WILLMETT, Walter Henry
| Service Numbers: | 197, 635 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Company Sergeant Major |
| Last Unit: | 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen |
| Born: | Townsville, Queensland, Australia, 23 November 1874 |
| Home Town: | Townsville, Townsville, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Townsville Grammar School, Queensland, Australia |
| Occupation: | Stationer |
| Died: | Consumption, Townsville, Queensland, Australia, 4 September 1905, aged 30 years |
| Cemetery: |
West End (Old Townsville) Cemetery, Qld |
| Memorials: | Townsville Grammar School War Service Honour Roll |
Boer War Service
| 1 Oct 1899: | Involvement Private, 197, 1st Queensland Mounted Infantry | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Nov 1899: | Embarked Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 197, 1st Queensland Mounted Infantry, AWM Boer War Unit Details, Murray p. 448 notes 1st QMI embarked 1 Nov 1899 aboard Cornwall arriving Cape Town 13 Dec 1899. | |
| 23 Jan 1901: | Discharged Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 197, 1st Queensland Mounted Infantry, National Archives Australia- Boer War Dossier notes returned to Australia aboard Orient arriving Brisbane 16 Jan 1901, discharged 23 Jan 1901. | |
| 20 Aug 1901: | Embarked Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 635, 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, AWM Boer War Unit Details, Murray p. 506 & 518 notes he was part of the 1st Draft of the 6th QIB which embarked at Sydney on 20 Aug 1901 aboard Britannic arriving Cape Town 22 Sep 1901. | |
| 21 Aug 1901: | Promoted Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Corporal, 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, Qld State Archives- Boer War Service Paybooks 5th QIB, Bk 4 p. 73, notes promoted to Corporal 21 Aug 1901. | |
| 8 Oct 1901: | Promoted Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Company Sergeant Major, 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, Qld State Archives- Boer War Service Paybooks 5th QIB, Bk 4 p. 73, notes promoted to Company Sergeant Major on 8 Oct 1901. | |
| 12 Jun 1902: | Discharged Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Company Sergeant Major, 635, 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, Qld State Archives- Boer War Service Paybooks 5th QIB, Bk 4 p. 73, notes returned to Australia aboard Aurania arriving Brisbane 5 Jun 1902, discharged 12 Jun 1902. |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Claude McKelvey
His full name was Walter Henry Christmas Willmett but went by the name Walter Henry Willmett.
Walter Henry Willmett served twice in the South African (Boer) War. First service was as a Private S.N. 197 in the 1st Queensland Mounted Infantry, 'A' Company. Second service was as a Private rising to Company Sergenat Major S.N. 635 in the 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen (1st Draft). The Boer War Service Paybooks for each service record him as W. H. Willmett and Walter Henry Willmett, respectively. His younger brother Percy Willmett (Edwin Percy George Willmett) also served as a Private S.N. 200 in the 1st QMI 'B' Company
When Walter joined the 1st QMI in 1899 and his details were published with the rank and file in The Brisbane Courier, 18 Nov 1899, it was noted he was single and his address was care of T. Willmett, stationer, Flinders St, Townsville. In the Boer War Service Paybooks for the 1st QMI, Bk 1 p. 122, it is noted he directed part of his pay to T. Willmett, Flinders St, Townsville. He served the full tour of the 1st QMI and returned to Brisbane for discharge on 23 Jan 1901.
He then later joined again with the 6th QIB and was selected as part of the 1st Draft of the 6th that embarked on 20 Aug 1901, some 4 months after the main 6th QIB had left. The men selected in the 1st Draft in the main consisted of men who had previously served in previous contingents in South Africa, and were being sent as reinforcements for the 5th and 6th QIB contingents already in South Africa.
The men in the draft were not entered on the original nominal roll of the 6th QIB. He was, however, recorded in the Boer War Service Paybooks for the 5th QIB (to which he was allotted), Bk 4 p. 73, where it is noted he was promoted to Corporal and then Company Sergeant Major.
Newspaper report in The Brisbane Courier, 16 May 1902, notes when the 5th QIB returned to Australia, 635, C.S.M. Walter H. Willmett, remained in South Africa for further service. He later returned to Brisbane aboard Aurania where he was discharged on 12 Jun 1902.
Walter Henry Christmas Willmett was born on 23 Nov 1874 at Townsville, a son to Thankful Willmett and Elizabeth Ann Willmett (nee O'Donnell). His father was a stationer and established the prominent business of T. Willmett & Son's in Townsville. Walter never married and suffered ill health following his return from the war as outlined in an obituary transcribed below following his passing in 1905.
Telegrams: Townsville, September 4- The North Queensland Register (Townsville), 11 Sep 1905, p. 40.
Mr. Walter H. C. Willmett, the second son of Mr. Thankful Willmett, died in Townsville this (Monday) afternoon, of consumption, from which he was ailing for the last twelve months. He was unmarried, and the day of his death was his 31st birthday. The deceased went over to South Africa with the contingents on two occasions. On the last occasion he went as Sergeant-Major under Major F. W. Toll. The deceased also served as Sergeant-Major in the 17th Lancers during the South African war. For the last twelve months he has been lingering between life and death. His funeral will take place from his father's residence today (Tuesday).
(source- AWM Boer War Nominal Roll, Murray p. 452 & 518; National Archives Australia- Boer War Dossier 1st service; Qld State Archives- Boer War Service Paybooks 1st QMI, Bk 1 p. 122, and 5th QIB, Bk 4 p. 73).
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