BENNETT, William Alfred
| Service Number: | 2287 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 7 January 1916, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 30th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Bristol, England, date not yet discovered |
| Home Town: | Meningie, The Coorong, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Railway Employee, South Australian Railways |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Fromelles, Lille, Nord Pas de Calais, France, 20 July 1916, age not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
VC Corner Cemetery and Memorial, Fromelles, France No known grave v.c. corner Australian cemetery and memorial Fromelles, VC Corner Australian Cemetery and Memorial, Fromelles, Lille, Nord Pas de Calais, France |
| Memorials: | Adelaide National War Memorial, Adelaide South Australian Railways WW1 & WW2 Honour Boards, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Dublin WW1 & WW2 Roll of Honor, Meningie War Memorial, Murray Bridge Roll of Honour WW1, V.C. Corner Australian Cemetery Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 7 Jan 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 9 Mar 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 2287, 32nd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '17' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: RMS Mongolia embarkation_ship_number: '' public_note: '' | |
| 9 Mar 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 2287, 32nd Infantry Battalion, RMS Mongolia, Adelaide | |
| 20 Jul 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 2287, 30th Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 2287 awm_unit: 30th Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1916-07-20 | |
| Date unknown: | Involvement 30th Infantry Battalion, Fromelles (Fleurbaix) | |
| Date unknown: | Involvement 32nd Infantry Battalion, Fromelles (Fleurbaix) |
His story
Born in Bristol England and came to Australia in about 1912 at the age of 23
He worked in Meningie as a railway worker before he enlisted on the 7th January 1916. He was assigned to the 32nd Battalion and left aboard the Anchises on the 30th March 1916. He transferred to the 30th Battalion in May of that year. On the 19th July the 30th battalion played a role in the AIF’s first major battle on the Western front at Fromelles. William was one of almost 2000 Australian soldiers who lost their lives that night, and is among the 1299 whose grave is unknown and whose name is on the wall of the VC Corner Memorial near Fromelles in France. He was 26 at the time of his death.
Submitted 8 February 2016 by Faithe Jones
Biography
Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal
Mother, Mrs Rose Bennett, 16 City Road, Bristol, England
Previous Military Service: Mother, Mrs Rose Bennett, 16 City Road, Bristol, England
The Mount Barker Courier and Onkaparinga and Gumeracha Advertiser (SA: 1880 - 1954) Friday 7 January 1916
ANSWERED THE CALL.
The sinking of the Persia and the Geelong, two large steamers well known to Australians, had some effect on the number of offers of service during the week. As soon as the local recruiting office was opened on Tuesday after the holidays, enquiries were made as to the conditions of enlistment. Those who on Tuesday and Wednesday signified their intention to answer the call for men for the firing line were William Alfred Bennett, Arthur Colin Gordon, William Francis Rouse, and Alexander Henry Dawson, all of Murray Bridge. It is understood that a number of Murray Bridge men joined the large crowd that enlisted at the Adelaide Depot during Christmas week. We all have the hope now since the Commonwealth boys have been withdrawn from Gallipoli that Australia must be "in at the death." wherever that may be, still we realise that all Australia's sacrifice has not been in vain. The withdrawal was just as clever as the landing.
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