GRAHAM, William Akerman
| Service Number: | 1363 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 30 October 1914 |
| Last Rank: | Lieutenant |
| Last Unit: | 56th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Stockton, New South Wales, Australia, 29 April 1894 |
| Home Town: | Stockton, Newcastle, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Hawkesbury Agricultural College, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Orchardist |
| Died: | Heart Failure, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia , 2 January 1968, aged 73 years |
| Cemetery: |
Woden (Canberra) Public Cemetery, ACT Returned Soldiers’ Section |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 30 Oct 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 1363 | |
|---|---|---|
| 11 Feb 1915: | Involvement Private, 1363, 4th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '8' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Seang Bee embarkation_ship_number: A48 public_note: '' | |
| 11 Feb 1915: | Embarked Private, 1363, 4th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Seang Bee, Melbourne | |
| 8 May 1915: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 1363, 4th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli, gun shot wound through palm of hand | |
| 12 Nov 1915: | Promoted Lance Corporal, 4th Infantry Battalion | |
| 13 Feb 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 56th Infantry Battalion, Transferred from 4th to 56th Battalion | |
| 18 Feb 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Corporal, 56th Infantry Battalion | |
| 5 May 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Sergeant, 56th Infantry Battalion, Egypt | |
| 23 Jul 1916: | Wounded AIF WW1, Corporal, 1363, 56th Infantry Battalion, Wounded in Action - France. Gun shot wound through left shoulder Admitted to Napsbury War Hospital, Middlesex, England | |
| 16 Oct 1917: | Wounded AIF WW1, Sergeant, 1363, 56th Infantry Battalion, Wounded in Action - France. Gas: 3rd occasion | |
| 4 Nov 1918: | Promoted AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, 56th Infantry Battalion | |
| 4 Feb 1919: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 56th Infantry Battalion | |
| 10 May 1919: | Embarked AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 1363, 56th Infantry Battalion, Returned to Australia onboard Troopship “WAHEHE”. Also his wife Mrs Hetty Graham travelling 1st Class. Disembarked in Sydney, via Capetown and Melbourne, on 1 July 1919 | |
| 31 Aug 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 1363, 56th Infantry Battalion |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Kim Rumble
William Akerman GRAHAM was born 29 April 1894 to parents Harry and Frances (née RAE) in Stockton, NSW. William was the 2nd eldest of 6 children: Harriet, William, Frances, Hercules, Mildred and Allan. After finishing his early schooling at Stockton Public, William attended Hurlstone and then later Hawkesbury Agricultural College. Around 1912, William and his family relocated from Stockton to their new property "Rosedale" in Kanwal, NSW, with the intention of establishing a citrus orchard. William stated on his AIF Attestation Paper that his occupation was an Orchardist.
On 30 October 1914, William enlisted in the AIF at Liverpool, being only 20 years of age. He embarked on 11 February 1915 onboard HMAT "Seang Bee" on his way to Egypt. Here, William was allotted to the 4th Infantry Battalion at the Mena Training Camp.
The 4th Battalion took part in the ANZAC landing at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915 with William 'celebrating' his 21st birthday only 4 days later. William experienced his first wartime injury (9 days after his birthday) when he was wounded after being shot through the palm of his hand. During his time at Gallipoli, William and the 4th Battalion were involved in defending the beachhead and in August they took part in leading the charge at Lone Pine. William remained at Gallipoli for the duration of the campaign until he was evacuated in December and transported back to Egypt.
In February 1916, William, along with half of the 4th Battalion, were transferred to the newly raised 56th. The new Battalion also comprised of fresh reinforcements sent in from Australia. William with the 56th Battalion were involved in many battles both in France and Belgium also spending time in the frontline trenches.
In addition to William's initial gun shot wound through his hand, he also suffered from frostbite, trench foot and was gassed a total of 3 times. In July 1916, William was once again wounded in action when he was shot in his left shoulder, with the bullet becoming lodged. William was transferred to Napsbury War Hospital in Middelsex to convalesce and it was here that he met a young English girl nursing wounded soldiers. William and Harriett Hawkins were later married on 13 Nov 1918 at St Andrew's Church in Fulham, London.
In February 1919, William received his final wartime promotion to the rank of Lieutenant. He returned to Australia, with his new wife, onboard the "Wahehe" on 10 May 1919, arriving in Sydney on 1 July.
William arrived home to the sad news that his sisters and young brother were unable to keep their property after the death of both parents during the war. In 1926, William and his young family moved to Canberra for employment, where he became a Clerk at the Royal Military College, Duntroon. He remained in the public service for 33 years, 27 of which as an Officer of the Public Service Board. William retired in 1959.
William died at the age of 73 on 2 January 1968. He was buried in the "Returned Soldiers' Section" at the Woden Cemetery in Canberra, ACT.
(Kim Rumble, Great Granddaughter, 2022)
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