ROACH, William
| Service Number: | 1688 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 24 February 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 55th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Broadmeadow, New South Wales, Australia, 30 September 1887 |
| Home Town: | Broadmeadows, Clarence Valley, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | labourer and signalman (Adamstown Railway Station) |
| Died: | Broadmeadow, New South Wales, Australia, 17 April 1940, aged 52 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Sandgate General Cemetery, Newcastle, NSW METHODIST 1 (WESLEYAN) C NE. 38. |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 24 Feb 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 1688, 35th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 May 1916: | Involvement Private, 1688, 35th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '17' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Benalla embarkation_ship_number: A24 public_note: '' | |
| 1 May 1916: | Embarked Private, 1688, 35th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Benalla, Sydney | |
| 11 Jul 1917: | Discharged AIF WW1, Private, 1688, 55th Infantry Battalion, 2nd MD, Medically unfit |
Help us honour William Roach's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Evan Evans
From Gary Mitchell, Sandgate Cemetery
Served and suffered during The Great War, resting at Sandgate Cemetery.
84 years ago today, on the Friday afternoon of the 19th April 1940, Private William Thomas Roach, 55th Battalion (Reg No-1688), labourer and signalman (Adamstown Railway Station), from Winship Street, Broadmeadow, New South Wales and Dixon Street, Lambton, N.S.W. and 17 Brunker Road, Broadmeadow, N.S.W., father of three (Jim, William, Alexander Victor), was laid to rest at Sandgate Cemetery, age 52. METHODIST 1 (WESLEYAN) C NE. 38.
Born at Broadmeadow, New South Wales on the 30th September 1887 to William Thomas Snr (Tom, died 16.5.1933, Broadmeadow, N.S.W., age 67, buried at METHODIST 1 (WESLEYAN) N SW. 36) of 104 Broadmeadow Road, Broadmeadow, N.S.W., and Victoria Roach nee Parish (died 29.3.1940, Gas Street, Singleton, N.S.W., age 76, mother of 10, sleeping at METHODIST 1 (WESLEYAN) N SW. 36); husband of Selina Ann Roach nee Roe (Eva, married 1908, Hamilton, N.S.W., died 22.6.1934, Broadmeadow, N.S.W., age 53, sleeping at GENERAL-33. 58), of Dixon Street, Lambton, N.S.W. and 17 Brunker Road, Broadmeadow, N.S.W., and Elizabeth (Elsie) Emma Sarah Roach nee Lamb (married 1937, Hamilton, N.S.W., died 30.9.1943, Mayfield, N.S.W., sleeping here) of Dixon Street, Lambton, N.S.W. and 32 St. James Road, New Lambton, N.S.W., William enlisted on the 24th February 1916 with the 35th Battalion at Newcastle, N.S.W.
Unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales on board HMAT A24 Benalla on the 1st May 1916.
Admitted to hospital 13.10.1916 (fractured right ribs, accidental, mild).
Transferred to England 14.10.1916.
Commenced return to Australia 8.4.1917.
William was invalided home on the 9th June 1917, being discharged medically unfit (rheumatism right ankle & foot, walks with a limp, overage) on the 11th July 1917.
Reenlisted-6.2.1918, Newcastle, N.S.W. (rejected, chronic alcoholism).
Mr. Roach’s name has been inscribed on the Hamilton (Gregson Park) War Memorial, Hamilton Municipal District Roll of Honor and the Hamilton St. Peter's Anglican Church Honor Roll. A member of the Hamilton-Rose of Hamilton Lodge, G.U.O.O.F., unsure if name had been inscribed on the Roll of Honour. No Roll of Honour from the Broadmeadow Methodist Church was unveiled. The district of Broadmeadow did not produce a War Memorial or Roll of Honour.
I have placed poppies at William’s gravesite in remembrance of his service and sacrifice for God, King & Country.
Not officially commemorated.
Younger brother Harold (Harry, born 12.2.1893, Broadmeadow, New South Wales, tramway cleaner from 76 Broadmeadow Road, Broadmeadow, N.S.W., enlisted 22.7.1915, 30th Battalion, Reg No-529, wounded in action 20.7.1916, GSW left leg, mild, Battle of Fromelles, discharged in England 31.12.1919, RTA 1921 with wife & 2 children, residing at South Wales, England, 1938, died?) also served 1st A.I.F.
Younger brother Edgar (born 19.6.1895, Broadmeadow, New South Wales, hairdresser from 76 Broadmeadow Road, Broadmeadow, N.S.W., enlisted 9.1.1917, 53rd Battalion, Reg No-3453A, RTA 4.9.1919, died 28.2.1966, age 70, resting at the cemetery, METHODIST 4-19. 40) also served 1st A.I.F.
Contact with descendants would be greatly appreciated.
For more detail, see “Forever Remembered “
http://www.commemoratingwarheroes.com/cemetery-main-search/
Lest We Forget.
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