William Grenfell
From Our Contribution
 | |
| Personal Information | |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | c1887 |
| Place of Birth | St Just, Cornwall, England |
| Death | 1 Nov 1938, aged 61 |
| Place of Death | Leederville, Western Australia |
| Age at Enlistment | 35 years, 3 months |
| Description |
5'7" (1.70m) tall ; 126 lbs 57.153 kg ; fair complexion ; brown eyes ; light hair |
| Occupation | Miner |
| Religion | Methodist |
| Address | Worker's Club Fremantle |
| Next of Kin | Daughter , Miss Lillian Anna Grenfell |
| Military Information | |
| Reg Number | 3371 |
| Date of Enlistment | 2 Aug 1915 |
| Rank | Private |
| Unit/Formation |
12th Battalion, 11th Reinforcement transferred to 12th Field Artillery Brigade |
| Date of Embarkation | 1 Nov 1915 ‒ ? Dec 1915 |
| Ship Embarked On | HMAT A24 Benalla |
| Date of Return | 10 Dec 1918 |
| Ship Returned On | SS Somali |
| Fate | Returned to Australia |
| Monument | Mundijong Honour Roll |
| Medals |
British War Medal Victory Medal |
Pre War
Emigrated with his family, arriving in Sydney on 27 Oct 1879 aboard the SS Strathleven. Father died in Gympie in 1890 when Bill was 13. On 16 Jan 1902 Bill married Anna Elizabeth Louden at Monkland, Queensland. Anna died in 1913 aged 24.
Electoral Roll entries - 1903 - 1906 Kalgurli Lease, Fimiston, miner; 1909 - 1910 off Federal road, Hannans, miner; 1913 Britannia Coffee Palace, North Perth, miner; 1915 "Waverley House", North Fremantle;
War Service
Entered Blackboy Hill camp on 2 Aug 1915, and on 28 Sep 1915 he was allocated to the 11th reinforcement draft for the 12th Battalion, travelling with them to Egypt. On 3 Mar 1916 he was taken on the strength of the 52nd Battalion at Tel-el-Kebir. However, on 14 Mar 1916 he was transferred to the 4th Division Artillery which was being formed and was to undergo basic training in Egypt prior to moving to Europe. Allocated to the 24th Howitzer Brigade's (later the 12th Field Artillery Brigade's 112th (Howitzer) Battery where on 18 May 1916 he was appointed a Driver at Serapeum. On 3 Jun 1916 his unit embarked in Alexandria for France, disembarking on 13 Jun 1916 at Marseilles.
Transferred from the 24th FAB to the 12th Field Artillery Brigade on 25 Jan 1917, but still with the 112th Battery. On 29 Apr 1917 he reported sick and was seen first by the 12th Field Ambulance before being passed to the New Zealand Stationary Hospital in Amiens. Transferred to the 59th General Hospital in Amiens before being placed on an Ambulance Train for Camiers and admittance to the 2nd Stationary Hospital at Abbeville. On 6 Jun 1917 he was embarked on HS Jan Breydel at Boulogne for England, suffering with nephritis (inflammation of kidneys). In England he was admitted the same day to the 3rd London General Hospital in Wandsworth.
Transferred to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital on 23 Jul 1917. Bill was discharged to No. 3 Convalescent Depot on 30 Jul 1917, where he was on 30 Aug 1917 charged with having been AWOL from 3:00pm on 28 Aug 1917 until he was apprehended at 8:10pm on 29 Aug 1917. Awarded 7 days confined to barracks and forfeited 2 days pay.
Bill proceeded overseas to France again on 2 Nov 1917 through Southampton, and rejoined his unit on 11 Nov 1917 in Belgium.
On 31 Oct 1918 he was granted leave in the UK, but on 3 Nov 1918 he was admitted to the 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Harefield with boils on the left side of his chest, remaining under their care until 20 Nov 1918 when he was sent to the 1st Convalescent Depot and soon after was returned to Australia due to debility. He was discharged by the 5th Military District on 5 Apr 1919.
Post War
Electoral Roll entries - 1925 Worker's Club, Henry street, Fremantle, miner; 1929 - 1931 Bull's Creek road, caretaker; 1936 Yundaga via Menzies, prospector; 1937 at 268 Royal street, East Perth, no occupation listed.
Notes
Only Grenfell enlisted in W.A. Therefore best match for name on Mundijong Memorial - casual work in timber industry locally?