VICKERS, William
| Service Number: | 1480 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 7 January 1915, Perth, WA |
| Last Rank: | Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 12th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Eaton, Constantine, Shropshire, England, 17 September 1893 |
| Home Town: | North Dandalup, Murray, Western Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Winch Driver |
| Died: | Paignton, Devon, England, 25 December 1969, aged 76 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 7 Jan 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 1480, 12th Infantry Battalion, Perth, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| 22 Feb 1915: | Involvement Private, 1480, 12th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '10' embarkation_place: Fremantle embarkation_ship: HMAT Itonus embarkation_ship_number: A50 public_note: '' | |
| 22 Feb 1915: | Embarked Private, 1480, 12th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Itonus, Fremantle | |
| 24 Jul 1916: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 1480, 12th Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières , GSW to back | |
| 24 Jul 1918: | Wounded AIF WW1, Sergeant, 1480, 12th Infantry Battalion, Wounded at Rouge Croix Switch, GSW to skull and right arm. Later discharged as medically unfit. | |
| 21 Jun 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, Sergeant, 1480, 12th Infantry Battalion |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Evan Evans
Sale of Medal group and memorabilia Listing, August 2018
William Vickers, Sergeant 1480, D Company 12th Australian Infantry Battalion, AIF: a fine Great War triple gallantry medal group consisting of Distinguished Conduct Medal and bar, Military Medal, 1914-15 Star, 1914-1918 Medal, and Victory Medal, the DCM and MM contained within a fitted display with silver frame, engraved verso. Also included are Army Orders by General Sir Herbert Plumer, Second Army gallantry certificate, letter from the Australian Department of Defence regarding the Gazette for MM, Certificate of Discharge, Australian passport, Gift Fund tin, photographs of Vickers, regimental diary The Story of the Twelfth, and other items relating to him and his son, who joined the Grenadier Guards. Provenance: direct from family. Joined 7th January 1915, Vickers reached Gallipoli 7th May. Sent to England with dysentery 26th August 1915, rejoined unit March 1916. Wounded at Pozieres 24th July, returned to unit 22nd September 1916. Promoted Lance Corporal January 1917 and Corporal in March, transferring to England for Lewis gun training and returning 12th October. On 3rd November, near Broodseinde Ridge, Vickers repelled a German patrol and led an attack on their post, himself killing three men. Awarded MM 15th November and promoted Lance Sergeant. Attended a non-commissioned officers' course and promoted Sergeant 17th February 1918. At Metern on 23rd April, he commanded a section of his platoon in an attack with such dash that the enemy fled the first objective. He then led a bombing team to the second objective, capturing a machine gun, inflicting further loss and taking several prisoners. The following day he led his men to repel counter attacks. For this he was awarded the DCM. On the night of 2nd June 1918 at Mont-de-Merris, Vickers led his section against a machine gun, killing the crew and capturing the weapon. During the consolidation he went out alone and captured fifteen German prisoners, ostensibly using fiery and lurid language as his weapon. For this he won his third gallantry decoration, a bar to his DCM. Wounded on 24th July at Rouge Croix Switch, he was evacuated to England and later declared medically unfit and discharged 21st June 1919.
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