DUDLEY, William Henry
| Service Number: | 3731 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 17 August 1915, Toowoomba, Queensland |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 49th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Chinchilla, Queensland, Australia, 23 November 1877 |
| Home Town: | Cunnamulla, Paroo, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Blood Poisoning , Isisford, Queensland, Australia, 16 August 1923, aged 45 years |
| Cemetery: |
Isisford Cemetery, Longreach Region, Queensland, Australia |
| Memorials: | Paroo Shire Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 17 Aug 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 3731, Toowoomba, Queensland | |
|---|---|---|
| 30 Dec 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 3731, 9th Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '9' embarkation_place: Brisbane embarkation_ship: HMAT Itonus embarkation_ship_number: A50 public_note: '' | |
| 30 Dec 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 3731, 9th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Itonus, Brisbane | |
| 29 Feb 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 49th Infantry Battalion | |
| 7 Jun 1917: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 3731, 49th Infantry Battalion, Battle of Messines, GSW (back) | |
| 10 Apr 1918: | Discharged AIF WW1, Private, 3731, 49th Infantry Battalion |
William Henry Dudley.
Born 23rd November 1877 in Chinchilla Queensland, he was the Son of James Robert DUDLEY and Catherine (Quintell) DUDLEY. He was the Father of QX18084 Private Philip Henry DUDLEY, 2/9 Battalion 2nd AIF, Great Grandfather of 182782 Warrant Officer Class Two Steven Ronald DUDLEY, Royal Australian Signals (1984 to 2008) and Great Great Grandfather of 8586016 Private Nicholas William DUDLEY, Royal Australian Corps of Transport. Prior to the war he was a labourer.
William enlisted on the 17th August 1915 in Toowoomba Queensland at the age of 37 and was initially allocated to the 9th Battalion. He was to be later transferred to the 49th Battalion when the 9th was split to form the new battalion. He served in France and was Wounded in Action on the 7th June 1917 during the Battle of Messines and admitted to 113 Field Ambulance with Gun Shot Wounds, to the Right Shoulder, Chest and Back. He was a lookout on Hill 60, but when it was time for him to be relieved; he was asked to wait a while for his mate to finish a billy of tea. Sticking his head out of the trench to have a look, he was struck by shrapnel, some of which could never be removed.
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The troops withdrew shortly after, leaving the casualties behind for the stretcher bearers. When the medics came through, one apparently turned him over and said “Looks like this one’s dead.” With this William opened his eyes and said, “Fair go mate, I’ve got a wife and children at home.”
He spent many months in hospital in France before being transferred to 2nd General Hospital in Bristol England on the 5th July 1917.
He returned to Australia per H.T. Port Darwin leaving England on the 11th January 1918 and was then discharged on the 10th April 1918 in Brisbane.
William died as a result of Blood Poisoning, from complications of his war injuries, in Isisford Queensland on the 23 Aug 1923.
He is buried in an unmarked grave at the Isisford Cemetery.
Courtesy of Steven Dudley
Submitted 9 June 2021 by Lynette Turner
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