VARLEY, William
| Service Numbers: | Not yet discovered |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Second Lieutenant |
| Last Unit: | Unspecified British Units |
| Born: | Plympton, South Australia , 2 March 1892 |
| Home Town: | Glenelg, Holdfast Bay, South Australia |
| Schooling: | St Peter's College, and University of Adelaide, South Australia |
| Occupation: | Lawyer |
| Died: | Killed In Action, France , 24 March 1918, aged 26 years |
| Cemetery: |
Albert Communal Extension Cemetery, France |
| Memorials: | Glenelg Varley Memorial Light, Hackney St Peter's College Fallen Honour Board |
World War 1 Service
| 1 Jan 1915: | Involvement Second Lieutenant, Unspecified British Units, England |
|---|
Biography
Early Life
William Varley was born on the 2nd March 1892 at Plympton, South Australia, the second son of Hiram Wentworth Varley (Solicitor) and Alice Agnes Kelly. William’s older brother was John (Jack) Varley was born on the 6th November 1889 at Norwood, South Australia.
Schooling
William attended St Peters Collegiate School where he passed Primary Examinations (1906) in British History, Algebra and Geometry, Junior Examinations (1907) in English History, Arithmetic, Geometry, Physics and Inorganic Chemistry and Senior Examinations(1909) in Arithmetic & Algebra, Geometry (credit), Trigonometry (credit), and Inorganic Chemistry and (1910) in Latin.
William was the Swimming Champion (over 4 lengths) at St Peters in 1908 and 1909.
Sporting Endeavors
William’s father was an avid yachtsman and his sons followed him into the sport at the Glenelg Sailing Club. William won many races in his boat, “Sport Royal”, including the Amgoorie Tea Sailing Race at the Henley Beach Regatta on Foundation Day 1915. He often competed against his brother Jack’s “Frolic”. He competed in races in Melbourne in 1913. He also built another boat, “Wippipippi”, with which he won races.
He played Lacrosse for Holdfast Bay in 1910 and 1911.
University
William commenced studying law at The University of Adelaide
He passed (1911) Law of Contracts, (1912) Property, (1913) Wrongs, Constitutional Law and (1914) Property II.
He was articled to Messrs. Symon, Rounsevell, and Cleland, and at the time of enlistment had completed the course with the exception of one subject.
University Sport
He played lacrosse for the University and was a member of the team which won the B Grade Premiership in 1912. He then played for the A team in 1913 and 1914. He was a member of the 1914 Inter-University team and was awarded a blue for lacrosse in 1914.
World War I
In mid June 1915 Mrs HW Varley and her sons William and Jack left onboard the RMS Egypt for London.
In 1915, William and his brother Jack both enlisted in England. William had wanted to enlist in the Flying Corps but was too heavy.
William was posted to the Royal Field Artillery as a Second Lieutenant. William was in France for 2½ years with the 2nd /1st (Lancashire) Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery and was in particularly heavy fighting in the Cambrai disaster.
Death
The circumstances surrounding Second Lieutenant William Varley’s death are unknown; however, he was killed in action on 24 March 1918, aged 26 years and is buried at the Albert Communal Cemetery Extension, located in the French Commune of Albert in the Somme Region.
Memorials
Hiram (Mayor of Glenelg) and Alice Varley ensured their son would never be forgotten by having a ships warning light erected on the end of the Glenelg Jetty. The plaque reads “Varley Memorial Light - In proud and loving memory of Lieutenant William Varley R.G.G. Killed in Action in France March 24th 1918 A brave lifr given for others”. The plaque was probably salvaged from the wreck of the jetty after the 1948 storm.
William’s name was placed on the couples gravestone at St Jude’s Cemetery, Brighton, South Australia with the dedication “For the brave who gave their lives in sacrifice there is no death”.
Sources
Virtual War Memorial Australia
https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/795563
“Fallen Saints” by Robert Kearney
GenealogySA https://www.genealogysa.org.au/
The University of Adelaide Calendars 1912-1915
National Library of Australia Trove https://trove.nla.gov.au/
Trove articles tagged William Varley WWI
"LIEUT. WILLIAM VARLEY." Glenelg Guardian (SA : 1914 - 1936) 18 April 1918: 2. Web. 1 Jun 2025 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article214715040
"BIOGRAPHICAL." The Register (Adelaide, SA : 1901 - 1929) 16 April 1918: 6. Web. 1 Jun 2025 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article60350137
City of Holdfast Bay Library https://www.libraries.sa.gov.au
EE (Beth) Filmer, Adelaide, South Australia
Submitted 1 June 2025 by Eleanor Filmer
Biography
From the book Fallen Saints
William Varley of Glenelg, South Australia was born in March 1892. He was educated at the Collegiate School of St Peter and after leaving there entered the Adelaide University to study law; he was later articled to the firm of Symon, Ronnsevelle, and Cleland.
William was a good sportsman and as he lived in the seaside suburb of Glenelg was an ardent yachtsman.
He won many races in his boat, Sport Royal, and also built another boat, Wippipippi, with which he won races. He played lacrosse for the University A team and in Inter-University matches. He won his blue for lacrosse. [i]
In 1915, William and his brother Jack both enlisted in England; William was posted to the Royal Field Artillery as a Second Lieutenant. Little more is known about either man other than the fact that Second Lieutenant Varley’s unit the 2nd /1st (Lancs) Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery joined II ANZAC in July 1916; he probably spent time catching up with as many Old St Peter’s boys and South Australian friends as he could find.
The circumstances surrounding Second Lieutenant William Varley’s death are unknown however, he is listed on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Website as having died on 24 March 1918; he was 26 years of age. His parents, Hiram ( Mayor of Glenelg) and Alice Varley ensured their son would never be forgotten by having a ships warning light erected on the end of the Glenelg jetty and his name placed on their gravestone at Brighton Cemetery, South Australia.
[i] Adelaide Chronicle – 20 April 1918, p. 39
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