Byers, William Robert

No.1627 – Private William Robert Byers – 44^th Battalion AIF

William Robert Byers was born in Surrey Hills, Sydney NSW on the 30^{th of} March 1892 to Joseph & Johannah Byers. The family soon moved across to Western Australia and took up residence in Henderson Street Fremantle. After William left school he took up work as a bootmaker.

On the 7^th February 1916 William offered his services to the AIF and he was accepted as fit. The medical examiner found William to be 5 feet 7 inches in height; weight of 126 lbs; chest measurement of 32-34 inches; fair complexion; blue eyes and brown hair. His religious denomination was Roman Catholic. William was given the regimental number 1627 and assigned to the 1^st Reinforcements to the 44^th Battalion. This group left Fremantle on the H.M.A.T. “Suevic” on the 6^th June 1916. After arriving at Plymouth England on the 21^st July 1917 the men were sent to Larkhill Camp on the Salisbury Plains for further training. Training would occur here for the next few months and during this time William got into trouble a few times. On the 23^rd September 1916 he was absent from the Reveille Roll Call and missed the Guard Parade. Major Summerhayes of the 11^th Training Battalion gave William 3 days of Field Punishment No.2 as penalty. On the 8th October 1916 William overstayed his leave and was officially labeled as being absent without leave from 1am 8-10-16 to 12-10-18. As this was a more serious offence, Major Douglas of the 11^th Training Battalion gave him 168 hours of detention and the forfeiture of 12 days pay.

On the 18^th November 1916, William was transferred from the 1^st Reinforcements into the main body of the 44^th Battalion. A week later the 44^th Battalion proceeded overseas for France. After arriving in France the men were sent to the area around Armentieres where they would spend Christmas of 1916. With the New Year the Battalion remained in this area to become accustomed to front line duty. On the 21^st January while on a working party, William and three others were wounded by a German shell. Shrapnel ripped into William, hitting him in the head, abdomen and the upper and lower extremities. He was evacuated back to the 10^th Field Ambulance and then further back to No.2 Australian Casualty Clearing Station. His wounds were very severe though William hung on to life for two days before succumbing on the 23^rd January 1917. He was buried in Trois Abres Military Cemetery in Steenwerck Plot I.D.22