Chalmers, William Fraser
No.3427 – L/Cpl William Fraser Chalmers MM –
16th Battalion AIF
William Fraser Chalmers was born in Meering West Victoria in 1897 to James and Frances Chalmers. Soon after his birth the family moved across to Western Australia and took up residence at 13 Shuffrey Street Fremantle. William’s father started up Fremantle Foundry in Beach Street and the whole family worked there at some stage.
However before he started work there as a Fitter & Turner, William attended Fremantle Boys School. During this time he also became a member of the Naval Cadets and the 86A Military cadets.
As soon as he turned 18, William went to the recruitment office and offered his services to the AIF. As he was under 21 years old he needed the consent of his parents, and as they signed the appropriate papers, he was able to enlist. The medical examiner found Will to be 5 feet 4 ½ inches in height; weight of 118 lbs; chest measurement of 31-34 inches; fair complexion; blue eyes and light brown hair. His religious denomination was Presbyterian.
After spending a couple of months in the training depot, Will was assigned to the 11th Reinforcements to the 16th Battalion. They trained in WA until the end of October as they embarked from Fremantle aboard the H.M.A.T. “Benalla” on the 1st November 1915. After arriving in Egypt the group were sent to the training depot and were not immediately sent on to the 16th on Gallipoli as the Anzac battlefield was being evacuated. William spent nearly three months at the 4th Training battalion in Egypt and on the 7th March 1916 was officially taken on strength when the battalion was at Tel-el-Kebir. He spent the next few months training with them in the Egyptian desert, his only break away being when he was evacuated sick to hospital for a few days in May 1916.
The 16th Battalion left Egypt on the 1st June 1916 and arrived at Marseilles on the 9th June 1916. The battalion was immediately sent north to the region of Armentieres France. They had a few weeks in the line here before being sent south to take part in the Battle of the Somme. The 16th were involved in actions at Pozieres and Mouquet Farm though William, as part of a Lewis gun team, came through unscathed.
The winter of 1916/17 was the coldest in France in decades and the men suffered through this on the Somme battlefield. They were little raids here and there though for much of the time to the battlefield was too bogged for many attacks, though a successful assault was the capture by the 13th & 16th Battalion on Stormy Trench in February 1917. Not long after the successful capture of this trench the Germans withdrew their line to a prepared defensive position known as the Hindenburg Line.
After conducting a fighting withdrawal the Germans were finally pushed back to this line in April. The 16th Battalion as part of the 4th Brigade was tasked to capture the German lines and help with the breakthrough to Bullecourt. They were to attempt this capture without the aid of Artillery and with the assistance of a handful of tanks. The attacks was scheduled for April 10th, though as the tanks could not come up in time them men were withdrawn and the assault was scheduled for the 11th April. The 16th Battalion managed to get in and capture the German trenches but due to lack of supplies could not hold on and they withdrew after incurring heavy casualties. William was one of twenty six men of C Company to return and for his actions that day he received the Military Medal for bravery. The medal recommendation read;
“This man is a Lewis Gunner and during the operations against the Hindenburg Line on the morning of April 11th 1917 he used his gun with great coolness and daring. His work was particularly effective in countering enemy bombers. On several occasions he sat his gun on the traverse of the trenches and fired into the enemy Grenadiers direct, thus causing many casualties and breaking up several bombing attacks. In order to bring fire to bear upon enemy bombers from the traverse he exposed himself to enemy Machine Gun fire and bombs, with an utter disregard for his personal safety. He is recommended for distinction.”
This award of the Military Medal was approved by the Australian commander General Birdwood and put in his routine orders. William did not yet receive the actual medal but was given the Military Medal ribbon.
On the 10th May 1917 William was given the rank of Lance Corporal and despite their low numbers the 16th Battalion did not have much of a rest, but were brought into action in early June to help with the capture of Messines. This assault on Messines was successful and the 4th Division continued to hold the line near Messines in the newly captured area through July and August 1917.
On August 10th 1917, while the 16th Battalion was in their billets behind the lines it seems a few shells landed in their midst, one of which severely wounded William Chalmers. He was hit in the abdomen and left arm. He was taken back to the 4th Field Ambulance Station and then to the 2nd Australian Casualty Clearing Station. Unfortunately, the wounds proved too severe to recover from and William died of his wounds the same day.
He was buried in Trois Abres Cemetery in Steenwerck in Plot I.W.31
His parents would later be sent the actual Military Medal.