LAURIE, William
| Service Numbers: | 2375, 2375A |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 3 April 1916, Enlisted at Royal Agricultural Society Showground, Moore Park, Sydney. |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 1st Pioneer Battalion |
| Born: | Douglas, isle of Man, United Kingdom, March 1882 |
| Home Town: | Sydney, City of Sydney, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Railway Plumber |
| Died: | Died of wounds, France, 23 October 1917 |
| Cemetery: |
Wimereux Communal Cemetery, Pas-de-Calais - Hauts-de-France |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board, Leichhardt War Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 3 Apr 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2375, 1st Pioneer Battalion, Enlisted at Royal Agricultural Society Showground, Moore Park, Sydney. | |
|---|---|---|
| 22 Aug 1916: | Involvement Private, 2375, 1st Pioneer Battalion, Third Ypres, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '4' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Wiltshire embarkation_ship_number: A18 public_note: '' | |
| 22 Aug 1916: | Embarked Private, 2375, 1st Pioneer Battalion, HMAT Wiltshire, Sydney | |
| 15 Oct 1917: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 2375, 1st Pioneer Battalion, Wounded by bomb from enemy aeroplane. Died of pneumonia in 2nd Australian General Hospital on 23rd October 1917. | |
| 23 Oct 1917: | Involvement Private, 2375A, 1st Pioneer Battalion, Third Ypres, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 2375A awm_unit: 1st Australian Pioneer Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1917-10-23 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by John Oakes
William LAURIE, (Service Number 2375A) was born about March 1882 at Douglas on the Isle of Man. He worked for the NSW Government Railways in the Perway Department. He enlisted at the RAS Showgrounds (Sydney) on 3rd April 1916. He gave his ‘trade of calling’ as ‘Plumber’. He was married to Margaretnand claimed service with the 7th Regiment of the St Georges Rifles.
Laurie left Australia from Sydney on board HMAT ‘Wiltshire’ on 22nd August 1916. He reached Plymouth (England) on 13th October. After training with the Pioneer Training Battalion. he proceeded overseas to France and was taken on the strength of the 1st Pioneers on 22nd March 1917.
On 15th October, Laurie was warming some tea in his tent before going out on guard duty. Enemy aeroplanes came over and dropped bombs, killing several men and injuring him. He was passed through the 3rd Australian Field Ambulance, and the 10th Casualty Clearing Station, and carried by the No. 33 Ambulance Train to the 2nd Australian General Hospital which reported:
‘He was admitted to the No 2 A.G.H. on 19th October, suffering from a shell wound of the left arm fracturing the bone. He was also suffering from Gas Shell Poisoning. He developed Pneumonia as a result of being gassed and died on 23rd October. Death was due to Pneumonia.’
He is buried in the Wimeraux Communal Cemetery, Calais, France.
Pensions were granted to his wife, and to two children, William Leslie and Alfred Noel.
- based on the Australian War Memorial Honour Roll and notes for the Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board.