WEST, William Vernon
| Service Number: | 862 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 19 August 1914, Morphettville, SA |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 1st Divisional Train |
| Born: | Hackney, SA, 27 October 1893 |
| Home Town: | Kent Town, Norwood Payneham St Peters, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Shirt Cutter |
| Died: | 19 July 1963, aged 69 years, cause of death not yet discovered, place of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: | Kent Town Wesleyan Methodist Church WW1 Honour Roll, Norwood Primary School Honour Board, Payneham District Council Roll of Honor, Payneham Road Uniting (Methodist) Church Honor Roll |
World War 1 Service
| 19 Aug 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 862, 1st Divisional Train, Morphettville, SA | |
|---|---|---|
| 20 Oct 1914: | Involvement Private, 862, 1st Divisional Train, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '21' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Medic embarkation_ship_number: A7 public_note: '' | |
| 20 Oct 1914: | Embarked Private, 862, 1st Divisional Train, HMAT Medic, Adelaide |
William Vernon West
William Vernon Joiner West
SERVICE NUMBER: Lieut/ 862
PARENTS: Horace Edmund West and Mary West (nee Smithers as per S.A.Register of Births )
PLACE OF BIRTH: Hackney
DATE OF BIRTH: 27 October 1893
PLACE OF ENLISTMENT: Morphettville
DATE OF ENLISTMENT: 19 August 1914
AGE AT ENLISTMENT: 20 years 9 months
MARITAL STATUS: Single
NEXT OF KIN: Mother, Elizabeth West (as per National Archives of Australia Attestment Paper - S.A. Register of Marriages contains no record as married to Horace West)
OCCUPATION: Shirt Cutter
RELIGION: Methodist
RANK: Lieutenant 50th Battalion
MEMORIALS: Kersbrook School Roll of Honor;Kent Town Wesleyan Methodist Church World War One Honour Roll
In August 1914, William was promoted to temporary Corporal and in September was attached to the Army Service Corps. He embarked Medic in Adelaide on 20 October 1914 for Egypt. He was transferred to Lemnos and attached to the 4th Australian Army Service Corps. He was later promoted to Corporal. From Lemnos he was sent to Gallipoli. After the evacuation in December, William was stationed at Tel-el-Kebir, rejoining his unit at Serapium on 25 January 1916. On I April William embarked HMT Manito at Alexandria for Marsailles.
William remained at the 1st Anzac Reinforcement Camp until 3 December. He was selected to join the Officers’ Cadet Brigade at Oxford, England on 7 April,1917 and was attached to the 50th Cadet Battalion on 27 August. After a months’ leave in Paris, in 1918, he was stationed with the 3rd Training Brigade. On 14 September William attended the Course of Instruction in defensive measures against gas, on the Isle of Wight.
On 21 November William married Kathleen Annie Tubly at The Established Church, Norwich, England. He then served with the Training Depot at Parkhouse. William returned to Australia on Marathon on 7 November and disembarked on 24 December. He was discharged on 13 January 1920.
William was awarded the 1914/15 Star, British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
William West died at Daw Park on 19 July,1966.
Source: www.naa;B2455; West.W.V.J. Barcode 8381648.
Submitted 7 September 2023 by christopher collins
Biography contributed by Faithe Jones
Son of Elizabeth West, Kent Town, South Australia