S3738
RITCHIE, William James
| Service Number: | 3617 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 19 April 1916, at Adelaide |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 32nd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Port Gawler, South Australia, 6 March 1872 |
| Home Town: | Woodville, Charles Sturt, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Farmer |
| Died: | Natural Causes, Rosewater, SA, 2 February 1951, aged 78 years |
| Cemetery: |
Cheltenham Cemetery, South Australia |
| Memorials: | Dublin Lower Light Methodist Honor Roll, Dublin War Memorial, Mallala District of Grace WW1 Roll of Honor, Mallala Two Wells Pictorial Honour Roll 2 |
World War 1 Service
| 19 Apr 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 3617, 32nd Infantry Battalion, at Adelaide | |
|---|---|---|
| 12 Aug 1916: | Involvement Private, 3617, 32nd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '17' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Ballarat embarkation_ship_number: A70 public_note: '' | |
| 12 Aug 1916: | Embarked Private, 3617, 32nd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ballarat, Adelaide | |
| 15 Jun 1918: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 3617, 32nd Infantry Battalion, Shoulder wound | |
| 11 Nov 1918: | Involvement Private, 3617 | |
| 25 May 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, Private, 3617, 32nd Infantry Battalion |
Help us honour William James Ritchie's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Adelaide Botanic High School
Son of James Balls RITCHIE and Rhoda nee RISEBOROUGH of Russell Street, Finsbury Park, Woodville, SA
William James Ritchie, born March 1872, of Woodville, South Australia – farmer, soldier, husband. He joined the Australian Imperial Forces, on the 19th of April 1916, at age 44, going from being a hard working farmer to a brave soldier. He embarked Adelaide on the 12th of August 1916, to join up with the 32nd Battalion in France.
He fought in France through 1917 and the first half of 1918, until he was wounded in the shoulder on 15th June 1918. This saw him transferred to a hospital in Weymouth, England, for convalescence. After recovering he was not regarded as fit for further action, and so was sent home. He was honourably discharged on the 25th May 1919.
Upon return to South Australia he married Emma Maud on the 16th of October 1920. William died on the 2nd of February 1951 and he remains buried at Cheltenham Cemetery, Port Road, Cheltenham, South Australia.
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