BROOKES, William Frederick
| Service Numbers: | 2042, 1884 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 30 March 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 46th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Port Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 1899 |
| Home Town: | Port Melbourne, Port Phillip, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Graham Street State School, Port Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation: | Signalman |
| Died: | Killed in action, Dernancourt, France, 5 April 1918 |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, Picardie, France |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 30 Mar 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2042, 46th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 20 May 1916: | Involvement Private, 1884, 46th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '19' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Medic embarkation_ship_number: A7 public_note: '' | |
| 20 May 1916: | Embarked Private, 1884, 46th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Medic, Melbourne | |
| 5 Apr 1918: | Involvement Private, 2042, 46th Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 2042 awm_unit: 46th Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1918-04-05 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Stephen Brooks
William Frederick Brookes actually used his twin brother’s name when he enlisted. This fact was never known to the AIF authorities.
A Death Notice placed by his parents and appearing 29 April 1918 reveals his true name as Stanley Phillip Brookes. The Victorian BDM has him born in 1899 and thus probably only 16 when he enlisted in March 1916, which is probably the reason for him using a brother’s name.
His older brother, 3977 Private George Henry Brookes 4th Machine Gun Battalion AIF, returned to Australia 5 April 1919.
William (Stanley) Brookes was taken on strength of the 46th Battalion on the Western Front during October 1916. He was wounded in action at Bullecourt on 11 April 1917. He rejoined his unit at the front during September 1917.
He was only 18 years of age when he was killed in action near Dernancourt, France on 5 April 1918, and has no known grave.
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