HOFFMAN, William Richard
| Service Number: | 1917 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 17 April 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 36th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Leichhardt, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 15 November 1896 |
| Home Town: | Tighes Hill, Newcastle, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Tighes Hill Public School, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | GSW right arm, leg and back, Belgium, 18 July 1917, aged 20 years |
| Cemetery: |
Hazebrouck Communal Cemetery, France Hazebrouck Communal Cemetery (Plot III, Row D, Grave No. 29), France |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Tighes's Hill Methodist Church Honour Roll, Wickham "Citizens of Wickham" Volunteers Honour Roll |
World War 1 Service
| 17 Apr 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 1917, 36th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 4 Sep 1916: | Involvement Private, 1917, 36th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '17' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Port Sydney embarkation_ship_number: A15 public_note: '' | |
| 4 Sep 1916: | Embarked Private, 1917, 36th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Port Sydney, Sydney | |
| 16 Jul 1917: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 1917, 36th Infantry Battalion, GSW to right arm, leg and back while in action in Belgium |
Help us honour William Richard Hoffman's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Evan Evans
Gary Mitchell, Sandgate Cemetery
Awaiting memorialisation at Sandgate Cemetery.
103 years ago today, on the 18th July 1917, Private Richard William Hoffman, 36th Battalion, labourer (Mayfield Kitchen & Son's Limited), from 63 Elizabeth Street, Tighes Hill, New South Wales, died of wounds at Messines, age 20 years 8 months.
https://www.awm.gov.au/people/rolls/R1635897/
Born at Leichhardt, New South Wales on the 15th November 1896 as Richard W Hoffmann to Andrew (Andreas) Peter (died 1930 - http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article133403573) and Abigail (Abey, died 1940 - http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article140533850) Hoffman of Henry Street, Cardiff South, New South Wales.
Bill Durrant has given us an excellent account of Mr Hoffman’s service and supreme sacrifice during The Great War.
No.1917 Richard William HOFFMAN stated that he was a 21 and 9 month old labourer from Tighes Hill in NSW when he enlisted for the 1st time on the 10th of September 1915.
Offence – he was charged with AWL for the 28th & 29th of January, and the 3rd & 4th of February 1916. He was fined 10 shillings and forfeited 4 days’ pay.
Offence – on the 19th of February he was charged with AWL when detailed for duty. He was fined 10 shillings and recommended for Discharge from the AIF.
On his 2nd Enlistment he stated that his name was now William Richard HOFFMAN, when he enlisted again on the 17th of April 1916. On the 5th of June he was allocated to A Company at the Rutherford Camp in NSW.
On the 3rd of September 1916 the 2nd Reinforcements for the 9th Brigade marched from Rutherford to Farley Railway Station and then boarded a train to Sydney. Private HOFFMAN embarked on the 4th of September with the 2nd Reinforcements to the 36th Battalion on board the HMAT (A15) Port Sydney. The Troopship arrived at Plymouth in England on the 29th of October 1916 and on arrival in England the Reinforcements travelled by train, via Exeter, to the village of Amesbury in Wiltshire, where they unloaded and then marched the several miles to the Australian Camps at Lark Hill. They then received four days Disembarkation Leave, and then started training with a Training Battalion.
On the 20th of December 1916 he deployed from England across to France, marching in to the 3rd Australian Division Base Depot at Etaples, on the following day. On the 17th of January 1917 he marched out to the front with a group of other Reinforcements and was taken-on-strength by the 36th BATTALION (Carmichael’s Thousand / Rifle Club’s Thousand) on the 18th of January. He was one of those reinforcements posted into D Company.
On the 17th of May 1917 he reported sick and was admitted to the New Zealand Stationary Hospital at Hazebrouck, with a hernia. He rejoined the Battalion on the 10th of June 1917.
On the 28th of June he was detached to work with the 9th Light Trench Mortar Battery, rejoining the 36th Battalion on the 16th of July.
The 36th Battalion had moved back into the front-line, to the East of Messines, on the 15th of July 1917. On the day he returned to the Battalion from his detachment, the Germans heavily shelled the front-lines and he was WOUNDED-IN-ACTION, suffering wounds to his right arm, back, and leg. He was admitted to the 11th Australian Field Ambulance and on the 17th was transferred to the 15th Casualty Clearing Station at Hazebrouck.
At 11:50 a.m. on the 18th of July 1917 Mr Hoffman DIED-OF-WOUNDS - http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article134864008. Now resting in the Hazebrouck Communal Cemetery, France. Plot III Row D Grave 29.
His Mother would receive a War-Pension of 14 Shillings per fortnight, from the 27th of September 1917.
Richard’s name has been inscribed on the Wickham (Hawkins Oval) Soldiers' Memorial (photos, unveiled on the 24th May 1916), Wickham Municipal District Roll of Honour Board (1), Tighes Hill Public School Honor Roll, Tighes Hill Methodist Church Roll of Honour (as R W HOFFMANN) and the Mayfield Kitchen & Son's Limited Roll of Honour (http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article138740368). Name would be inscribed on the Tighes Hill Roll of Honour (linen) by Miss Blanch Buck.
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article138736810
There is no memorial inscription on the headstone of Richard’s parents to tell us of the loss of their son, and I am unable to erect a memorial cross, so I have placed poppies to honour the service and sacrifice of Frederick for God, King and Country. ANGLICAN 2-146. 10.
http://sandgate.northerncemeteries.com.au/index.php/war-heroes/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=51&aso=exact&s_f=id&data_search=9411#2
Lest We Forget.
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