William J DAVIS

Private William John DAVIS No. 4075
1st Australian Pioneers
Died 15 June 1918 aged 35

Son of Eliza and the late Job Davis, of the Vicarage, Capel Garmon, Llannvst, Denbighshire.

At rest at Le Peuplier Military Cemetery, Caestre Nord, France.

Commemorated on a family headstone at

Coln St Denys Churchyard, Gloucestershire.

Some notes from his army records.

He lived at Struan, near Tamworth, New South Wales, occupation, farmer. Born in Gloucestershire his mother, Eliza, nee Window was his next of kin. She lived at Westcourt, Chippingnorton, Oxfordshire and later to The Vicarage, Capel Garman, Llanrwst, North Wales.

He joined up on the 1st February 1917 aged 34 years and 7 months. And posted as Private 4075 into the 11/1st Pioneer Battalion, Australian Imperial Force. He embarked from Sydney on H.M.A.T. Beltana A72 bound for England with 11/1st battalion on 16 June 1917. Disembarked at Plymouth 25 August 1917 and then onto Sutton Veny ANZAC army camp, two miles from Warminster, Wiltshire. After the completion of training embarked for France from Southampton 12 February 1918, disembarking at Harve the same day. He joined 11th Reinforcements in the field 18 February 1918 and was killed in action by artillery fire. He was laid to rest by Rev A Dymond Peel at Peuplier Military Cemetery, two and quarter miles North East of Hazebrouch.