William Michael RILEY

RILEY, William Michael

Service Number: 4558
Enlisted: 21 August 1915
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 9th Infantry Battalion
Born: Bundaberg, Queensland, Australia, June 1885
Home Town: Lismore, Lismore Municipality, New South Wales
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Labourer
Died: Tubercle of Lungs, 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Harefield, England, United Kingdom, 20 June 1918
Cemetery: Harefield (St. Mary) Churchyard
Aust 53, Harefield (St Mary) Churchyard, Harefield, Hillingdon, England, United Kingdom
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Dunoon District War Memorial, Lismore & District Memorial Honour Roll
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World War 1 Service

21 Aug 1915: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 4558, 9th Infantry Battalion
31 Jan 1916: Involvement Private, 4558, 9th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '9' embarkation_place: Brisbane embarkation_ship: HMAT Wandilla embarkation_ship_number: A62 public_note: ''
31 Jan 1916: Embarked Private, 4558, 9th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Wandilla, Brisbane

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

Biography contributed by Faithe Jones

Son of Thomas and Elizabeth RILEY, 48 Orion Street, Lismore, New South Wales

The sad news reached Lismore last week of the death of Private William Michael Riley, son of Mrs. Elizabeth Riley, of Ballina-street, Lismore. He was a good Catholic lad, and much sympathy is expressed for his respected mother. — R.I.P.

Biography contributed by Evan Evans

The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK

Died on this date - 20th June......Private William Michael Riley was born at Bundaberg, Queensland around 1885. He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 21st August, 1915 as a 30 year old, single, Labourer from Lismore, NSW.

Private Riley embarked from Brisbane, Queensland on 31st January, 1916 & disembarked at Alexandria on 5th March, 1916. He then proceeded to France from Egypt on 9th May, 1916. He joined 9th Battalion in France on 29th July, 1916.

Private Riley was sent to Hospital sick on 7th November, 1916 (fever of unknown origin) & finally rejoined his Battalion on 6th March, 1917.

Private Riley was hospitalised again on 9th November, 1917 & rejoined his Battalion on 15th January, 1918.

Private Riley was hospitalised again on 7th February, 1918 with Dermatitis & transferred to England with Arsenical dermatitis. He was admitted to General Military Hospital at Colchester, England on 26th April, 1918 with Dermatitis (severe). He was transferred to 1st Auxiliary Hospital, Harefield Park, Harefield, Middlesex, England on 23rd May, 1918 with Tubercle miliary & was reported as dangerously ill.
Private William Michael Riley died at 7.15 am on 20th June, 1918 at 1st Auxiliary Hospital, Harefield Park, Harefield, Middlesex, England from Tubercle of Lung.
Private William Michael Riley was buried in St. Mary the Virgin Churchyard, Harefield, Middlesex, England where 112 other WW1 Australian Soldiers are buried.

(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below) ** should be on the website later today or tomorrow 21st.
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/o---w.html
Photos courtesy of Peter Bennett

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