Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

He served twice in the South African (Boer) war and again in WW1. First service was as a Private S.N. 418 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, Boer War. Second service was as a Private S.N. 870 1st Battalion Australian Commonwealth Horse, Boer War. Third service was as a Private S.N. 1537/1637 13th Infantry Battalion transferring to 45th Infantry Battalion AIF, WW1.

His surname has been recorded variously as Wheatly and Wheatley.

When William John Wheatly 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 his mother Mrs. Wheatley, via Yandilla, Pittsworth. In the original nominal roll for the 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen Contingent, held by National Archives, his N.O.K. is recorded as his mother Mrs. Lena Wheatly, Murwillumbah, Tweed River. In the Boer War Service Paybooks for the 5th QIB, Bk 3 p. 84, his address is noted as care of his mother Murwillumbah.

When William John Wheatley enlisted again in 1902 in the 1st BACH he noted on his Attestation Paper dated 6 Jan 1902 that; he was born at Pittsworth, Qld, and was 21 years 2 months of age; he was single and a Farmer; his N.O.K. was his mother Mrs. H. Wheatley, Murwillumbah, NSW; and that he had previously served with the 5th QIB. It appears he may have raised his age to enlist, at least to account for his prior enlistment in the 5th QIB.

 In 1914 William John Wheatly enlisted again to serve in WW1. He enlisted at Cloncurry, Qld, and on his Attestation Paper dated 30 Oct 1914 it is noted that; he was born at Pittsworth and was 30 years of age; he was single and a miner; his N.O.K. was his mother Mrs Helena Wheatley, Palmerston North, New Zealand; and he had previously served with the 5th QIB in South Africa.

Given his stated age on the WW1 enlistment, he would barely have been 17 years of age when he enlisted in 1901 in the 5th QIB. His 5th QIB rank and file photograph indeed shows a very young man. His WW1 service record, p. 64, contains a letter written to Army Base Records, Melbourne, by the secretary of the Auckland Young Men's Christian Association in 1918 on behalf of his mother, Mrs. Swanton, enquiring about her son. It indicates he had enlisted for the Boer war at a young age and she had not seen him since and was enquiring as to his welfare as she had recently heard he enlisted for WW1. The body of the letter is transcribed below.

Dear Sir,

I should be deeply grateful to you for the whereabouts of 1637 W. J. Wheatley in order that his mother may get in touch with him.

Briefly the position is this. Young Wheatly enlisted at a very early age during the Boer War, since when he has been lost to his mother as she had during his absence removed her residence to Auckland. His enlisting during the present war has revealed the fact that he is still alive and naturally his mother wishes to get in touch with him. Her address is Mrs. Swanton, G.P.O., Auckland.

Thanking you in anticipation.

Based on the above, and his stated age on his WW1 service documents, he was born about 1883, with some documents indicating at Pittsworth, Qld and others Murwillumbah, NSW. His mother Mrs. Helena Theresa Swanton's maiden name was Dowd when she first married Michael James Wheatley in 1888 in Queensland. This was some years after William's likely year of birth which possibly explains why a birth registration cannot be found on either Qld or NSW BDM online historic registers.

His father, Michael James Wheatley, died in 1894 and his mother remarried in Queensland in 1896 to James Swanton. They relocated to Murwillumbah, NSW, breifly before making the forever move to Auckland, New Zealand. If he had not seen his mother since prior to his enlisting the first time for the Boer war it may explain why he continued to refer to her as Mrs. Wheatley.

William John Wheatley was wounded on at least 2 occasions during his WW1 service. In 1915 while serving with the 13th Battalion at Gallipoli he suffered shell shock and was admitted to hospital. When discharged from hospital he was transferred to the 45th Battalion and in 1917 in France suffered a GSW to his right leg/thigh. This resulted in amputation of the leg in 1918 and his return to Australia for a medical discharge. Details of his life post discharge are not to hand and it is unclear whether he was able to reunite with his mother.

(source- AWM Boer War Nominal Roll, Murray p. 502 & 525; National Archives Australia- B 5172 Nominal Roll of 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen Contingent Queensland Defence Force for service in South Africa, p. 7; Qld State Archives- Boer War Service Paybooks 5th QIB, Bk 3 p. 84; National Archives Australia- Boer War Dossier 2nd service; National Archives Australia- WW1 service record).