William Allan Bovell

William Allan Bovell

Personal Information
Date of Birth	not known 1891
Place of Birth	Busselton, Western Australia
Death	25 Feb 1941, aged 49
Place of Death	Upper Swan, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	24 years, 7 months
Description	5'9½" (1.77m) tall ; 152 lbs 68.946 kg ; fresh complexion ; blue eyes ; light brown hair
Occupation	Clerk
Religion	Church of England
Address	NOK 1 Campbell street, West Perth, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Mother , Mrs Clara Annie Bovell
Military Information
Reg Number	4248
Date of Enlistment	21 Sep 1915
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	16th Battalion, 13th Reinforcement transferred to 48th Battalion / 12th Brigade, 4th Division
Date of Embarkation	29 Jan 1916 ‒ 26 Feb 1916
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A54 Runic
Date of Return	13 Apr 1919 ‒ 4 Jun 1919
Ship Returned On	HMAT A73 Commonwealth
Fate	Returned to Australia
Monument	Jarrahdale
Medals	British War Medal Victory Medal

Pre War

Electoral Roll entries - 1913 8 Forbes street, North Perth, clerk;

War Service

Two months after entering camp, William was allocated to the 13th reinforcement draft for the 16th Battalion, and he travelled with them to Alexandria in Egypt. On arrival he was sent to Zeitoun to join the 16th Battalion's base depot.

On 2 Apr 1916 he was transferred to the newly formed 48th Battalion at Serapeum, being raised as part of the reconfiguration of the Australian Divisions. The 48th Battalion travelled by train to Alexandria during the night of 1/2 Jun 1916 where it immediately boarded HMT Caledonia, and sailed for France on 4 June, arriving in Marseilles on 9 Jun 1916 and departing for the northern battlefields, arriving there on 12 Jun 1916.

On 8 Aug 1916 in France, William as hospitalised with influenza and on 14 Aug 1916 was admitted to the 22nd General Hospital at Camiers. On 4 Sep 1916 he was well enough to move to the 6th Convalescent Depot for a week and then to the 4th Division Base Depot in Le Havre, before rejoining the 48th Battalion on 1 Oct 1916. He remained with the battalion until he enjoyed leave in the UK from 9 - 27 Feb 1918.

On 16 May 1918 William was ill and sought medical care from 13th Field Ambulance and then on 20 May from the 10th General Hospital in Rouen for an unspecified infection. On 21 May 1918 William was evacuated to England where he entered the 1st Southern General Hospital in Selly Oak (Birmingham) on the 23rd, and he remained in medical care until he again proceeded to France from Southampton on 12 Oct 1918.

He rejoined the 48th Battalion on 16 Oct 1918 in "splendid" weather according to the unit's war diary. A game of 'Australian Rules' against the 27th Battalion was in progress, resulting in the 27th being the victors - 4 goals 5 behinds to the 28th Battalion's 3 goals 2 behinds. William remained with the unit in France until 30 Jan 1919 when he marched out for return to Australia.

Discharged 5th Military District 27 Jul 1919.

Post War

On 28 Sep 1926 William married Sheila May Roberts in Capel. Electoral Roll entries - 1931 - 1937 at 'Woodsome' via Bullsbrook, manager. In 1943 - 1958 Sheila May has moved to "Greenfield", Capel. In 1963 she had moved to 15 Mangles street, South Bunbury; number in 1968 was 73 Mangles street.

Notes

On Jarrahdale list. One brother 381 Pte Vernon Llewellyn Bovell was wounded (GSW to wrist) at Gallipoli with the 11th Bn before being transferred to the artillery where he served with the 51st Battery of the 15th FAB. Rising through the ranks to Sgt he was then transferred to the 12th Battalion, where as a 2nd Lieutenant he was killed by enemy shellfire on 15 Sep 1917 at the start of the 3rd Batle of Ypres. Another brother, 1721 Cpl Roy Herbert Bovell served with the 11th & 48th Battalions before being wounded in the Pozieres area of France on 6 Aug 1916. A third brother, 2145 Pte Cecil Alexander served with the 44th Battalion before returning to Australia after being wounded with a severe chest wound, received on 8 Jun 1917 at Messines.

External Links

• AIF Project
• RSL Memorial