Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Alternate (birth) name- William Robert Ward

When William Robert Furner enlisted in 1901 in the 5th QIB and his details were published with the rank and file in The Queenslander, 16 Mar 1901, he noted his N.O.K. as E. Furner, Amby Downs. In the original nominal roll for the 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen Contingent, held by National Archives, it is noted his N.O.K. was his step-father Edward Furner, Amby Downs, Amby.

Late in life in 1943 he made application for a war service pension after he had been a resident at the Dunwich Benevolent Asylum since Jul 1931, details of which are on his South African Service Pension Record file held by National Archives.

When he made the application he applied under the name William Robert Ward, ex 5th QIB South Africa, and was required to provide a birth certificate or details of his date of birth and parents names. As a result he had to provide details as to how William Robert Furner and William Robert Ward were the same person and details of his parents given he was unable to produce a birth certificate. The following information is sourced from his pension record file.

He provided a declaration before a Visiting Justice at the Asylim on 6 Oct 1943, see pages 131 and 132 of the file record. He noted his father, John J. Ward, had passed when he was 3 years of age and that his mother had remarried to Edward E. Furner, and from that point he had become known as William Robert Furner, the name he used when he enlisted.

He declared he was born William Robert Ward on 21 Sep 1875 at "Yeranbah Station" via Angledool, NSW, a son to John J. Ward and Elizabeth Ann Armstrong. It is noted that on page 149 of his file record that a Record of Evidence was provided by Lt. George Hilfers Koch, ex 5th QIB, who stated he knew William Robert Ward and knew him as William Robert Furner when a member of the 5th QIB. The evidence of his name and birth details were accepted by Repatriation Commission and a pension granted.

After he returned from the war and for the rest of his life he went by his birth name of William Robert Ward. He married Alice Florence Johnston on 19 Jan 1904 at St Paul's, Roma, and they had 5 children. His wife Alice passed on 12 Jul 1911, a month after the birth of their last child.

William was relocated from Dunwich to the "Eventide Home" at Sandgate, Brisbane, and on becomming ill was hospitalised at the Brisbane General Hospital on 5 Mar 1955, passing away there on 28 Mar 1955.

(source- AWM Boer War Nominal Roll, Murray p. 501; National Archives Australia- B 5172 Nominal Roll of 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen Contingent Queensland Defence Force for service in South Africa, p. 6; National Archives Australia- South African Service Pension file).