Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

William Blackadder was born in 1883 in Mertoun, Berwick, Scotland to John Blackadder and Agnes Best. He was the eldest of 5 sons: Robert born 1884, George 1887, John 1890, Thomas 1897. At the time of William’s death, his father John’s address is Broomhall, Mertoun, St Boswells, Roxburghshire, Scotland.

William emigrated to Cairns, Queensland on the “Roscommon” arriving in 1913 from London. His brother John also served and died in France in 1916. On his enlistment in Cairns his age was 33 years 8 months, occupation was a Storeman for Burns Philp & Co and his next of kin was his mother Agnes Blackadder, Mertown, Berwick, Scotland. He was 5 feet 9 inches in height and weighed 164 pounds with a dark complexion, brown eyes and black hair. He was Church of England.

Private Blackadder embarked on the HMAT Clan McGillivray from Brisbane on 7 September 1916 and disembarked Plymouth, England on 2 November 1916. He proceeded to France, landing at Etaples on 14 December 1916. He was killed in action 26 March 1917 and is remembered at Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, Picardie, France.
Courtesy of The Cairns District Family History Society.