WILLAN, Geoffrey Parker
| Service Number: | 5151 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Lance Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 3rd Light Horse Brigade Train |
| Born: | Hawksburn, Melbourne Victoria, 17 August 1889 |
| Home Town: | Toorak, Stonnington, Victoria |
| Schooling: | The Geelong College |
| Occupation: | Stockman |
| Died: | 13 April 1974, aged 84 years, cause of death not yet discovered, place of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: | Geelong College WW1 Roll of Honour, St Martins Hawksburn HB |
World War 1 Service
| 2 Feb 1915: | Involvement Lance Corporal, 5151, 3rd Light Horse Brigade Train, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '22' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Chilka embarkation_ship_number: A51 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Feb 1915: | Embarked Lance Corporal, 5151, 3rd Light Horse Brigade Train, HMAT Chilka, Melbourne |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Daryl Jones
WILLAN, Geoffrey Parker (1889-1974)
Geoffrey Parker Willan was born on 17 August 1889 in Melbourne, the son of Charles Parker Willan and Cecilia nee Barnes of Larundel, Irving Road, Toorak, he was educated at Cumloden and Geelong College where he was enrolled as a boarder in 1905.
Not long after the outbreak of World War I, he enlisted (No. 5151) at Broadmeadows on 30 October 1914 in the 3rd Light Horse Brigade Train (12th Artillery Supply Column), and served in Egypt and France, having embarked on HMAT A51 Chilka on 2 February 1915. He transferred to the Field Artillery, where he received his commission in 1916, serving as a Second Lieutenant with 5 Division Amunition Column. He was Mentioned in Sir Douglas Haig's Despatches, gazetted on 31 December 1918. He returned to Australia, embarking on 10 January 1919.
Geoffrey Parker Willan died on 13 April 1974.
He is one of a group of Old Geelong Collegian Light Horsemen photographed at The 'Sphinx' in Egypt. The photo was sent to the school by Major E A E Gregory (1882-1915) before he embarked for Gallipoli.
Geoffrey Willan's cousin, Tpr Ashley Roy Willan (1889-1915), 8th Light Horse (an Old Geelong Grammarian), of Bracknell, Tasmania, and Mansfield, died on a hospital ship on 12 August 1915 of wounds suffered on 8 August at The Nek, Gallipoli. He was buried at sea, and his name is commemorated on the Lone Pine Memorial.
Source : The Geelong College - http://gnet.geelongcollege.vic.edu.au:8080/wiki/WILLAN-Geoffrey-Parker-1889-1974.ashx?HL=willan
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