Beresford, Wallace William

No.3411 - Lance Corporal Wallace Beresford 16^th Battalion AIF

Wallace William Beresford was born in Melbourne Victoria in 1898 to William & Mary Beresford. Soon after Wallace’s birth the family moved across to Western Australia. Initially residing in Kalgoorlie, Wallace’s mother Mary died in 1908 and the family then moved to Fremantle. Wallace attended Fremantle Boys School and also became involved with the Junior Naval Cadets. After leaving school Wallace became a Carrier/ Horse Driver while he also joined up with the 86^th Militia Regiment. At this time he was living at 1 James Street Fremantle.

When war was declared in 1914, Wallace was only 16 and therefore too young to enlist. In 1915 he put up his age by a year to 18 and enlisted into the AIF. As both his parents had died, his next of kin was his grandmother, a Mrs. Maria Tyson of 34 Howard Street South Fremantle. Wallace was successfully passed as fit with the medical examiner finding him to be, 5 feet 8 inches in height; weight of 137 lbs; chest measurement of 32-35 inches; fair complexion, grey eyes and light brown hair. His religious denomination was Church of England.

Initially assigned to No.21 Depot Company Wallace was assigned to the 11^th Reinforcements to the 16^th Battalion. After this group left Fremantle and arrived in Egypt, Wallace was attracted to the seedier side of Egypt and unfortunately contracted Venereal Disease, so from January to April he was in the Australian Dermatological Hospital.

On 2^nd April 1916 he joined up with the 16^th Battalion at Serapeum and trained with them in Egypt until early June when they embarked for Marseilles.

After arrival in France, the 16^th Battalion was sent up to the Armentieres sector to gain some experience in trench life. In July the 16^th Battalion was sent to the Somme where through July and August they were involved in terrible battles around Pozieres & Mouquet Farm. Wallace survived these battles and on the 4^th September 1916 was appointed Lance Corporal. Wallace spent a long time in the front line as he was with the 16^th battalion right through to April 1917. During the attack at Bullecourt on the 11^th April 1917 Wallace was wounded in the face. He was evacuated to the 56^th Casualty Clearing Station and then back to the 1^st General Hospital at Etretat. His wound was deemed serious enough for evacuation to England and on the 22^nd April he boarded the Hospital Ship “Grantully Castle” for the journey.

After arriving in England; Wallace was sent to Cambridge Hospital where he was to stay for the next three months. From August to November he spent time at both the No.1 and No.2 Convalescent Hospitals, interspersed with leave that he had been granted.

On the 6^th November 1917, Wallace left England to rejoin the 16^th Battalion, and joined up with them a week later in the mud of Passchendaele. In December 1917 the 16^th Battalion as part of the 4^th Division was sent to Peronne to be placed in reserve in case they were needed as a result of the German counter-attack at Cambrai. However they were not needed and soon returned to Belgium. On the 20^th January 1918 Wallace was instructed to attend the Australian Corps Gas School, arriving back at the 16^th at the end of the month.

As a result of the German offensive on March 21^st 1918 and their subsequent breakthrough of the British line further south, the 4^th Brigade was sent to the area around Hebuterne where they helped reform the line with New Zealand and British troops. The 16^th Battalion repelled many German attacks and managed to retake some crucial territory from the Germans. They stayed in this sector till late April, when they were transferred to the line nearer Villers-Bretonneux. On the 24^th June 1918 while opposite Hamel Wallace was badly wounded in the thorax and buttock by German shrapnel. Evacuated back by the 4^th Field Ambulance, Wallace was taken to 5^th Casualty Clearing Station where he unfortunately died of his wounds the same day. He was 19 years old and was buried at Crouy-sur-Somme British Cemetery. His grandmother Maria Tyson penned the following for his epitaph;

“God taketh our loved ones from our homes, but never from our hearts’

His medals and effects were later received by his grandmother.