Pte
William Foxford
Information about birth
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Year of birth: 1892 |
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Place of birth: Wallsend, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia |
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: 78 |
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Enlistment date: 24/02/1916 |
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Units: — Australian Infantry, 35th Bn. (Newcastle's Own Regiment) (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 12/10/1917 |
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Place of death: Tiber, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 25 |
Cemetery
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Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood Plot: V Row: B Grave: 9 |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 1
| #1 | Place of birth |
My story
Private William Foxford served in the Australian Infantry 35th Battalion, part of the 9th Brigade, of the 3rd Division.
On the 12th of October 1917 the 3rd Division participated in the First Battle of Passchendaele. The Division advanced with two brigades, the 9th and 10th. The attack of the 9th Brigade was carried by the 34th and 35th Battalion and had two main objectives. They would first secure the area until after Augustus Wood and then they would try and capture Passchendaele village.
At 5.25 am the 34th Battalion started to advance in total confusion due to the heavy German shelling of the jumping-off lines. Not soon after, the 35th Battalion joined the attack. Together they moved on towards the first objective. On their way, the 35th Battalion was able to overrun Defy Crossing, Hillside Farm and Augustus Wood.
When the 35th had consolidated its first objective, they moved along the Passchendaele road towards the village itself, in front of which lay their second objective. Patrols entered the village and found it abandoned. However, they were not able to secure it as they were quickly forced to retreat. At around 3 pm, both Battalions were pushed back past Augustus Wood and they eventually arrived close to where they had initially started.
Private William Foxford was killed in action on the 12th of October 1917, along the Passchendaele-Broodseinde Road, in the vicinity of Tiber and Vienna Cottage. Several witness reports in his Red Cross Wounded and Missing File state that he was hit by shrapnel in the head while he was lying in a shell hole. He died instantaneously. The place where he was found indicates that he must have died on his way to the second objective. His remains were exhumed after the war and buried in Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood.
On the 12th of October 1917 the 3rd Division participated in the First Battle of Passchendaele. The Division advanced with two brigades, the 9th and 10th. The attack of the 9th Brigade was carried by the 34th and 35th Battalion and had two main objectives. They would first secure the area until after Augustus Wood and then they would try and capture Passchendaele village.
At 5.25 am the 34th Battalion started to advance in total confusion due to the heavy German shelling of the jumping-off lines. Not soon after, the 35th Battalion joined the attack. Together they moved on towards the first objective. On their way, the 35th Battalion was able to overrun Defy Crossing, Hillside Farm and Augustus Wood.
When the 35th had consolidated its first objective, they moved along the Passchendaele road towards the village itself, in front of which lay their second objective. Patrols entered the village and found it abandoned. However, they were not able to secure it as they were quickly forced to retreat. At around 3 pm, both Battalions were pushed back past Augustus Wood and they eventually arrived close to where they had initially started.
Private William Foxford was killed in action on the 12th of October 1917, along the Passchendaele-Broodseinde Road, in the vicinity of Tiber and Vienna Cottage. Several witness reports in his Red Cross Wounded and Missing File state that he was hit by shrapnel in the head while he was lying in a shell hole. He died instantaneously. The place where he was found indicates that he must have died on his way to the second objective. His remains were exhumed after the war and buried in Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood.
Sources 4
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AIF-project https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=102833 Sources used |
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Australian War Memorial https://www.awm.gov.au/advanced-search?query=Foxford+78 Sources used |
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CWGC https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/480233/foxford,-william/ Sources used |
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National Archives of Australia https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/DetailsReports/ItemDetail.aspx?Barcode=4033063&isAv=N Sources used |