S8102
TIGGEMAN, William
| Service Number: | 5077 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 32nd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Torrensville, South Australia, Australia, 1887 |
| Home Town: | Nairne, Mount Barker, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Natural Causes, 12 April 1964, place of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Centennial Park Cemetery, South Australia |
| Memorials: | Adelaide South Australian Railways WW1 & WW2 Honour Boards |
World War 1 Service
| 24 Jun 1916: | Involvement Private, 5077, 27th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '15' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Bulla embarkation_ship_number: A45 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 24 Jun 1916: | Embarked Private, 5077, 27th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Bulla, Adelaide | |
| 11 Nov 1918: | Involvement Private, 5077, 32nd Infantry Battalion | |
| Date unknown: | Wounded 5077, 27th Infantry Battalion |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by St Ignatius' College
William Tiggeman was a Private in the First World War, serving at the Western Front for Australia. He was fortunate enough to come home from the war alive, however, he suffered from severe injuries in the war, enough to impact him for the rest of his long life.
William was born in Torrensville, South Australia, in the Western Suburbs. William had blue eyes, brown hair, and a medium complexion. He was short, around 5’8, like most soldiers, so that they wouldn’t have to build the trenches very deep. He had a few tattoos, which was commonplace in WW1. In his adult life before the war, he worked as a labourer at the Adelaide Railway Station, married Bridgett Tiggeman, fathered an unknown number of children and moved to Nairne in the Hills.
William enlisted on the 13th of March, 1916, approximately 2 years after the war started. He had some prior experience serving with the Australian Navy. In the enlistment document, William stated that he didn’t want to get vaccinated for enteric (typhoid) fever, despite an effective vaccine being developed in 1894. William embarked on the the HMS Bulla with other members of the 27th Battalion to travel to Plymouth, UK.
On the 12th of October 1916, William was injured in what was most likely a minor raid on German lines, suffering the effects of shell shock as a result. He was sent to England afterwards on the HMS St Andrew, being transferred to the 32nd Battalion. During this time, his family was sent a message from the Australian Army that William was injured in action. His dad, in particular, was worried about his affliction and sent several letters in return, and received only tiny amounts of information. This lasted up to May 17, 1917, when it was decided that William will return to Australia, to be unwell for any war efforts.