SULLIVAN, William
| Service Number: | 822 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 18 August 1914 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 7th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Bendigo, Victoria, Australia, 21 August 1892 |
| Home Town: | Bendigo, Greater Bendigo, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Plumber |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 18 Aug 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 822, 7th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 19 Oct 1914: | Embarked Private, 822, 7th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Hororata, Melbourne | |
| 19 Oct 1914: | Involvement Private, 822, 7th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '9' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Hororata embarkation_ship_number: A20 public_note: '' | |
| 25 Apr 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 822, 7th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli | |
| 8 May 1915: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 822, 7th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli, 2nd Krithia (no details). Rejoined unit 18 May 1915. | |
| 8 Aug 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 822, 7th Infantry Battalion, The August Offensive - Lone Pine, Suvla Bay, Sari Bair, The Nek and Hill 60 - Gallipoli | |
| 3 Oct 1916: | Discharged AIF WW1, Private, 822, 7th Infantry Battalion, Medically unfit (septic hand) |
Help us honour William Sullivan's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Robert Wight
Attestation papers state soldier's age at enlistment as 28.
Actual age was 22 as he was born 21 August 1892 (per sworn statement in service records).
Biography contributed by Larna Malone
William Sullivan, known as ‘Sully’, was born in Bendigo. He was a Plumber, and had previously been apprenticed for 6 years. He stated his age to be 28 but was actually 21 years old, and he was engaged to Vera Powell. He lived at 6 Wills-street, Bendigo, and had no previous military service. He was amongst the early volunteers for the Expeditionary Force, enlisting on 18.8.14. The following day he left Bendigo for the Broadmeadows Camp. He was allotted Service no. 822 and appointed to ‘G’ Company, 7th Battalion.
The 7th Battalion left Broadmeadows Camp on 18 October, 1914, and embarked for service overseas on board HMAT ‘Hororata’. Arriving in Egypt the battalion moved into camp at Mena, at the foot of the pyramids. (6/12/14)
In January, 1915, the Australian force was re-organized. In the 7th Battalion ‘G’ and ‘H’ Companies joined to form the new ‘D’ Company. This meant that all the men from Northern Victoria were together in one Company.
The 7th Battalion was part of the force which landed at Anzac Cove on 25th April, 1915.
In May, Lieut.-General Sir W.R. Birdwood, in command of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, was asked to provide part of the Australian force to assist in a British offensive at Cape Helles. The 2nd Australian Brigade, which included the 7th Battalion, was one of two brigades provided. The 7th Battalion left Anzac and disembarked at ‘V’ Beach, Cape Helles, on May 6th. The battalion moved forward on May 8th in what was later known as the “2nd Battle of Krithia” (8-11 May). This battle achieved minimal gain and casualties were extremely high.
William Sullivan was Wounded (slightly) on 8/5/15 and rejoined the battalion at Anzac on 18/5/15. He transferred to the Machine Gun section of the battalion on 21/5/15.
In July the battalion moved into the trenches at Steele’s Post. Here, they were fired upon by the Enemy Howitzer, resulting in explosions which buried men. The downward slope behind Steele’s Post was directly overlooked by the Turks, who were in position on the higher ground. Turkish riflemen made this area particularly unsafe.
On August 8th the 7th Battalion moved into position at Lone Pine, preparing to participate in a Diversionary attack on the Turkish trenches on the 400 Plateau. ‘D’ Company, under Lieut. W. J. Symons, was on the left, manning the line from Wood’s Post to Goldenstedt’s Post. Heavy fighting ensued with multiple casualties.
On September 13, the battalion embarked for Lemnos & marched to Sarpi Camp. The health of the men was of great concern and it was hoped to improve this by an extended period of rest. The men were fed well, but the improvement in the men’s health was very slow indeed. The battalion returned to Anzac on November 21st.
William Sullivan was sent to hospital on 3/12/15, suffering from Rheumatism & fever. Later he was diagnosed with a Septic hand (10/12/15). He RTA M.U. on 21/5/16
“The First Lot. 7th Battalion. The first men of the Bendigo district to volunteer for service in the First World War.”: Larna Malone