William George HOFFMAN

Badge Number: 2659, Sub Branch: Kingscote
2659

HOFFMAN, William George

Service Number: 3568
Enlisted: Not yet discovered
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 32nd Infantry Battalion
Born: Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, 1899
Home Town: Adelaide, South Australia
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Not yet discovered
Died: 22 July 1947, cause of death not yet discovered, place of death not yet discovered
Cemetery: AIF Cemetery, West Terrace Cemetery, Adelaide, South Australia
Section: KO, Road: 9, Site No: 49
Memorials:
Show Relationships

World War 1 Service

12 Aug 1916: Involvement Private, 3568, 32nd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '17' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Ballarat embarkation_ship_number: A70 public_note: ''
12 Aug 1916: Embarked Private, 3568, 32nd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ballarat, Adelaide

Help us honour William George Hoffman's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.

Biography contributed by Jackson Pinchbeck

Private William George Hoffman (my Great Grandfather) was born in Adelaide in 1899 and grew up in 35 Gilbert Street, Adelaide. He had an older brother and a younger sister that he loved very much. William left Australia to fight in the First World War in the Western front 1916, fighting in trenches for over 9 months, in very treacherous conditions. He then participated in breaking through the Hindenburg line, which was a very famous battle fought in 1918. After the Belgium, he travelled through South Africa in 1919 on his way back home to Australia.

 William returned home to Adelaide South Australia in 1919. He was married a few years later to a women called Gwendoline in February 1922. Once William had arrived home he returned to normal work as a French polisher in his family business. William and Gwendoline had a child in August 14, 1923 and named his son William John Hoffman. Then on August 26, 1932 they had their second child named Margaret Mary Hoffman, 13 years later my Nanna was born on April 12, 1945 Mary Catherine Hoffman. They all lived in Goodwood South Australia until they lost their house and their polishing business during the Great Depression.

William John Hoffman, William’s son, enlisted in the Second World War, his parents did not want him to join the war but he did so anyway and he was also under age when he enlisted. William George had to sign papers to allow his son to enlist in the war at such a young age. William John Hoffman unfortunately did not return home from the Second World War, he was killed in action at the age of 19, in Papua New Guinea jumping out of a War plane, he died on January 20, 1943. William George Hoffman died at the age of 48 years old on July 22 1947 from war injuries, the gas from the war had caused him to suffer heart issues and made his teeth very black. He is buried at Centennial Park, Pasadena South Australia. Private William George Hoffman received a Citation for Bravery.

 

Read more...