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 Row F, Grave No. 3 |
| 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 |
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.
Add my storyBiography 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.
Biography contributed by John Oakes
William Patrick ROSS (Service Number 523) was born on 20th December 1891 in Newcastle. He commenced his Railways career on 6th June 1910 as a cleaner at Hamilton Depot in the Locomotive Branch. He remained in this position until 21st December 1913, when he progressed to fireman. He worked in the Railways for another year and a half before he was granted leave to enlist in the AIF on 20th July 1915. He was 23-years-old when he enlisted.
He embarked at Sydney on 9th November 1915 on HMAT ‘Beltana’. He disembarked at Suez on 11th December 1915. Six months later, on 16th June 1916, he embarked at Alexandria as he proceeded to join the British Expeditionary Forces. He disembarked at Marseilles on 23rd June 1916.
After barely a month in the field, he was injured in action at the Battle of Fromelles. He received gunshot wounds to his legs and was admitted to the Ambulance Train on 20th July. He was sent to England shortly after and was admitted to a military hospital in Chatham on 23rd July. On 17th October, after a few months in hospital, he was discharged. The following day, he was granted furlough in London. He spent two weeks on furlough, before he reported back on 2nd November 1916. At this time, he was classified as B1A, which meant he would still be under observation and assessment following his injuries.
By 16th January 1917, he proceeded overseas to France. He marched out to his unit not too long after, on 6th February. After another nine months in the field, he was killed in action on 20th November 1917.
One eye witness account of his death states:
‘[he was] killed by a trench mortar shell. He was wounded first and crawling away when another shell killed him outright’.
He was buried in Bethleem Farm West Cemetery, Flanders, Belgium.
Following his death, his father was sent some of his personal items, including a wallet, a letter, photos, and a religious medallion. He was also sent his son’s war medals – the 1914/15 Star, the British War Medal, and the Victory Medal.
- based on the Australian War Memorial Honour Roll and notes for the Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board.
Click images to start slideshow.