FISHER, William Thomas
| Service Number: | 1709 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 20 July 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 14th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Wangoom, Victoria, Australia, 1889 |
| Home Town: | Camperdown, Corangamite, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Camperdown State School, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation: | Carpenter |
| Died: | Killed in action, France, 4 July 1918 |
| Cemetery: |
Crucifix Corner Cemetery, Picardie Plot V, Row E, Grave No. 4. LOVED IN LIFE HONORED IN DEATH DEAR DADDY OF ERNIE, LINDSAY & ALFRED |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Birregurrra Rifle Club Roll of Honor, Camperdown War Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 20 Jul 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Corporal, 1709, 29th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 29 Oct 1915: | Involvement 1709, 29th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '16' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Demosthenes embarkation_ship_number: A64 public_note: '' | |
| 29 Oct 1915: | Embarked 1709, 29th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Demosthenes, Melbourne | |
| 4 Jul 1918: | Involvement Sergeant, 1709, 14th Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 1709 awm_unit: 14 Battalion awm_rank: Sergeant awm_died_date: 1918-07-04 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Stephen Brooks
William Fisher had married Ada Rebecca during 1911 and he was the father of three small boys when he went to war.
William Thomas Fisher and his brother Leslie James Fisher both enlisted in July 1915 and were posted to the 29th Battalion. They were transferred to the 14th Battalion in Egypt.
William was wounded in action at Pozieres on 8 August 1916; (shrapnel wounds, right shoulder and left leg) and was evacuated to England soon after. He was many months recovering and rejoined the 14th Battalion at the front during January 1917. He was promoted to Corporal then Sergeant during April 1917. He was sent to England during October 1917 to help with training.
William rejoined the 14th Battalion in France on 15 April 1918 and was killed during the Battle of Hamel on 4 July 1918.
The Camperdown Chronicle of 18 July 1918, printed the following article, “The sad news reached Camperdown on Monday last of the death of Sergeant William Thomas Fisher, eldest son of Mr. and Mrs H. J. Fisher, of Cressy Road, Camperdown. The late Sergeant Fisher, who was 29 years of age, enlisted in July, 1915, and therefore had soon considerable active service, he was with the Australian army in Egypt and later was transferred to France, where he was killed on the 4th inst. He was a native of Grasmere, but had resided in Camperdown since his boyhood He was well and most favourably known throughout this locality and sincere and widespread sympathy will be felt for the bereaved relatives. Sergeant Fisher, when he responded to the insistent call for help For the Empire, made a great sacrifice, leaving a wife and family of three boys, the eldest of whom is six years of age. Heartfelt sympathy, will be extended to the e bereaved widow and her sons, in their great loss. The late Sergeant Fisher was a popular figure in Camperdown. He was possessed of many amiable and sterling qualities, that won for him general admiration. His conduct on active service won for him deserved promotion and by his death the Australian army has suffered the loss of a gallant soldier. When he joined the colours Sergeant Fisher was in the employ of Messrs Morrison A Son, Colac. Prior to that he had served a number of years with Messrs. Walls and Horne and other firms in Camperdown. He was badly wounded in the leg in August, 1916, but made a good recovery and once more took his place with his comrades in the firing line in December of the same year. The youngest son of the family, Corporal L. J. Fisher, was invalided home and was welcomed back by residents of Camperdown and members of the Recruiting. Committee last week. Unfortunately, he is still in poor health. The second son of the family of three boys, Private F. H. Fisher, is still on active service. The Fisher family responded nobly to the Empire's call. The late Sergeant and Corporal L. J. enlisted together and saw much service side by side in the same battalion. Flags were flown at half-mast on Tuesday in respect to the memory of the deceased soldier.”
His brother, 1711 Private Leslie James Fisher 14th Battalion AIF returned to Australia 16 May 1918 and was discharged medically unfit. His war wounds eventually caused his death in the Caulfield Hospital on 2 July 1920, age 26.
Another brother, 1898 Sergeant Francis Henry Fisher 13th Light Horse Regiment, returned to Australia in 1919.
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