LACHLAN, William
| Service Number: | 3587 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 56th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Yass, New South Wales, Australia, 1880 |
| Home Town: | Yass, Yass Valley, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Drover |
| Died: | Car Accident - Fracture to Skull Base, No. 3 New Zealand General Hospital, Codford, Wiltshire, England , 11 April 1919 |
| Cemetery: |
Tidworth Military Cemetery, England Tidworth Military Cemetery, Wiltshire, England Plot C. 375. |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 20 Dec 1915: | Involvement Private, 3587, 20th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '13' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Aeneas embarkation_ship_number: A60 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 20 Dec 1915: | Embarked Private, 3587, 20th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Aeneas, Sydney | |
| 11 Apr 1919: | Involvement Private, 3587, 56th Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 3587 awm_unit: 56th Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1919-04-11 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Cathy Sedgwick
The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick (OAM) – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland”
William Andrew Lachlan was born at Yass, New South Wales in 1880 to parents Robert Charles & Sarah Maria Lachlan (nee Croker).
Robert Charles Lachlan, father of William Lachlan, died on 29th March, 1914 at Yass Hospital, New South Wales. An inquest was held into the death “Found unconscious and died without gaining consciousness. No evidence to show cause of death.”
On 1st September, 1915 William Lachlan enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) in Goulburn, New South Wales as a 32 year old, single, Drover from Yass, NSW.
Private William Lachlan, Service number 3587, embarked from Sydney, New South Wales on HMAT Berrima (A35) on 17th December, 1915. (Note: The Australian War Memorial have a note of Embarkation Roll “Date and ship of embarkation incorrectly recorded as 20 December 1915 and HMAT Aeneas A60 on original record.”) with the 20th Infantry Battalion, 8th Reinforcements.
He was allotted to & proceeded to join 54th Battalion on 14th February, 1916 from 5th Training Battalion at Zeitoun. Private Lachlan joined 54th Battalion at Tel-el-Kebir on 16th February, 1916. (as listed on Casualty Form – Active Service, however the Statement of Service form recorded he was transferred from 20th Battalion to 54th Battalion on 21st March, 1916.)
On 19th June, 1916 Private Lachlan embarked from Alexandria on H. T. Caledonian & disembarked at Marseilles, France on 29th June, 1916.
[Note: there are no movements recorded for Private William Lachlan between 30th June, 1916 & 2nd March, 1918]
Private Lachlan was on Leave to UK from 3rd March, 1918 & rejoined his Unit from Leave on 21st March, 1918.
He was transferred to 56th Battalion on 11th October, 1918 from 54th Battalion. Private Lachlan was taken on strength of 56th Battalion on 11th October, 1918.
From 14th October, 1918 Private Lachlan was attached for duty with 28th A.A.S.C. (Australian Army Service Corps). He rejoined 56th Battalion on 15th October, 1918.
Sarah Lachlan, mother of Private William Lachlan, died in December, 1918, at Yass Hospital from Pneumonia.
Private William Lachlan was marched out on 3rd February, 1919 to A.I.B.D. (Australian Infantry Base Depot) at Havre, France for “R. to A.” (Return to Australia). He was marched out from A.I.B.D. on 14th February, 1919 for England.
He disembarked at Weymouth, England on 15th February, 1919 & was marched in to “No. 2 T.B. Con Camp” at Codford, Wiltshire on the same day.
On 10th April, 1919 Private Lachlan was admitted to No. 3 New Zealand General Hospital, Codford, Wiltshire with a fracture of base of Skull, following an accident. The Hospital Admissions form recorded: “Admitted, having been knocked down by motor ambulance. Marked swelling & ecchymosis of R. eyelid. Pupils at first equal and moderately dilated. Pulse 64. Unconscious but muttering. L Arm and leg paralysed. Ear cut. Steady bleeding from the nose. Later, R eye pupil widely dilated and unresponsive. Unconsciousness much deeper. Vomited dark blood. Later, both pupils widely dilated and unresponsive, pulse appreciably slower – 60, snoring. Died 3.30 A.M. 11-4-19.”
Private William Lachlan died at 3.30 am on 11th April, 1919 at No. 3 New Zealand General Hospital, Codford, Wiltshire, England from Fracture to Skull Base.
He was buried in Tidworth Military Cemetery, Wiltshire, England where 172 other WW1 Australian War Graves are located.
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/l---m.html
Click images to start slideshow.