CONNELLY, William James
| Service Number: | 83 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 3 November 1914, An original member of the Machine Gun Section 7th L.H.R. |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 7th Light Horse Regiment |
| Born: | Grenfell, New South Wales, Australia, 1890 |
| Home Town: | Grenfell, Weddin, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Carpenter |
| Died: | Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 22 October 1963, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Macquarie Park Cemetery and Crematorium, Ryde, New South Wales |
| Memorials: | Grenfell Great War Memorial, Lane Cove Great War Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 3 Nov 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 83, 7th Light Horse Regiment, An original member of the Machine Gun Section 7th L.H.R. | |
|---|---|---|
| 19 Dec 1914: | Involvement Private, 83, 7th Light Horse Regiment, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '2' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Ajana embarkation_ship_number: A31 public_note: '' | |
| 19 Dec 1914: | Embarked Private, 83, 7th Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Ajana, Sydney |
Help us honour William James Connelly's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Stephen Brooks
William James Connelly was the son of Richard Peter and Jane Connelly, born and raised in Grenfell, New South Wales. Four of his younger brothers also enlisted in the AIF and his father, a well-known Grenfell farmer, served as a munitions worker.
William and two brothers enlisted in 1914, and both of his brothers lost their lives during the Gallipoli offensive.
His eldest brother, 1067 Pte. John Joseph Connelly 2nd Battalion AIF, was killed in action 2 May 1915, aged 30.
Another brother, 87 Trooper Richard Peter Connelly 7th Australian Light Horse, died of wounds in Egypt on 21 August 1915, aged 23. He had been mortally wounded two weeks previously, at the beginning of the August offensive at Anzac.
William was knocked out and shell shocked by the same shell that mortally wounded his brother Richard ‘Dick’ Connelly. He found time after the evacuation of Gallipoli to lay a personal headstone on his brother’s grave in Egypt.
William survived the war, seeing almost four years of service in the Middle East with the 7th Light Horse Machine Gun Squadron. He was sent home on ‘1914’ leave at the end of 1918.
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