MADDEN, William Lawrence
| Service Number: | 2648 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 15 April 1915, Keswick, South Australia |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 50th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Port Adelaide, South Australia, date not yet discovered |
| Home Town: | Adelaide, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Striker |
| Died: | Killed in Action, France, 16 August 1916, age not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" |
| Memorials: | Adelaide National War Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Lower North Adelaide War Memorial WW1, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial (Australian National Memorial - France) |
World War 1 Service
| 15 Apr 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Keswick, South Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Sep 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 2648, 10th Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières , --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '10' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Anchises embarkation_ship_number: A68 public_note: '' | |
| 2 Sep 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 2648, 10th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Anchises, Adelaide | |
| 16 Aug 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 2648, 50th Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières , --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 2648 awm_unit: 50 Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1916-08-16 |
Help us honour William Lawrence Madden's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Glenunga International High School
William Lawrence Madden, the eldest son of Martin and Bridget Madden, served in the First World War between the years of 1915 and 1916. He enlisted at the age of 25 in Adelaide, Australia, his place of birth. He lived on Sussex Street, in North Adelaide and went to Sisters of Saint Josephs (Catholic) School, South Australia. He had a sister, May Madden, that he likely grew up with.
There are many reasons that he might have enlisted. Perhaps, as a young, single man, he felt it his duty to assist the war effort, or maybe he just wanted to leave his job with the hopes of travelling the world. As many other soldiers, he likely wasn't aware of the horrors of war before enlisting.
His unit was the 10th Battalion, 8th Reinforcement. They embarked from Adelaide, South Australia on the 2nd of September 1915. They were on board the HMAT A68 Anchises, and traveled to France. William's war occupation was a striker, and he was ranked as Private.
William Lawrence Madden was killed in action on the 16th of August 1916, at the age of 26. His sister would have been the first of his family members to find out. How sad it must have been for Miss Madden, still single, as well as the rest of his family, to get that news. Unfortunately, he has no grave, but his name can be found on the 151st panel of the Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial, and the Australian soldiers lost to war are honoured at the Villers-Bretonneux, Australian National Memorial in France.
Though his service was short, and he was lost to the war, he no doubt showed incredible courage worthy of recognition, not just as a soldier, but as a young man, son and brother.
Above: The Villers-Bretonneux Australian National Memorial.
Biography
"THE LATE PRIVATE W. L. MADDEN.
Miss M. Madden, of Lower North Adelaide, has received news of the death of her brother. Private W L. Madden. He was killed in action in France on August 16. He was the eldest son of the late Mr. M. Madden, and was 26 years of age. Prior to enlisting he was employed at the Islington Workshops." - from the Adelaide Advertiser 20 Sep 1916 (nla.gov.au)
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