HAFFENDEN, Wilfred John
| Service Number: | 383 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 10 February 1915, Brisbane, Queensland |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 25th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Windsor, Berkshire, England, 1897 |
| Home Town: | South Brisbane, Brisbane, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Died of Illness (Cerebro spinal meningitis), France, 6 June 1916 |
| Cemetery: |
Etaples Military Cemetery Etaples Military Cemetery, Etaples, Nord Pas de Calais, France |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Holland Park Mount Gravatt Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 10 Feb 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 383, Brisbane, Queensland | |
|---|---|---|
| 29 Jun 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 383, 25th Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '15' embarkation_place: Brisbane embarkation_ship: HMAT Aeneas embarkation_ship_number: A60 public_note: '' | |
| 29 Jun 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 383, 25th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Aeneas, Brisbane | |
| 4 Sep 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 383, 25th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli |
Help us honour Wilfred John Haffenden's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Elizabeth Allen
Wilfred John HAFFENDEN was born in 1897 in Windsor, Berkshire, England
His parents were William Henry HAFFENDEN and Phoebe Alice TURNER who married in 1893 in Camberwell, UK
His Mother Phoebe & some of the children arrived in Brisbane, Queensland on the ship Marathon in December, 1912 and the Father William & sons William & Frank had already arrived in Brisbane on 27th November, 1911 on the ship Otranto
Four of Wilfreds brothers served as follows
1. William Henry HAFFENDEN (SN QX302) returned to Australia in 1915 & died in 1973
2. Frank HAFFENDEN (SN 128) Died of Wounds in 1915 in WW1
3. Stanley Jack HAFFENDEN (SN50641) returned to Australia in 1919, Served in WW2 (SN401493) & died in 1981
4. Leslie HAFFENDEN (SN QX31366) served in WW2 and was discharged in 1944 & died in 1995
Biography contributed by Ian Lang
Will Haffenden was just 18 when he enlisted on 10th February 1915. Like his elder brother; Frank (see above), he was born in Windsor, England. He gave his address and next of Kin as his father; William Haffenden of Logan Road, Holland Park.
In early 1915, the Australian Military began to raise a second division of troops to be placed at the disposal of the British government to defend the empire. Two battalions of infantry were raised at Enoggera, the 25th Battalion (a wholly Queensland regiment) and the 26th Battalion (Queensland and Tasmania). Will and Frank were both drafted into the newly created 25th Battalion, albeit into separate companies.
After a period of training at Enoggera, the 25th departed Australia on the “Aneus” bound for Egypt. In September 1915, the 7th Brigade landed at night on Gallipoli. The 25th Battalion were employed in fatigue work and holding the firing lines at Steele’s and Courtney’s posts until evacuated in December.
Arriving back in Egypt, the 25th took on a number of reinforcements and when at full strength, sailed from Alexandria for Marseilles; arriving in France on 19th March 1916. The 25th were the first Australian battalion in France and were taken by train to the northern sector of the western front near Armentieres for a period of acclimatization.
On 29th May, Wilfred reported to the 6th Field Ambulance sick. The records give his condition as P.U.O. (Pyrexia unknown origin). In lay terms, he had a fever. Two days later Wilfred was loaded onto a hospital train and taken to the 24th Australian General Hospital at Etaples. It was initially thought that he had contracted enteric fever (typhoid) and he was placed in an isolation ward. By 5th June, Wilfred was seriously ill; He died the following day at 12:45pm. The final diagnosis was cerebro spinal meningitis.
Wilfred was buried at Camiers Road Cemetery. His family would eventually receive his war medals, a memorial plaque and scroll and three photographs of his grave. At the conclusion of the war, the Haffenden family would have been sent Roll of Honour Circulars for both sons lost. The Circulars were collected to record details of those who had died. The Australian War Memorial has no records of circulars for Frank or Wilfred; it is possible that the family did not wish to provide the details of their two boys.
Click images to start slideshow.