AKEROYD, Walter
| Service Number: | 3232 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 16 August 1915, Adelaide, South Australia |
| Last Rank: | Lance Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 50th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Woodville, South Australia, 9 May 1891 |
| Home Town: | Woodville, Charles Sturt, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Stallman/Shipping Clerk |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Flers, France, 20 November 1916, aged 25 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" |
| Memorials: | Adelaide National War Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial (Australian National Memorial - France), Woodville Saint Margaret's Anglican Church Lych Gate |
World War 1 Service
| 16 Aug 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 3232, Adelaide, South Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 27 Oct 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 3232, 10th Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '10' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Benalla embarkation_ship_number: A24 public_note: '' | |
| 27 Oct 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 3232, 10th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Benalla, Adelaide | |
| 20 Nov 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 3232, 50th Infantry Battalion |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Sersha Kowalski
Walter Akeroyd, WW1
Walter Akeroyd was born on the 9th of May, 1891, son of Jonathan Akeroyd and Sarah nee Rollitt. He lived on Port Road, in Woodville, Adelaide, and his religion was Church of England. Walter worked as a Stallman and shipping clerk.
Walter Akeroyd enlisted as in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF), as a private on the 16th of August, 1915, in Adelaide, aged 24 years. He became part of the 10th infantry battalion, service number 3232, and embarked to camp Mena, Egypt, on the ship HMAT A24 Benella. The 10th battalion recruited people since South Australia in August 1914. The 10th battalion joined with the 9th, 11th and 12th battalions, and together made the 3rd division, 1st division. Walter went with his battalion to the Egypt, for training, before going to the landing at Gallipoli, 25th of April, 1915. The 10th infantry battalion was believed to get further inland than any other Australian unit in Gallipoli.
On the 26th of February, 1916, Walter was transferred to the 50th infantry battalion. This was part of the ‘doubling’ of the AIF. Nearly half of the soldiers in the 50th infantry battalion were recruited from the 10th infantry battalion, and most were South Australians. He was promoted to a Lance Corporal. Walter arrived with his battalion to France, on the 11th of June, 1916. The 50th infantry battalion in the Battle of Somme. The Australians fought alongside the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, France, India, South Africa, and were against the Germans. Walter Akeroyd was killed in action on the 20th of November, aged 25 in Flers, which is in Somme Vallwey. During November, 1916, Australian casualties were very high.
Walter Akeroyd received the British War Medal, Victory Medal and 1914-15 Star. Walter has no known grave, but has his name engraved in the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, France. His memorials are in the Australian War Memorial, Adelaide National War Memorial and the Roll of Honour.
AKEROYD Walter n.d., accessed 15 June 2017, <https://rslvirtualwarmemorial.org.au/explore/people/91615>.
Walter AKEROYD n.d., accessed 15 June 2017, <https://aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=1917>.
Private Walter Akeroyd n.d., accessed 15 June 2017, <https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1897690?search>.
RecordSearch n.d., accessed 15 June 2017, <https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ListingReports/ItemsListing.aspx>.
Walter Akeroyd n.d., accessed 16 June 2017, <http://australiaremembers.net.au/anzacstories/anzac/?aid=278872&let=#book5/page1>.
10th Battalion (Australia) n.d., accessed 21 June 2017, <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/10th_Battalion_(Australia)>.
Biography
Son of Jonathon AKEROYDE and Sarah Frances nee ROLLITT
"...3232 Lance Corporal Walter Akeroyd, 50th Battalion, of Woodville, SA. A shipping clerk and stallman before enlisting in August 1915, LCpl Akeroyd left Australia for Egypt with the 10th Battalion in October 1915. Transferred to the 50th Battalion in February 1916 as part of the 'doubling-up' of the AIF, he was killed in action at Flers in France on 20 November 1916, age 25, and has no known grave." - SOURCE (www.awm.gov.au)
"THE LATE LANCE-CORPORAL ACKEROYD.
Mr. and Mrs. J. Ackeroyd, of Woodville, have been notified by the military authorities that Lance-Corporal W. Ackeroyd (No. 3232), their youngest son was killed in action on November 20, 1916. Lance-Corporal Ackeroyd embarked at the Outer Harbor on October 27, 1915, as a private in the 11th Reinforcements to the 10th Battalion, but before leaving Egypt for France was transferred to the 50th Battalion, and obtained his promotion in France. Prior to enlisting he was in the employ of Messrs. G. Wood, Son, & Co. for five years. He was esteemed by all for his genial disposition." - from the Adelaide Chronicle 30 Dec 1916 (nla.gov.au)
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