William Edwin BOYCE

William Edwin BOYCE Update Details

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BOYCE, William Edwin

Service Number:	1218
Enlisted:	19 July 1915
Last Rank:	Private
Last Unit:	32nd Infantry Battalion
Born:	Gulgong, New South Wales, Australia, 1887
Home Town:	Meekatharra, Meekatharra, Western Australia
Schooling:	Not yet discovered
Occupation:	Engine Driver
Died:	Killed in Action, France, 20 July 1916
Cemetery:	Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) Military Cemetery Plot II. Row E. Grave 10. Inscription: DUTY, HONOUR, COUNTRY, WELL DONE, BE THOU AT PEACE
Memorials:	Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour

World War 1 Service

19 Jul 1915:	Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 1218, 32nd Infantry Battalion
18 Nov 1915:	Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 1218, 32nd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '17' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Geelong embarkation_ship_number: A2 public_note: ''
16 Jul 1916:	Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 1218, 32nd Infantry Battalion, Fromelles (Fleurbaix), D Company 32nd Battalion

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

Biography contributed by Steve Larkins

Nine soldiers were originally recovered from unmarked mass graves adjacent to Pheasant Wood in France in 2009.

They were among 250 unidentified soldiers who fought and died in the 1916 Battle of Fromelles.

Among the soldiers recovered was 1218 Private William Edwin Boyce, 32nd Battalion AIF

He is now buried in a marked grave in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) Military Cemetery in France.

Posted missing, 20 July 1916.

'Prisoner of War German list dated 4/11/16 received by Wounded and Missing Enquiry Bureau', Australian Branch, British Red Cross Society, 24 November 1916, show that 'identification marks found on the Prisoner of War are inspected by the General War Bureau and shown in the lists as under:- DEAD'

'Identification disc received from Germany', 13 March 1917. 'No particulars afforded except that soldier is deceased. To be reported KILLED IN ACTION, 20/7/16' on the authority of Assistant Adjutant General, ANZAC Section, War Office.

Translation of German message dated 25 October 1919, 'Iden: Disc handed over by Intelligence Officer of 6th Army Hd. Qrs. through Central Office for Deceased Estates. 12/10/16. Australian Soldier W. E. Boyce, Iden: Disc 1218, 32nd Btn., fell in the neighbourhood of Fromelles on 19/7/16.'

Red Cross File No 481204 has statement from 1390 Pte H. WHITEHOUSE, 32nd Bn (patient, Fairlawn Hospital, Honor Oak Road, London SE, England), 16 October 1916: 'Informant states that he saw W.E. Boyce killed on July 19th at Armentieres they went over the parapet about 7 o'clock in the evening it was just getting dusk, they were in the same platoon and Informant knew him well. The ground was lost, and they all retired in the morning.'

'The above name appears on German list dated 4-11-16.'

'Identity disc recd. from Germany and despatched to N/K 20.6.17.'

Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal

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