Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

William Harold Copley, born on the 29th of April 1895 to Louisa Evelyn Copley and George Budgen Copley, was an indigenous Australian who served in World War One. William was born in Plympton, South Australia and had six brothers; he was the second oldest.  William's older brother Stanley attended Plympton Primary school, and it is likely that William did as well. William worked in the family business with his father George. George was the owner of a butcher shop with the official title of Master Butcher.  William also served three years in the senior cadets, and one and a half years with citizen forces 78th infantry.

William enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force in Oaklands South Australia on the 23rd of November 1914. He began his service at the A.S.C base on the same day he enlisted and was there for roughly five months, staying until the 31st of March 1915. On the 1st of April, William was transferred to a driver for the 4th Lighthorse Brigade Train and remained one until the 15th of April 1915. Then on the 16th of April that same year William was promoted to Lance Corporal. Later that year on the 26th of December he was officially added to the strength of the 3rd Company reinforcements of the 2nd ASC (Army Service Corps). On the 26th of May 1915, William left Australia to serve overseas and would not return until 1919.

On the 10th of February 1916 William was admitted to general hospital for Bronchitis and was discharged to duty on the 28th of February 1916. William then disembarked at Marseille in France on the 1st of April 1916. William arrived in France with the 2nd Division Australian Supply Column meaning that his unit likely participated in battles on the Western front such as the Battle of Pozières (July – August 1916, Somme, France), the Second Battle of Bullecourt (May 1917, Hindenburg Line, France), and the battle of Amiens (August 1918, France). Because William was in a supply unit, he and his unit would not have necessarily been fighting with rifles, but they would have still likely been in the trenches as a supportive role mainly distributing and moving supplies.

Later, William was wounded due to being accidentally injured on the 20th of December 1916. He was the corps butcher and was cutting rations for issue when he cut his hand. This resulted in injuries to his second and third fingers on his right hand and William being declared with a permanent disability. William was sent to England on the 26th of December 1916 on the hospital ship Andania from the port of Le Havre; this was for his hand. Over the next couple of months, William continued to be transferred between hospitals and convalescent depots in England. On the 30th of January 1917 William was in the London general hospital, then he was transferred to a convalescent depot on the 14th of February 1917, and finally another a convalescent depot on the 16th of February 1917. William then re-joined the 2nd Division Army Service Corps reinforcements in France on the 4th of April 1917. William was transferred to the Australian Corps Troops, Mechanical Transport Company in France on the 12th of March 1918. There William focused on motorised transport work. William was attached temporarily to the 6th Australian Mechanical Transport Company, then rejoined his unit later that month. On the 7th of January William was transferred within the corps troops whilst continuing his work with mechanical transport supply. On the 17th of January 1919, William was promoted to Corporal.

On the 11th of May 1919 abord the ship Sardinia, William finally returned to Australia. After returning to Australia William married his wife Doris Victoria Koster and later had two children, Robert John Copley, and Murray Stanley Copley. William later went on to serve once more in World War 2 with the RAAF. He passed away on the 1st of April 1950 at age 54. William was buried in Centennial Park Cemetery in Adelaide with the majority of his family.