ELLIS, William George
| Service Numbers: | 4419, NX29301 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 21 November 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 2nd/1st Ordnance Stores Company |
| Born: | West Devonport, Tasmania, 15 December 1894 |
| Home Town: | Hurlstone Park, Canterbury, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Plasterer |
| Died: | Natural Causes, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia , 4 November 1972, aged 77 years |
| Cemetery: |
Woronora Memorial Park, Sutherland, New South Wales Crematorium Area FF, Rose Garden 25, #069 |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 21 Nov 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 4419, 18th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 9 Apr 1916: | Embarked Private, 4419, 18th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Nestor, Sydney | |
| 9 Apr 1916: | Involvement Private, 4419, 18th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '12' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Nestor embarkation_ship_number: A71 public_note: '' | |
| 20 Nov 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 4419, 18th Infantry Battalion, Wounded in action. Shot in right side and leg. Transferred to Bath War Hospital 12 October 1918. | |
| 26 Apr 1920: | Discharged AIF WW1, Private |
World War 2 Service
| 7 Jun 1940: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, NX29301 | |
|---|---|---|
| 16 Oct 1945: | Discharged Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, 2nd/1st Ordnance Stores Company |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Greg Ellis
William George (Bill) Ellis was born on 15 December 1894 in West Devonport Tasmania, and died in Sydney on 4 November 1972. Bill moved with his parents to Sydney before he enlisted in the AIF. Although still 10 days shy of his 21st birthday, Bill said he had turned 21 and 1 month. Exactly why he did this unclear. (More outrageously his younger brother by 2 years, Ronald, had said he too was over 21, when he had enlisted a few months earlier in September 1915.)
Bill was a Private. His Statement of Service says he was in "C Company of the 18th Battalion, 11th Reinf". He joined his unit in France on 20 November 1916. Except for a two week stint in hospital in Belgium in October 1917, he remained in France until he was uplifted to Bath War Hospital on 12 October 1918 having been wounded in action, shot in the right side and his leg, nine days previously on 3 October 1918.
When he left hospital, Bill was transferred to AIF Kit stores on 3 Jan 1919. He remained in England until returning to Australia (with his new English wife Alice Chadwick) in December 1919, where he was discharged "2MD(TPE)" on 26 April 1920.
20 years later, Bill enlisted in the 2nd AIF on 7 June 1940. Service no. NX29301. By this time he was nearly 46 and so to get in he claimed to have been born in 1900! He served a total of 1234 days before he was discharged as part of demobilisation on 16 October 1945 (Discharge document 244491). Of that service he served 608 days (around 20 months) in the Middle East. He returned from duty in the Middle East to Australia apparently as a result if a flare-up of his wounds from WW1. His discharge document notes his correct birthday, noting his age on discharge as 50 years and 9 months.
Bill died about 6 weeks shy of his 78 birthday. His wife of 53 years, Alice, outlived him by a decade. They had five children, Joyce, Gwendolen, William (himself a 2nd AIF veteran), Donald and Fae. He knew several of his grandchildren before his passing.
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