Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

William Thomas Perks was born in 1897 in, East Fremantle, Western Australia, to Edwin and Emily Perks. The eldest of several children, he received his early education in Fremantle, where his father was a member of the Fremantle Volunteer Rifles.

Around 1904, the Perks family moved to Midland, where William completed his schooling. They later settled on a farm at Korbel, near Merredin, where William worked as a farm hand.

With the outbreak of the First World War, William’s father Edwin, enlisted in August 1915 at the age of 43, joining reinforcements for the 12th Battalion and embarking from Fremantle in December of that year.

William was keen to enlist, but due to his age he need his parents’ consent, which he got, enlisting at Merredin in March 1916. He initially undertook his training at No. 5 Training Depot at Blackboy Hill Camp before being transferred to the 14th Reinforcements of the 28th Battalion. He was later to be reassigned to the 4th Reinforcements of the 4th Machine Gun Company, where he commenced specialist training on the Vickers machine gun.

Upon completion of training, William and his unit embarked from Fremantle aboard HMAT Miltiades in August 1916 arriving at Plymouth, England, in September 1916. He was first posted to No. 3 Camp at Parkhouse, remaining there for seven weeks before transferring in the November to the Australian Machine Gun Training Depot at Grantham until January 1917.

In January 1917, William was sent to France, where he joined the Australian Machine Gun Training Depot at Camiers. After nearly two months, he marched out and joined the 4th Machine Gun Company.

It was on 11 April 1917, William entered his first major battle during the First Battle of Bullecourt, supporting the 4th Brigade. The assault proved devastating for the Australian machine gunners, who suffered severe casualties. Although the infantry and supporting machine gun crews succeeded in reaching the German trenches, a lack of reinforcements and support forced the survivors to withdraw. It was during that action that William did not return.

Following the battle, he was officially reported as killed in action. No record of his burial has been found, and it is believed that, like many Australian soldiers who fell within the German lines, he was buried in or near a shell hole close to where he died.

Private William Thomas Perks, No. 339 of the 4th Machine Gun Company was recorded as killed in action on the 11 April 1917 at the first Battle of Bullecourt. He was 19 years of age.

With no known grave William is commemorated on the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial in France where he is remembered with honour.

William's father, Edwin, served first with the 12th Battalion before transferring to the 52nd Battalion. Prior to that unit leaving Egypt, he was posted to the 4th Pioneer Battalion, with which he served in France. Edwin was invalided home to Australia in 1917.