Daniels, William Joseph

No.5075 – Private William Joseph Daniels – 49^th Battalion AIF

William Joseph Daniels was born in Brisbane Queensland in 1880 to Arthur and Sarah Ann Daniels. He was educated at Fortitude Valley School and later took up work as a Draper. It seems the family later moved to Western Australia and took up residence in Mary Street North Fremantle, with his brother Charlie. It is unknown as to the length of William’s time in Western Australia as in 1913 he was back in Queensland, living at Chillagoe Kennedy. When he enlisted into the AIF on the 12^th October 1915, he was in Brisbane. He was given a medical examination and was passed as fit. The doctor found William to be 5 feet 8 inches in height; chest measurement of 31-32 inches; fair complexion; grey eyes and dark brown hair. His religious denomination was Methodist.

Initially allotted to No.7 Depot Battalion, on the 16^th January 1916 William was assigned to the newly forming 41^st Battalion. He stayed with them for two weeks and was then transferred to the 16^th Reinforcements to the 9^th Battalion AIF. He trained with this group in Queensland until March 1916 when they were sent south to Sydney Harbour to embark on the H.M.A.T. “Star of Victoria”. This ship left Sydney Harbour on the 31^st March 1916 and arrived in Port Said Egypt on the 5^th May 1916. William was marched into the 3^rd Training Battalion but this was soon changed as he was transferred to the 13^th Training Battalion as he was now earmarked to join the 49^th Battalion AIF. However while in Egypt he remained with the 13^th Training Battalion and embarked with them at Alexandria on the 7^th June 1916. He reached France on the 14^th June 1916 and was sent north by train to Etaples on the French Coast where he joined the 4^th Australian Division Base Depot.

William spent the next few months at the Base Depot and only joined the 49^th Battalion on the 24^th August 1916. The 49^th Battalion had only just come out of the line after their first experience at Pozieres/Mouquet Farm, though they were soon in the fray again as on September 3^rd, the 49^th Battalion, along with the 51^st & 52^nd Battalions were tasked with the capture of Mouquet Farm. Unfortunately the attack was a failure and casualties were high, though William escaped unscathed. After this attack at Mouquet Farm, the Australians were relieved from the Somme front by Canadian troops and were sent to the quieter front in Ypres in Belgium. In September and October 1916 the 49^th Battalion garrisoned the front line near Ypres and during their time here William was charged as going absent without leave on the 26^th September 1916 and as a punishment had to forfeit three days pay. Though at this stage of the war Ypres was a quieter part of the Western Front, casualties still occurred due to German fire. On the 16^th October 1916 William was killed in action, though it was not specified whether he died through shellfire or rifle fire.

William was taken back behind the lines and buried at Ridge Wood Military Cemetery, plot III.F.4. Ridge Wood Military Cemetery was situated 1 mile south east of Dickebusch and 3 miles south west of Ypres.

Further grief was to come to Sarah Daniels in North Fremantle when in March 1917, her other son; L/Cpl Charlie Daniels of the 28^th Battalion was killed at Lagnicourt. She would receive 40/- per fortnight as a result of both her sons dying in the war.