William Patrick ROSS

ROSS, William Patrick

Service Number: 523
Enlisted: 23 July 1915
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 30th Infantry Battalion
Born: Newcastle New South Wales, Australia, 20 December 1891
Home Town: Wickham, Newcastle, New South Wales
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Locomotive fireman
Died: Trench mortar bomb, Messines, Belgium, 20 November 1917, aged 25 years
Cemetery: Bethleem Farm West Cemetery, Belgium
Bethlehem Farm West Cemetery (Row F, Grave No. 3), Messines, Belgium, Bethleem Farm West Cemetery, Flanders, Belgium
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Hamilton Loco Employees Great War Honour Roll, Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board, Wickham "Citizens of Wickham" Volunteers Honour Roll
Show Relationships

World War 1 Service

23 Jul 1915: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 523, 30th Infantry Battalion
9 Nov 1915: Involvement Private, 523, 30th Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '16' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Beltana embarkation_ship_number: A72 public_note: ''
9 Nov 1915: Embarked Private, 523, 30th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Beltana, Sydney
20 Jun 1916: Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 523, 30th Infantry Battalion, Fromelles (Fleurbaix), GSW to both thighs and right arm

Help us honour William Patrick Ross's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.

Biography contributed by Evan Evans

From Gary Mitchell, Sandgate Cemetery

103 years ago today, on the 20th November 1917, Private William Patrick Ross, 30th Battalion (Reg No-523), loco fireman (Hamilton Railway Depot), from 32 Railway Street, Wickham, New South Wales, was Killed in Action in Belgium, Age-25.

No Roll of Honour circular submitted.

Born at Wickham, New South Wales on the 20th December 1891 to William Charles and Mary Ross, William enlisted July 1915 at Liverpool, N.S.W. Wounded in action - 20.7.1916 (GSW both thighs, right arm, Battle of Fromelles -
Mr Ross is resting at Bethleem Farm West Cemetery, Belgium. Row F Grave 3.

William’s name has been inscribed on the Wickham (Hawkins Oval) Soldiers' Memorial (photo, unveiled on the 24th May 1916), Wickham Municipal District Roll of Honour Board (1), Wickham Superior Public School Roll of Honour, Hamilton Loco Employees Roll of Honour and the NSW Govt Railways and Tramways Roll of Honour, 1914-1919.

There is no memorial inscription etched into the headstone of William’s parents to tell us of the loss of their son during The Great War, so May 2020 I placed a memorial cross adorned with poppies on the gravesite, taken a photo of the memorialised grave and uploaded the photo onto the Northern Cemetery website as a permanent record of his service.
CATHOLIC 2-38.27.

I believe a fallen son or sons of The Great War should be forever immortalised upon their parent’s headstone.

Could descendants please place a plaque at the gravesite to honour the supreme sacrifice of William for God, King and Country.

Lest We Forget.

Read more...