Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Before William was born, the Bushells lived in Great Mongeham, Kent, before coming to Australia on the 20th of December 1874 aboard the English ship, the "City of Benares." William's migrated family consisted of his grandfather, Frederick; grandmother, Eliza; aunt, Augusta (14 years at the time); and his father, Edward Charles Frederick (8 years at the time). The ship came with resources, trade, and other migrating families from England. Edward would grow up to marry Catherine Hiskey, and they would have four children; two of them who died within one year of their birth. Their second child was born on the 28th of November 1894, Eva Annie; and their third child was the one who would grow up to serve two major wars, William Phillip.

William Phillip Bushell was born on the 28th of June 1897 in the town of Petersburg (now, Peterborough), South Australia. His appearance was comprised of dark brown hair and grey blue eyes. William was raised by his mother, Catherine, and his father, Edward Charles Frederick. Furthermore, they lived in the town of Stepney, St Peters in Adelaide, and William went to school in Norwood Primary School. In addition, the Bushell family followed the morals and beliefs of the Church of England.

During his teens, William became a French Polisher, where he helped restore wooden furniture, staircases, doors, and/or musical instruments.

On the 28th February1916, William enlisted in the army in Adelaide. At the time, he was eighteen and a half years old, and he weighed 66kg and was 170cm tall. His mother was his next of kin, and William was accepted and placed in the unit, the "11th Field Ambulance." His service number was 12701.

The 11th Field Ambulance was founded at Mitcham on the 1st of March, and more than 670 Australian soldiers (including William) enlisted into the unit. The unit was a part of the Field Ambulance Company, and their role in the war was to set up and operate medical stations and care after the wounded. They supported the 11th Brigade of the 3rd Division and were under the command of the Division HQ.

The 11th Field Ambulance embarked from Melbourne to England, between the 31st of May to the 30th of June 1916. Soldiers were to aboard one of four steamships; the “Suevic,” the “Berrima,” the “Wandilo,” or the “Afric.” William Phillip Bushell embarked from Melbourne on the HMAT Wandilla/Wandilo. The ship left on the 6th of June 1916.

The first boat arrived at Plymouth, and the whole unit was united at the Lark Hill Camp in Salisbury Plain. The 11th Field Ambulance spent four months training. On the 24th of November 1916, the unit embarked for the Western Front in France via Southampton. 

However, the 11th Field Ambulance travelled through the borders of France and Belgium, visiting Le Havre and Bailleul. Then, they arrived at Steenwerck, where they stayed and slept in the Divisional Rest Station for about two years. Then, on someday in early April of 1917, the unit experienced their first casualties at Le Bizet. Two cooks were severely injured; one of them died on the 7th of April.

Nevertheless, the 11th Field Ambulance continued to fight and serve. The unit spread across many areas of the Western Front, including Ploegsteert, Messines, Charing Cross, Ypres, the Somme, and Villers Bretonneux. The unit experienced a lot of casualties during these times.

Overall, the 11th Field Ambulance had about fifty-six soldiers wounded in war, forty-one gassed (with one dead), and nineteen killed in action. Within two years, there was a total of about 116 recorded casualties, including William Phillip Bushell.

The Great War ended on the 11th of November 1918, and the 11th Field Ambulance returned home to Australia; William arrived at Benalla, Victoria on the 22nd of November 1919.
 

Sometime after the war, William Phillip Bushell met a woman, named Henriette "Ettie" Fopp, and they married on the 11th of June 1927 at 3pm at the Baptist Church at First Avenue in St Peters. In addition, they lived on Walkerville Road in St Peters and Norwood Payneham.

On the 22nd of January 1930, Henriette gave birth to Pauline Bushell.

On the 8th of March 1937, the Bushell family would be brought with sad news; William's sister, Eva Annie Medlow, would pass away at the age of forty-two.

WORLD WAR TWO

On the 29th of September 1939, William Phillip Bushell re-enlisted into the army to serve in World War Two. At the time, he was 42 years and 4 months old, and he weighed 88kg. His wife, Henriette, was his next of kin, and he was placed into the "4th Garrison Battalion." Furthermore, William was ranked as a warrant officer, and his service number was S212288.

The 4th Garrison Battalion was created at Keswick in October of 1939. The unit was a part of the Australian Army Reserve, and they were South Australia's first Garrison Battalion. The unit was mostly comprised of volunteered World War One veterans from Adelaide; hence why William was placed into this unit. In addition, soldiers of the Garrison Battalions were to wear a shoulder patch, a black square on a green square.

The Garrison Battalions never embarked for Europe; instead, they stayed in Australia and functioned as a defense and security for Australian coasts.

William Phillip Bushell would receive sad news on the 15th of January 1941; his mother had died at around the age of sixty-eight.

On the 14th of July 1941, William was promoted to the rank, corporal, then on the 15th of January 1942, he was appointed to be a lance sergeant. On the 10th of February of the same year, William was to be a sergeant, and this was to be confirmed on the 1st of May 1943.

On the 7th of June 1944, William received more sad news about his family, and he mourned the death of his father who died at around the age of seventy-seven.

Between 1939 and 1945, 24 soldiers from the 4th Garrison Battalion suffered from either illnesses or accidental training wounds; they would all rest in peace.

In 1942, the 4th Garrison Battalion was given a secondary title to display their specific role; the "Internment Camp and Internal Security." A few months later in 1943, the unit was given a new shoulder patch; this time, a green rectangle on a black circle. About two years later, the unit was demobilized, as the war ended on the 2nd of September 1945.

William Phillip Bushell was discharged from the army on the 22nd of October 1946.

Retirement

William and Henriette moved to a house in Allenby Gardens, where they experienced the retired life. William's daughter, Pauline, would marry a man named, Robert Machin.

On the 24th of April 1954, William was in the Repatriation General Hospital in Springbank, Daw Park, where he unfortunately died. His funeral commenced on a Saturday at 10:30 in the morning. He was placed in the Australian Imperial Force section of the West Terrace Cemetery; many other Australian soldiers were buried here.

His wife, Henriette, would later die on the 16th of July 1961.

To this day, William Phillip Bushell and the rest of the Australian soldiers are still remembered and respected.

William lived a long life and served both world wars. He lived in or around Norwood Payneham and St Peters, and had one child, named Pauline.

Lest we forget about William Phillip Bushell's life and service, and may his story continue.