Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

William Ewart Pyne was born in Wellington, South Australia. He grew up in Renmark, South Australia, along with his mother, father and four older brothers. Prior to the war William Ewart Pyne was a Solicitor, completing his law degree at Adelaide University where he can be found on the World War 1 Honour Roll. He went to school at CBC where he can now be found on the World War 1 Roll of honour, alongside his brothers Patrick Thomas Pyne and Octavius John Pyne. During World War 1 such an extensive education was uncommon for most soldiers, William would have been considered luckier for finishing his education.  
 

Standing at 5ft. 10 ¼ inches, at the age of 24 years and 10 months William enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) on the 8th of October 1916, in Adelaide. At the time he was single, had no children and was of Roman Catholic faith. William would have followed in his brothers’ footsteps, Octavius, and Patrick, joining the war a few years after them. He had before-hand belonged to His Majesty’s Army providing another reason of enlistment. 
 

William was the luckiest out of his brothers, surviving the war. William’s brother Patrick was killed in action in Gallipoli April 1915, before William had joined the war. His other brother Octavius died March 1917 due to a severe gunshot wound to his head, while William was serving.
 

On the 24th of January 1917, almost four months after enlisting, he embarked from Adelaide, South Australia on board HMAT A28 Miltiades. William Ewart Pyne began as a private and was then promoted to Corporal 16th January 1917, a few days later he was made a Provisional Sergeant for a couple of months from 25th January 1917 to 25th March 1917. He then reverted back to being a Corporal once the unit arrived in England. It seems that he was given the elevated rank for the journey to England but once he arrived he was no longer required in the roll. The short promotion may have been due to his previous 4 year service in his school's cadet program. After a training period in England on the 25th of June 1917 he proceeded to France from Southampton to begin his time fighting.

 
On the 2nd of July 1917 he was admitted to the 40th Stationary Hospital for tonsilitis. Stationary hospitals mainly specialised in dealing with illnesses and training related injuries, the one William was admitted to was located at Harfleur, France. On the 8th of the same month, he was transferred to a Convalescent Depot. Throughout the war casualties were regularly moved to Convalescent Depots when health improved to make room for other soldiers. On the 17th of July 1917 he was discharged from hospital and moved to a Base Depot. A solider would be moved to a base depot when they had fully recovered, and these bases would prepare them to go back into battle. He fought with the 19/20 for around two months, on the 10th of August 1917 he was then taken on strength to fight with the 50th battalion in France.

William continued to fight with the 50th battalion for another month until on the 26th of September 1917 he was wounded in action in France, in what can be assumed the Battle of Polygon Wood. The battle was a British and Dominion operation, being one of the string battles of the Third Ypres. The name of the battle derived from a young plantation of forest that lay along the ANZAC’s axis of advance. The battle began on the 26th of September and unfortunately, William Ewart Pyne received a wound to the face. It was his first experience of battle and like many other soldiers had not learnt the ropes yet.

William was initially admitted to. a C.C Bureau with his wound classified as a shrapnel injury. On the 29th of September he was transferred to a general hospital in Rouen, the shrapnel wound now being classified as a gunshot to the face. William continued with recovery until the 1st of October 1917 when he embarked for England for more treatment. He was admitted to a hospital in Torquay for his gunshot wound. In order to achieve recovery William was left with a silt in his face due to where the bullet landed. Although William’s injuries were not as extreme, he would have suffered deformities to some extent.

 
On the 14th of November 1917 he was deemed ready to return to battle and was discharged from hospital. On the 9th of December 1917 he proceeded overseas back to France via Southampton. On the 10th he marched to the 4th Australian Division Base Depot Havre from England. After almost three months of recovery on the 15th of December 1917 he re-joined the unit and went back to fighting with the 50th battalion.

 After three months back on the field on the 26th of March 1918 William to admitted to the 13th field ambulance for a 'not yet determined' cause. On the 27th he was transferred to a stationary hospital and then on the 28th a general hospital. He was then on the 30th transferred to a convalescent depot.  

On the 10th of May 1918 not long after the German Spring of Offence ended William was discharged from hospital to Base Etaples to be ready to go back to battle. On the 14th of May he marched in with the Australian Infantry Base Depot in Havre. On the 31st of May being able to re-join the unit once more.
 

William continued to fight and then on the 10th of September was admitted to a casualty cleaning station. These types of stations were makeshift hospitals a few miles behind the front line to give soldiers access to quick care for their injuries. William would’ve been admitted to one behind Peronne/Mont St Quentin in France. The battle had begun near the end of August and continued into September. On the night of the 31st of August 1918, the Australian troops crossed the Somme and followed an artillery barrage, they commenced battle by attacking Mont St Quentin from the northwest.

On the 16th of September 1918 William was transferred from the C.C.S to a general hospital for influenza. Influenza was extremely common disease during the war. Influenza had devastating effect resulting in more deaths then in the war itself. Some of the main factors contributing to it being so widespread were malnutrition and poor hygiene. Once someone was infected the worst was immediately expected.

Four days later, on the 20th of September, William was transferred once more to a convalescent hospital. Sometime after that William received two offences, one being drunkenness and the other, being in town without a pass. Drinking was very common during the war for many reasons. William’s reason may have been to forget. Many soldiers drank to help with shellshock or to just get to sleep. After being through so much and such battles especially at a young age, William would have found comfort in not very many things apart from drinking. On the 27th of September 1918 as a punishment, he was severely reprimanded by Lieutenant Colonel S. R. Burston.

 In October he was still a patient suffering from influenza. Finally on the 15th of February 1919 he was discharged from hospital and was taken to an Australian General Base Depot in Havre. From the Base Depot on the 1st of March 1919, he was detached to Australia. Two months later on the 20th of May he was moved over to England, the next day he disembarked at Southampton. The next month on the 20th he left England to return to Australia on the Miltiades once more. After two months at sea, he arrived at Adelaide on the 5th of August. On the 2nd of October 1919 he was discharged from the A.I.F, with his period of enlistment being terminated.

William married to Ellen Susan and had three children, Elizabeth, Patricia, and John. He and his wife ran for Mayor and Mayoress of Mt Gambier. William was elected from 1937-1938, 1941-1944 and lastly 1946-1948. After coming back from the war William most likely continued with law becoming a barrister to add on to his title as solicitor beforehand. William Ewart Pyne died at 75 years on the 30th of March 1967. 

William was one to persevere and show determination. When on the front lines he found himself going from hospital and back to battle quite frequently. Still each time he was able to come back and fight once more. He showed great courage and sacrifice, even when times were tough, he pushed through, both his brothers had died in the war leaving him to understand there would be a possibility he would suffer the same fate, despite this he continued to fight and came back to Australia alive. From a young age William was brought up with compassion. When he was younger his aunty worked at an orphanage and he and his family would regularly donate money. As well as this, him and his brother Octavius would write letters to her through the newspaper.
 

Works Cited
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