David BRIGGS

BRIGGS, David

Service Number: 4151
Enlisted: 23 August 1915, Adelaide, South Australia
Last Rank: Corporal
Last Unit: 50th Infantry Battalion
Born: Stapleford, Nottingham, England, 19 June 1890
Home Town: American River, Kangaroo Island, South Australia
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Farmer
Died: Killed in Action, Villers-Bretonneux, France, 25 April 1918, aged 27 years
Cemetery: Hangard Communal Extension Cemetery
Plot II, Row A, Grave No. 17, Hangard Communal Cemetery Extension, Hangard, Picardie, France
Memorials: Adelaide National War Memorial, Adelaide The 50th Battalion Commemorative Cross, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Kingscote Kangaroo Island WW1 Roll of Honour, Penneshaw Kangaroo Island Men Roll of Honor WW1, Penneshaw War Memorial
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World War 1 Service

23 Aug 1915: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 4151, 10th Infantry Battalion, Adelaide, South Australia
11 Jan 1916: Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 4151, 10th Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '10' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Borda embarkation_ship_number: A30 public_note: ''
11 Jan 1916: Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 4151, 10th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Borda, Adelaide
29 Feb 1916: Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 50th Infantry Battalion
6 Jul 1916: Wounded GSW (left arm) Fleurbaix, France
16 Aug 1916: Wounded Battle for Pozières , 2nd occasion - GSW (back)
17 Apr 1917: Promoted AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 50th Infantry Battalion
10 Jun 1917: Wounded Battle of Messines, 3rd occasion - GSW (knee)
15 Nov 1917: Promoted AIF WW1, Corporal, 50th Infantry Battalion
25 Apr 1918: Involvement AIF WW1, Corporal, 4151, 50th Infantry Battalion, Villers-Bretonneux, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 4151 awm_unit: 50 Battalion awm_rank: Corporal awm_died_date: 1918-04-25

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Biography contributed by Geoffrey Gillon

Corporal David Briggs, served with the 50th Battalion - Australian Infantry - Australian Imperial Force.

He had been wounded on three previous occasions.

His brother Lance Sergeant Harold Joseph Briggs, who served with the 13th Battalion Rifle Brigade, was killed in action on 10th July 1916 and, having no known grave, is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.

William David E Briggs known as David was born in 1890 in Stapleford, Nottingham.

Births Jun 1890  Briggs William David E Shardlow
7b 475
He was the son of William, an auctioneer and Eliza Briggs née Easom, 15 Victoria Road, Stapleford, Nottingham. Both his father William and mother Eliza Easom were born in 1862 in Ilkeston. They were married in 1884 in the Basford Registration district, and they went on to have three children, all born in Stapleford; they were Florence b 1887, William David b 1890 and Harold Joseph b 1895. Eliza died before the 1911 census. William went on to re-marry - Elizabeth Winrow in 1912, and their marriage is recorded in the Basford Registration district. In the 1911 census the family are living at 15 Victoria Street Stapleford and are shown as William 49 years a widower, head of the family - an auctioneer. He is living with his children Florence 24 years, a school teacher and Harold Joseph, 16 years, a pupil auctioneer. Also living with the family is a domestic servant, Maggie Derbyshire 19 years. David emigrated to Australia and lived in Adelaide.

Obituary published in the Nottingham Evening Post dated 18th May 1918:-

BRIGGS. – Killed in action, April 25th, 1918, Corpl. David Briggs, Australian Infantry, aged 27, son of William Briggs, auctioneer, Stapleford, Notts. Also in loving memory of Harold J. Briggs, only brother of the above, killed in action 1916. Both dearly loved and greatly missed. “BRIGGS. – Killed in action, April 25th, 1918, Corpl. D. Briggs, Australian Infantry. The great sacrifice.”

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Biography

"...4151 Private David Briggs, 50th Battalion. A farmer from American River, Kangaroo Island, South Australia, prior to enlistment, he embarked with the 13th Reinforcements of the 10th Battalion on 11 January 1916 aboard HMAT Borda (A30) for Suez. In late February 1916 he was transferred to the 50th Battalion which relocated to the Western Front, France, in early June 1916. Pte Briggs was wounded in action near Fleurbaix on 6 July 1916 and was able to rejoin his unit four weeks later. He was wounded in action on a second occasion in mid-August 1916 which resulted in his evacuation to England for treatment and recuperation before rejoining the battalion in late January 1917. Pte Briggs was appointed Lance Corporal (L Cpl) on 17 April 1917. L Cpl Briggs was wounded in action on a third occasion near Messines on 10 June 1917, was treated in Boulogne and rejoined his unit in mid-September 1917. He was promoted to Corporal (Cpl) on 15 November 1917. Cpl Briggs was killed in action at Villers-Bretonneux on 25 April 1918 and is buried in the Hangard Communal Cemetery Extension, France. He was aged 28 years." - SOURCE (www.awm.gov.au)

Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal

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