George Arthur ASHTON
Please see his file, including a statutory declaration from his mother regarding he being underage at the time of enlistment. Thank you for remembering his true name. Blessings.