NIELSEN, William Ernest
| Service Numbers: | 2423, 2423B |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 21 June 1915, Keswick, South Australia |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 10th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Mylor, South Australia, date not yet discovered |
| Home Town: | Aldgate, Adelaide Hills, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Wood Cutter |
| Died: | Killed in Action, France, 25 July 1916, age not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Serre Road Cemetery No.2 Beaumont Hamel, France Serre Road Cemetery No 2, Beaumont Hamel, Picardie, France, Pozieres British Cemetery Ovillers-La Boisselle, Pozieres, Picardie, France |
| Memorials: | Adelaide National War Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 21 Jun 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2423, 27th Infantry Battalion, Keswick, South Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 25 Jul 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 2423B, 10th Infantry Battalion |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Adelaide Botanic High School
William Earnest Nielsen was born in Mylor, South Australia in May 1892. He lived in Aldgate, Adelaide Hills, and worked as a woodcutter. According to his enlistment form he was not married and chose his father Charles Neilson to be his next of kin. He joined on the 21st of June 1914 and the description on his enlistment form states he had a dark complexion, blue eyes, and brown hair. He weighed 70.8 kilos and was 5'8.
On his Attestation Form he answered yes to 2 questions: Have you stated, if any, the whole of your previous service? And Are you prepared to undergo inoculation against smallpox and enteric fever?
With no military experience, he arrived at camp on the 4th of June 1915 and enlisted as an A.I.F. at 23 years old on the 21st of June 1915. His service number was 2423B, he served first in the 10th infantry battalion and then departed on May 31st for the late 27th infantry battalion.
He also served in the 5th Reinforcement from 31/6/15 - 15/7/15. He was then wounded in France before and labelled wounded and missing. William Earnest Neilson was killed in action on the 25th of July 1916 and is buried in Serre Road Cemetery No 2, in France.
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