DONOVAN, William Cornelius
| Service Number: | 2793 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 9 July 1915, Keswick, South Australia |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 48th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Port Pirie, South Australia, 14 February 1896 |
| Home Town: | Port Pirie, Port Pirie City and Dists, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Motor Driver |
| Died: | Killed in Action, France, 13 August 1916, aged 20 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" |
| Memorials: | Adelaide Australian Harbours Board WW1 Roll of Honour, Adelaide Commissioner of Public Works Roll of Honour, Adelaide National War Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Birkenhead WW1 Harbors Board Employees Memorial, Port Pirie Fathers of Sailors and Soldiers Association Port Pirie District Roll of Honor WW1, Port Pirie Oval WW1 Memorial Gates, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial (Australian National Memorial - France) |
World War 1 Service
| 9 Jul 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2793, Keswick, South Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 21 Sep 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 2793, 16th Infantry Battalion (WW1), Battle for Pozières , --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '12' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Star of England embarkation_ship_number: A15 public_note: '' | |
| 21 Sep 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 2793, 16th Infantry Battalion (WW1), HMAT Star of England, Adelaide | |
| 13 Aug 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 2793, 48th Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières , --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 2793 awm_unit: 48 Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1916-08-13 |
Help us honour William Cornelius Donovan's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Julianne Ryan
Born: 14 February 1896 in Port Pirie, South Australia
(SA Births 1842 - 1906 Book: 579 Page: 389 District: Cla.)
Father Thomas C DONOVAN (b. 21/07/1860 Tinmath, SA - d. 06/06/1942)
and
Mother Emily Donovan (nee AGETT, b. 10/06/1859 Apoinga, SA - d. 16/6/1947),
he lived with his parents at Fourth Street, Port Pirie, South Australia on enlisting.
Siblings:
Isabella May McBride (nee Donovan)
b. 21/09/1884 Solomontown, Port Pirie, SA
m. 29/10/1904 Edward James McBride
d. 1960 - buried in: West Terrace Cemetery
Catholic Western Ground, Row: EE; Site # 187
Olive Mary Flanagan (nee Donovan)
b. 10/10/1886 Port Pirie, SA
m. 22/07/1908 John James Flanagan
d. 03/02/1966 Osborne, SA
Emily Farrant (nee Donovan)
b. 1889
m. 20/10/1909 Frank Lindsay Farrant
Thomas Cornelius Clarence Donovan
b. 04/08/1892 Port Pirie, SA
d. 09/12/1892 Port Pirie, SA
Gladys Evelyn Donovan
b. 29/06/1893 Port Pirie, SA
Previous service: Senior Cadets H Company, 81st Battalion
Citizen Forces 'C' Company, 81st infantry
03/07/1915 Father Thomas Donovan gave written permission for William to join WWI
William was described on enlisting as 19 years 6 months of age; 6' 1/4" tall; 152 lbs;
fair complexion; blue eyes; brown hair; Church of England; Tattoos both forearms
09/07/1915 enlisted into WWI at Keswick, SA
21/09/1915 embarked Outer Harbour, SA, onboard HMAT A15 Star Of England
as a Private with 16th Battalion, 9th Reinforcement
04/11/1915 embarked to join Mediterannean Expeditionary Forces, ex Alexandria
13/11/1915 taken on strength, Gallipoli, ANZAC
05/12/1915 sick with Diptheria - admitted 4th Australian Field Ambulance
discharged to 16th Casualty Clearing Station
11/12/1915 severe Diptheria - admited to 19th General Hospital
01/01/1916 admitted to Convalescent Camp, Alexandria
13/01/1916 discharged to Base Depot, Mustapha
03/03/1916 transferred to 48th Infantry Battalion at Tel-el-Kebir
02/06/1916 proceeded to join British Expeditionary Forces, onboard HMT Caledonia,
ex Alexandria
09/06/1916 disembarked into Marseilles, France
13/08/1916 killed in action, in the field, France
No known grave
His name is commemorated on:
- the Australian National Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, France
- the South Australian Harbors Board WWI Memorial, Port Adelaide, SA
- Panel 145 at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra, ACT.
Medals: 1914/15 Star (15785); British War medal (23242); Victory medal (23073)
Memorial Plaque and Scroll (316435)
Submitted by Julianne T Ryan. 15/04/2017. Lest we forget.
Biography
"THE LATE PRIVATE W. C. DONOVAN.
Mr. T. Donovan, of Port Pirie West, has received the sad news that his only son, Private W. C. Donovan, had been killed in action. Private Donovan, who enlisted from Port Pirie, served on Gallipoli, after which he spent six months in Egypt. He then went to France. He was 20 years of age, and was employed by the Harbors Board. He was well liked by all who knew him. Private Donovan was reported killed just 12 months after the day he left Adelaide." - from the Adelaide Chronicle 07 Oct 1916 (nla.gov.au)
Click images to start slideshow.