William Wright Casterton MM

Personal Information
Date of Birth	unknown
Place of Birth	Basford, Nottinghamshire, England
Death	May 1987
Place of Death	Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England
Age at Enlistment	23 years, 7 months
Description	5'10¼" (1.78m) tall; weight 151 lbs (68.5 kg); fresh complexion, blue eyes, fair hair
Occupation	Police Constable
Religion	Baptist
Address	Armadale, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Father Mr James Casterton (in UK)
Military Information
Reg Number	2315
Date of Enlistment	19 Jun 1916
Rank	Lance Sergeant
Unit/Formation	44th Battalion, 4th Reinforcement /11th Brigade, 4th Division
Date of Embarkation	13 Oct 1916 - 12 Dec 1916
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A39 Port Macquarie
Date of Return	12 Dec 1918 - 18 Jan 1919
Ship Returned On	HMAT A71 Nestor
Fate	Wounded in Action 8 Jun 1917 at Messines Wounded in Action 4 Jul 1918 at Hamel Returned to Australia
Monument	Armadale (West Armadale panel)
Medals	Military Medal British War Medal Victory Medal

War Service

Four months after enlisting he travelled to England where he spent another two months in a training battalion before he embarked on the HMT Invicta for France. He joined his front line unit, the 44th Battalion, in France on 8 Feb 1917.

On 8 Jun 1917 at Ploegsteert he was gassed and after treatment by the 9th Field Ambulance and 1st Casualty Clearing Station, he was admitted to 7th General Hospital at St Omer before being transferred to the 7th Convalescent Depot in Boulogne. He returned to his battalion on 1 Sep 1917.

Promoted Corporal in Apr 1918 and then Lance Sergeant on 27 Jun 1918. On 4 Jul 1918 during an attack on Hamel, Bill was wounded a second time, receiving GSWs to his right shoulder, leg & head. Initial treatment was provided by 4th Australian Field Ambulance and the 5th Casualty Clearing Station prior to him being transferred to 9th General Hospital in Rouen. Stabilised, he was prepared for boarding HMHS St Patrick and evacuated to England.

In England he was admitted to the Canadian Red Cross Hospital at Taplow, Buckinghamshire, before being transferred to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Dartford. On 2 Oct 1918 he was well enough to move to Weymouth where he prepared for a return to Australia at No. 2 Command Depot.

He was discharged on 5 March 1919.

The 320th Casualty List contains Williams name as one who was wounded in action at Messines and the 420th Casualty List advises of his wounding in the battle for Hamel.

On 17 Jun 1919, he joined the Special AIF with Regimental Number 86065 as a Private and accompanied deportees on HMT Ypiranga from Sydney 12 Aug 1919, to the UK, arriving 12 Oct 1919.

He returned to Australia via SS Cape Verde, leaving the UK 5 Jan 1920, arriving in Sydney on 29 Feb 1920. Discharged a second time at 2nd Military District in Sydney on 14 Mar 1920.

Mentioned in the 1917 Feb-Mar edition of "The Drill of the Foot-Hills", but no detail

Award Commentary

Military Medal

"Obtained valuable information while on patrol work, displaying great courage and endurance."(At the Maze and Le Barque on 12-28 February 1917)

Post War

The West Australian 10 Jul 1919 page 7 announces that he is to receive his Military Medal at a parade on the Esplanade on the 19 Jul 1919. However, his address is unknown to the organisers, and while he doesn't appear on Australian Electoral Rolls after 1916, he is in Sydney in 1920 taking his discharge from the Special AIF.

Electoral Roll entry-1916 - Central Police Station, Police Constable. No further entries for Australia so it would appear he returned to the UK after a period in Sydney