POLE, William Henry Thomas
| Service Number: | 4346 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 2 October 1916, at Adelaide |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 43rd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Upper Sturt, South Australia, August 1876 |
| Home Town: | Upper Sturt, Adelaide Hills, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Upper Sturt School |
| Occupation: | Orchardist |
| Died: | Killed in Action, France, 18 April 1918 |
| Cemetery: |
Bonnay Communal Cemetery Extension Row A, Grave Number 28, Bonnay Communal Cemetery Extension, Picardie, France |
| Memorials: | Adelaide National War Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, District of Upper Sturt Methodist Church Honour Board, Upper Sturt and District Roll of Honour WW1 WW2 |
World War 1 Service
| 2 Oct 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 4346, 32nd Infantry Battalion, at Adelaide | |
|---|---|---|
| 7 Nov 1916: | Involvement Private, 4346, 32nd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '17' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Afric embarkation_ship_number: A19 public_note: '' | |
| 7 Nov 1916: | Embarked Private, 4346, 32nd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Afric, Adelaide | |
| 18 Apr 1918: | Involvement Private, 4346, 43rd Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 4346 awm_unit: 43rd Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1918-04-18 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Heathfield High School
William Pole was born in 1876 and lived as an orchardist in Upper Sturt, South Australia. He enlisted for the First World War on the 2nd of August 1916. When he applied, he was 40 years old, making him was one of the older recruits. At 5’4”, he was around the average height for the time; however, he was slightly underweight, weighing 55kg. Before leaving for England, William Pole was trained as part of the 11th Brigade at Mitcham SA. On the 7th of November 1916, roughly two months after beginning his training, Pole would leave South Australia onboard the ‘HMAT A19 Afric’, which was on course to Plymouth. He arrived on the 9th of January the next year, after briefly stopping in Egypt.
Upon arrival, Pole underwent some extra training before heading to France in September 1917.
In early 1918, the German forces shifted their focus from the Eastern Front to the Western Front, near where Pole’s battalion was stationed. The Germans first attacked the British in here, which proved to be devastating for the British. As the Germans gained momentum, the Pole’s battalion—which had wintered in Belgium—returned south to help prevent the German advance. It was during this battle, on the 18th of April, where William Pole was killed in combat.
He was later buried in Grave 28 of Row A in Bonnay Communal Cemetery in France. For his efforts, William Pole was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. These medals were delivered to his mother, Bessie Pole, alongside his belongings, which included a damaged purse, two Methodist religion books, a letter, a photo, and some money.
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