Denney, William Ewart

Gunner William Ewart Denney – 4^th Heavy Trench Mortar Battery

William Ewart Denney was born in Gravesend, Kent England on the 14^th December 1888 to John and Elizabeth Denney. He had one older sibling Elizabeth. After his birth the family moved to Fleetwood in Lancashire William and he was educated in this district. After leaving school took up service with the Royal Navy. In 1904 William began his service on the HMS Emerald and in 1909 on the HMS Vivid. After five years of service, he purchased his release.

In 1911 in Gravesend Kent, William married Ada Shuttlewood. They then came to Western Australia and three children were born, William in 1913, Ada in 1915 and Alfred in 1916. Upon arrival in WA, he soon found work as a lumper on the Fremantle wharf. He lived with his wife and children in Zenobia Street East Fremantle/Palmyra.

On the 2^nd October 1915 he went to Perth to enlist into the AIF. He was given a medical examination and was passed as fit. The doctor found him to be 5 feet 6 ½ inches tall; weight of 130lbs; chest measurement of 34-36 inches; fresh complexion; brown eyes and dark brown hair. His religious denomination was Methodist. William also had a few tattoos, including that of a wreath around his neck, three flowers on back of hand and dancing girls on the arm, no doubt reminders from his time in the Royal Navy.

William was initially allotted to No.32 Depot, but on the 1^st November 1915 was assigned to the 8^th Reinforcements to the 28^th Battalion. He trained with them in WA for the next few months. On the 17^th January 1916 William and his reinforcement group boarded the Transport Ship H.M.A.T “Borda” in Fremantle Harbour and made their way to Egypt. After disembarking in February William was marched into the 7^th Training Battalion. However he only stayed here until the 3^rd March 1916 when he was assigned to the newly formed 51^st Battalion AIF. He only stayed with the 51^st Battalion for two weeks before he transferred to the 4^th Division Artillery, specifically the 112^th Battery of the 24^th Howitzer Brigade. He stayed with this unit for a month, as on the 19^th April 1916 he transferred again to No.2 Section of the 4^th Division Ammunition Column. William remained with this unit for the rest of his stay in Egypt.

On the 6^th June 1916 William embarked from Alexandria on the H.M.T. “Oriana” and made their way to France, arriving at Marseilles on the 13^th June 1916. After arrival the 4^th Division units were sent north to the region near Armentieres. On the 2^nd July 1916 William transferred to a different unit when he was taken on strength of the 4^th Heavy Trench Mortar Battery. William went on to serve with this unit through the Battle of the Somme in July, August and September 1916. After a short stint in Belgium the 4^th Division returned to the Somme front in November 1916. On the 7^th December 1916 while on a fatigue party between Flers and Delville Wood a stray shell fell and badly wounded William, while killing a Sapper Martin. A fellow Gunner reported that after William was hit he ran about a hundred yards and then fell but was picked up by stretcher bearers and evacuated. He was taken to a dressing station near Becordel where he unfortunately died of wounds the same day. Gunner William Denney was buried in Dartmoor Cemetery Becordel-Becourt in plot I.F.22.

Denney Street in Alfred Cove would later be renamed after William.