Pte
William Farmer
Information about birth
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Year of birth: 1898 |
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Place of birth: Brunswick, Victoria, Australia |
General information
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Last known residence: Edward Street, Corowa, New South Wales, Australia |
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Profession: Labourer |
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Religion: Roman Catholic |
Army information
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Country: Australia |
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Force: Australian Imperial Force |
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Rank: Private |
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Service number: 1682 |
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Enlistment date: 14/02/1916 |
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Enlistment place: WWangaratta, Victoria, Australia |
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Units: — Australian Infantry, 37th Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 12/10/1917 |
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Place of death: Hamburg, Passendale, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 19 |
Cemetery
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Tyne Cot Cemetery Plot: XXII Row: C Grave: 1 |
Points of interest 4
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Last known residence | ||
| #3 | Enlistment place | ||
| #4 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
William Farmer was the foster son of Flora McKinnon. He was born around 1898 in Brunswick, Victoria. Before the war, he lived in Corowa, New South Wales, and worked as a laborer. William enlisted in the Australian Army and was part of the 37th Battalion Australian Infantry Regiment (10th Brigade, 3rd Division).
William was killed in action on 12 October 1917 during the First Battle of Passchendaele, part of the Battle of Passchendaele. The 37th Battalion launched the attack in front of Augustus Wood with the objective of advancing to Crest Farm. The attack began at 5:25 a.m. The artillery and machine-gun fire during the advance was heavy. Pillboxes were assaulted, and German soldiers were captured. The battalion reached its objective but could not possibly consolidate. The unit therefore withdrew about 50 yards and dug in under machine-gun fire.
The shelling on the battalion headquarters, which was located at Hamburg Farm, was also heavy. The remaining officers and men in the frontline established new positions about 100 yards further back. Stretcher-bearers were busy evacuating the wounded, a difficult task: not only did the condition of the ground hamper evacuation, but constant shelling of the aid post near Dab Trench also made the provision of first aid difficult. The stretcher-bearers themselves were not safe from the shellfire.
The captured line was held, and a connection was made with the New Zealanders on the left and the 9th Australian Brigade on the right. There were no further German attempts to launch a counterattack. Casualties were high: 28 dead, 179 wounded, and 37 missing.
William was killed in action at the age of 19. According to his service record, he was buried about 250 yards north of Hamburg. Witnesses stated that during the attack he was fatally struck twice, first in the chest, then in the head. After the war, his body was found near Waterfields. His remains were reburied at Tyne Cot Cemetery, where he found his final resting place.
William was killed in action on 12 October 1917 during the First Battle of Passchendaele, part of the Battle of Passchendaele. The 37th Battalion launched the attack in front of Augustus Wood with the objective of advancing to Crest Farm. The attack began at 5:25 a.m. The artillery and machine-gun fire during the advance was heavy. Pillboxes were assaulted, and German soldiers were captured. The battalion reached its objective but could not possibly consolidate. The unit therefore withdrew about 50 yards and dug in under machine-gun fire.
The shelling on the battalion headquarters, which was located at Hamburg Farm, was also heavy. The remaining officers and men in the frontline established new positions about 100 yards further back. Stretcher-bearers were busy evacuating the wounded, a difficult task: not only did the condition of the ground hamper evacuation, but constant shelling of the aid post near Dab Trench also made the provision of first aid difficult. The stretcher-bearers themselves were not safe from the shellfire.
The captured line was held, and a connection was made with the New Zealanders on the left and the 9th Australian Brigade on the right. There were no further German attempts to launch a counterattack. Casualties were high: 28 dead, 179 wounded, and 37 missing.
William was killed in action at the age of 19. According to his service record, he was buried about 250 yards north of Hamburg. Witnesses stated that during the attack he was fatally struck twice, first in the chest, then in the head. After the war, his body was found near Waterfields. His remains were reburied at Tyne Cot Cemetery, where he found his final resting place.
Sources 5
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37th Australian Infantry Battalion, (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), AWM4 23/54/16). https://www.awm.gov.au/ Sources used |
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Australian Red Cross Wounded and Missing Enquiry Bureau (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), RCDIG1045811). https://www.awm.gov.au/ Sources used |
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First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920 (National Archives of Australia, Canberra (NAA), B2455 FARMER W). https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/ Sources used |
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McCarthy, Chris. Passchendaele: The Day by Day Account (Londen: Arms & Armour Press, 1995), 129-130. Sources used |
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Unit embarkation nominal rolls, 1914-18 War (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), AWM8). https://www.awm.gov.au/ Sources used |
More information 4
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/462716 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=386411ec-174f-4b24-b6f6-73a2f2c128a2 |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/7433210 |
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The AIF Project (UNSW Canberra) https://aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=94581 |