DWYER, William John
| Service Number: | 4569 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 6 December 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 26th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Brandon, Queensland, Australia, 16 February 1897 |
| Home Town: | Charters Towers, Charters Towers, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Charters Towers State School, Queensland, Australia |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Killed in action, France, 5 August 1916, aged 19 years |
| 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
| 6 Dec 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 4569, 26th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 30 Mar 1916: | Involvement Private, 4569, 26th Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières , --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '15' embarkation_place: Brisbane embarkation_ship: HMAT Star of Victoria embarkation_ship_number: A16 public_note: '' | |
| 30 Mar 1916: | Embarked Private, 4569, 26th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Star of Victoria, Brisbane |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Stephen Brooks
William John Dwyer was the son of Thomas and Maria Dwyer of Charters Towers, Queensland. The parents had arrived in Queensland from Ireland during 1884.
He was reported missing at Pozieres on 5 August 1916. Several soldiers stated in his Red Cross wounded and missing file that he was seen to be very badly wounded in the stomach by shrapnel during an attack and he was confirmed as killed in action on the above date by a Court of Enquiry held in June 1917.
He gave his next of kin as his sister, Mary Bell, of York Street, Charters Towers, Queensland. She filled out his roll of honour circular for the Australian War Memorial.
During 1922 his medals and entitlements were noted as to go to his mother who had remarried, Mrs. Cowan, who was living on a station near Winton in Western Queensland.
Evidently, she could not be traced as William’s medals, plaque and scroll were in December 1922 marked as ‘untraceables’, indicating that no nearest of kin could be found.
William’s older brother, wo had enlisted in 1914, 862 Pte. Thomas Dwyer 49th Battalion AIF, was killed in action on 5 April 1918, aged 30. He also had his medal entitlements marked as ‘untraceable’ as his mother was noted as the same Mrs. Cowan of Queensland.