William Henry STEPHENS

STEPHENS, William Henry

Service Number: 1569
Enlisted: 5 March 1915
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 27th Infantry Battalion
Born: Findon, South Australia, 21 August 1892
Home Town: Not yet discovered
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Labourer
Died: Royal Park, South Australia, 12 December 1930, aged 38 years, cause of death not yet discovered
Cemetery: Cheltenham Cemetery, South Australia
Section FX, Drive A, Path 26, Plot 92N
Memorials:
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World War 1 Service

5 Mar 1915: Enlisted AIF WW1, 1569, 27th Infantry Battalion
31 May 1915: Involvement Private, 1569, 27th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '15' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Geelong embarkation_ship_number: A2 public_note: ''
31 May 1915: Embarked Private, 1569, 27th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Geelong, Adelaide
20 Sep 1917: Wounded AIF WW1, 1569, 27th Infantry Battalion, Gun shot wound to his right leg which fractured his Tibia & Fibia.
18 Mar 1918: Discharged AIF WW1, 1569, 27th Infantry Battalion

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Biography contributed by Paul Lemar

William was the son of Lott STEPHENS & Edith Alice FOOTE and was born on the 21st of August 1892 in Findon, SA.

His parents were married on the 19th of August 1892 at the residence of his father, Findon, SA. He was the first child born into the family of 6 children. His mother died on the 17th of September 1903 and his father remarried to Ruth Gertrude SMITH on the 26th of May 1909 in the St George Church, Pt. Adelaide and William gained another 3 siblings.

William enlisted into B Coy, Infantry on the 5th of March 1915 in Keswick, SA and allotted the service number 1569.

He embarked from Adelaide on the 31st of May 1915 aboard the “Geelong” for Gallipoli.

He was transferred to the 27th Battalion, 1st Reinforcement on the 27th of August 1915.

William spent 2 months in Gallipoli before embarking to England. In March 1916 he embarked for France. He was involved in the battles of Pozieres & Flers

On the 19th of September 1917 his Battalion was at Ypres preparing for moving into the front line at Westhoek Ridge.

At Westhoek Ridge, the following day, William suffered a Gun shot wound to his right leg which fractured his Tibia & Fibia. He was admitted to the 1st Southern General Hospital in Birmingham, England on the 27th of September 1917.

He returned to Australia on the 10th of January 1918 aboard the “Karoola”.

William was discharged, medically unfit on the 18th of March 1918

He married Janet Isabel LINDSAY on the 29th of July 1922 in the St George Church, Alberton, SA.

They lived at Palm Avenue, Royal Park.

William died on the 12th of December 1930 at his residence and is buried in the Cheltenham Cemetery; Section FX, Drive A, Path 26, Plot 92N.

They had a son, Janet never remarried after William's death.

Janet died on the 25th of January 1969 and cremated and her ashes interred in the Cheltenham Cemetery; Rose Bush, Row CP, Area S2, Plot 34.

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