Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

William Wadsworth Furness was born on the 24th of October 1893 in Woodville, South Australia. He was the son of Herbert Stott Furness and Margaret Ross nee Wadsworth. His brother, Herbert Edwin Furness was born on the 27th of March 1895. They both attended North Adelaide Public School throughout their childhood. The family had the religious denomination of Unitarian. He was single and working as a Carpenter before enlisting for war on the 5th of August 1915, 7 months before his brother enlisted. According to his attestation paper, Furness had brown hair, brown eyes, a fresh complexion and was 179cm tall. In the 10-week period between enlistment and embarkation, Furness married Constance Vaughan Furness.

Furness travelled on the HMS A24 Benalla to Heliopolis, Egypt on the 27th of October 1915. Furness arrived in Heliopolis on the 28th of December 1915. He then marched out to Serapeum, the location acting as a base camp for Australian troops to build trenches and defend the Suez Canal and Ottoman attacks.

Between the 11th and 14th of April 1916 the Raid of Jifjafa took place, with the objective for British troops to destroy a well which acted as an important water source for Ottoman forces. The raid was led by the mounted 3rd Light Horse Brigade and supported by other troops including Furness in the 9th Light Horse. This was the first attack carried out by Australian soldiers in the Palestine Campaign and was successful for British troops.

Between the 3rd and 5th of August 1916 Furness took part in the Battle of Romani, with the objective for the British troops to stop the threat of the Turkish troops on the Suez Canal. The Australian troops were successful in the battle and it was a major land victory in the Palestine Campaign. 3 months later, on the 4th of November 1916, Furness was transferred out of Romani to hospital for treatment for an old gunshot wound to the leg and a mild hernia. He arrived at the 14th Australian General Hospital in Abassia 4 days later, where he was treated. Furness was then transferred out of hospital on the 6th of December 1916, to be taken on strength by the 3rd Australian Light Horse Regiment in Moascar.

On the 31st of December 1916, Furness was detached to the Imperial School of Instruction in Zeitoun, where he trained as a Signaller. At the school, existing and emerging technologies were taught such as artillery warfare, grenadier (grenade bomb throwing), machine gun use and signal and telephone operating. As a signaller, Furness assisted in providing communication between troops, using an extensive network of military telegraphs to meet the conditions of Egypt – long distances, desert climate and camel transport. On the 7th of April 1917 Furness returned from the Imperial School of Instruction. On the 18th of April 1917 Furness was detached to headquarters details camp. On the 30th of July 1917 Furness marched out to a Signals depot.

On the 18th of June 1918 Furness was taken on strength by the 9th Light Horse. On the 25th of May 1919 Furness was sent to Port Said for Ship Duty as part of the Australian Imperial Force. This duty included the tasks transporting Australian soldiers and horses, organising the transportation, cleaning, and other tasks on board.

After the war had ended, on the 5th of July 1919 Furness was detached from the 9th Light Horse and set to embark on The Oxfordshire from Kantara to Australia on the 10th of July 1919. Furness returned to Australia on the 4th of August 1919. 

After the war, William Wadsworth Furness and Constance Vaughan Furness had a child named Herbert Vaughan Furness. Unfortunately, Mrs. Furness died at the age of 32 from complications during birth and their child Herbert passed away 9 months later. Furness’ brother Herbert Edwin Furness served in the 43rd Infantry Battalion and died on the 31st of October 1955 at the age of 60 years. William Wadsworth Furness died on the 25 February 1980. Furness’ grave is located at Enfield Memorial Park, South Australia.