KNEALE, William Burnard
| Service Number: | 3318 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 3 July 1915, Melbourne, Victoria |
| Last Rank: | Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 5th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Leongatha, Victoria, Australia , 1893 |
| Home Town: | Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Window Dresser |
| Died: | Died of wounds, France, 13 February 1917 |
| Cemetery: |
Dernancourt Communal Cemetery Extension V B 7 |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 3 Jul 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Melbourne, Victoria | |
|---|---|---|
| 11 Oct 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 3318, 5th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '8' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Nestor embarkation_ship_number: A71 public_note: '' | |
| 11 Oct 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 3318, 5th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Nestor, Melbourne | |
| 13 Feb 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Sergeant, 3318, 5th Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 3318 awm_unit: 5 Battalion awm_rank: Sergeant awm_died_date: 1917-02-13 |
Family impact
William had two brothers, one of whom also joined the army. William died of injuries in France and brother Edward was killed in Gallipoli.
Fortunately, the youngest brother, my grandfather, was too young to follow his brothers to war. The loss of the two brothers took a heavy toll on our family.
My father was named after the two brothers, William Edward Kneale.
When the Second World War broke out and my father was old enough, Dad decided to join the Air Force. Upon telling his father, my grandfather took his two brothers' WW1 Gallipoli and France medals and tossed them into the Yarra River near St Kevins College.
Thanks to the War Museum, Dad sourced replicas of the medals that are kept safely by his grandson Adam William Kneale.
Submitted 29 April 2025 by Geoff Kneale
Biography contributed by Elizabeth Allen
William Burnard KNEALE was born in Leongatha, Victoria in 1893
His parents were William KNEALE & Hanorah (Nanno) KENEALLY who married in Victoria in 1891
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His brother Edward Gerald KNEALE (SN 337) also served in WW1 and was Killed in Action on 7th August, 1915
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