William Francis Clements

Personal Information
Date of Birth	not known
Place of Birth	Dimboola, Victoria
Death	15 Sep 1986, aged 91
Place of Death	Nedlands, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	21 years old
Description	5'9" (1.75m) tall; weight 154 lbs (69.9kg); fair complexion, grey eyes, red hair.
Occupation	loco fireman
Religion	Roman Catholic
Address	Jarrahdale, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Father Francis Clements
Military Information
Reg Number	279
Date of Enlistment	24 Mar 1916
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	4th machine Gun Company, 4th Reinforcements (4th MG Battalion) / 4th Division
Date of Embarkation	17 Apr 1916 - 14 May 1916
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A60 Aeneas
Date of Return	2 Jan 1919 - 8 Feb 1919
Ship Returned On	SS Karmala
Fate	Wounded in Action 14 Apr 1917 Bullecourt area Returned to Australia
Monument	Jarrahdale
Medals	British War Medal Victory Medal

War Service

Enlisted at Cue. Within three weeks of entering camo, Bill was on his way to Egypt.

On 29 May 1916 Bill boarded the HMT Corsican in Alexandria, destination Plymouth, England where on arriving on 11 Jun 1916 he was sent to the MG Training Depot at Grantham. While at Grantham Bill was AWOL from 8:45am 8 Oct 1916 till 8:00am 9 Oct 1916, resulting in 7 days Confined to Barracks (CB) and loss of 2 days pay.

In November 1916 he spent 4 days in hospital and then, nearing readiness for France, Bill was again AWOL (5-7 Feb 1917) this time from 11pm one day until 11am two days later, forfeiting 3 days pay, and being awarded 2 days Confined to Barracks.

On 1 Mar 1917 he proceeded overseas to Boulogne in France and joined the 4th Machine Gun Company. On 14 Apr 1917 Bill was Wounded in Action with a wound to the head. Next day he was admitted to the 3rd Canadian General Hospital at Boulogne. Two days later (the 17th) he was in the 7th Convalescent Depot.

On 4 May 1917 he was admitted to the 51st General Hospital in Étaples with VD. Total period he was incapacitated was 133 days, and he rejoined the Machine Gun Depot on 15 Sep 1917, only to be readmitted to the 51st General Hospital on two days later on 17 Sep 1917. This time his period of ineffective service was 59 days.

Bill rejoined his unit in the field on 15 Nov 1917, remaining with them until he was again hospitalised on 7 May 1918 due to an unknown illness. On 21 May 1918 he was evacuated to England aboard HMHS Carisbrook Castle and he was admitted to the Stratford on Avon War Hospital the next day. On 22 May 1918 he was transferred to the 1at Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Harefield for 10 days before moving on to No.3 Convalescent Depot. He was to then spend brief intervals at No3. Command Depot and then No 1 Command Depot before boarding a ship for Australia.

In January 1919 Bill was sent home to Australia with Trench Fever.

Post War

In 1921 Bill married Olive Maud Hodson. On 22 Mar 1922 a son was born in Fremantle. Olive died in East Fremantle aged 57 on 30 Jun 1955.

Electoral Roll entries - 1922 at 27 East street Fremantle railway employee; 1925 at 36 Barnett street, East Fremantle; 1931 at Windsor road, East Fremantle; 1936 - 1943 listed as Francis William - at 222 Piccadilly street, Kalgoorlie; 1954 - 1977 at 28 Windsor road, East Fremantle, SEC employee.