BOVELL, William Allan
| Service Number: | 4248 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 2 September 1915, Perth, Western Australia |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 48th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Busselton, Western Australia, Australia, 1891 |
| Home Town: | Busselton, Western Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Clerk |
| Died: | Natural causes, Perth, Western Australia, Australia, 25 February 1941 |
| Cemetery: |
Karrakatta Cemetery & Crematorium, Western Australia Anglican YC 0349A |
| Memorials: | Busselton Cenotaph Victoria Square, Busselton Rotary Park of Remembrance Memorial Walk, Port Hedland Pilbarra Honour Roll |
World War 1 Service
| 2 Sep 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 4248, Perth, Western Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 29 Jan 1916: | Involvement Private, 4248, 16th Infantry Battalion (WW1), --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '12' embarkation_place: Fremantle embarkation_ship: HMAT Runic embarkation_ship_number: A54 public_note: '' | |
| 29 Jan 1916: | Embarked Private, 4248, 16th Infantry Battalion (WW1), HMAT Runic, Fremantle | |
| 27 Jul 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, Private, 4248, 48th Infantry Battalion |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Joy Dalgleish
War Service
Two months after entering camp, William was allocated to the 13th reinforcement draft for the 16th Battalion, and he travelled with them to Alexandria in Egypt. On arrival he was sent to Zeitoun to join the 16th Battalion's base depot.
On 2 Apr 1916 he was transferred to the newly formed 48th Battalion at Serapeum, being raised as part of the reconfiguration of the Australian Divisions. The 48th Battalion travelled by train to Alexandria during the night of 1/2 Jun 1916 where it immediately boarded HMT Caledonia, and sailed for France on 4 June, arriving in Marseilles on 9 Jun 1916 and departing for the northern battlefields, arriving there on 12 Jun 1916.
On 8 Aug 1916 in France, William as hospitalised with influenza and on 14 Aug 1916 was admitted to the 22nd General Hospital at Camiers. On 4 Sep 1916 he was well enough to move to the 6th Convalescent Depot for a week and then to the 4th Division base Depot in Le Havre, before rejoining the 48th Battalion on 1 Oct 1916. He remained with the battalion until he enjoyed leave in the UK from 9 - 27 Feb 1918.
On 16 May 1918 William was ill and sought medical care from 13th Australian Field Ambulance and then on 20 May from the 10th General Hospital in Rouen for an unspecified infection. On 21 May 1918 William was evacuated to England where he enterd the 1st Southern General Hospital in Selly Oak (Birmingham) on the 23rd, and he remained in medical care until he again proceeded to France from Southampton on 12 Oct 1918.
He rejoined the 48th Battalion on 16 Oct 1918 in "splendid" weather according to the unit's war diary. A game of 'Australian Rules' against the 27th Battalion was in progress, resulting in the 27th being the victors - 4 goals 5 behinds to the 28th Battalion's 3 goals 2 behinds. William remained with the unit in France until 30 Jan 1919 when he marched out for return to Australia.
Discharged 5th Military District 27 Jul 1919.
Post War
On 28 Sep 1926 William married Sheila May Roberts in Capel. Electoral Roll entries - 1931 - 1937 at 'Woodsome' via Bullsbrook, manager. In 1943 - 1958 Sheila May has moved to "Greenfield", Capel. In 1963 she had moved to 15 Mangles street, South Bunbury; number in 1968 was 73 Mangles street.
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