DUNN, William Thomas
| Service Number: | 2152 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 20 March 1916, Dubbo, NSW |
| Last Rank: | Driver |
| Last Unit: | 56th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Wongarbon, New South Wales, Australia, 1897 |
| Home Town: | Wongarbon, Dubbo Municipality, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Shop assistant |
| Memorials: | Wongarbon War Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 20 Mar 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2152, 54th Infantry Battalion, Dubbo, NSW | |
|---|---|---|
| 19 Aug 1916: | Involvement Private, 2152, 54th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '19' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Boorara embarkation_ship_number: A42 public_note: '' | |
| 19 Aug 1916: | Embarked Private, 2152, 54th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Boorara, Sydney | |
| 15 May 1917: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 2152, 54th Infantry Battalion, Bullecourt (Second), Shell shock sustained during the German counter attack at 2nd Bullecourt. Evacuated to FA and rejoined unit 11 June 1917. | |
| 17 Aug 1917: | Promoted AIF WW1, Driver, 54th Infantry Battalion, Belgium | |
| 25 Apr 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Driver, 2152, 54th Infantry Battalion, Villers-Bretonneux | |
| 8 Aug 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Driver, 2152, 54th Infantry Battalion, The Battle of Amiens | |
| 11 Oct 1918: | Transferred AIF WW1, Driver, 56th Infantry Battalion, France | |
| 23 Sep 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, Driver, 2152, 56th Infantry Battalion, RTA 23 June 1919 and discharged TPE. |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Robert Wight
William Thomas Dunn, born 1897, served with the 54th Battalion, AIF wrote on 11th December 1916:
“When we landed at Plymouth we were given our disembarkation leave and most of us went to London. We had a good time, and I spent the most enjoyable four days in my life. We were most interested in the manner in which the continuous stream of vehicles in the narrow streets got along , and also the underground tube railways, which are marvellous. We were then transferred to Hurdcott Camp, where we completed a rather solid course of training in most unfavorable weather – mud over the tops of our boots, and snowing rather heavily most of the time, and as cold as can be. Salisbury Plains are made up of a lot of camps Hurdcott, Fovant, Lark Hill, Perham Downs and a few others. The city of Salisbury is a very nice town, and well laid out. We were warned to go to France last Saturday, but we have everything read to leave at a few minutes notice. We are looking forward to having our Christmas in England, but I suppose we will have to postpone it till we go to the trenches. “Fritz ” might give us a day off.”
Despite wounds and bouts of sickness, Private William Dunn survived the war and returned to Australia on 23rd June 1919.
Source: The Map of Australia: A First World War Chalk Badge at Compton Chamberlayne, Wiltshire