Jose, William Graham
No.1624 – Private William Graham Jose – 16th Battalion AIF
William Graham Jose was born in Fremantle WA in 1882 to David and Margaret Jose. He was one of nine siblings, with Fanny born 1881, Percy 1885, Ernest 1886, Horace 1890, Harold 1892, Sidney 1894, Doris 1898 and Ilma 1902. The family lived at 173 South Street (later renumbered to 71 South St) and William was educated at Beaconsfield State School. After leaving school William took up work as a clerk and also saw service with the 11th Australian Infantry Regiment in WA.
On the 6th January 1915 William went to the Perth Drill Hall to enlist in the AIF. He was accepted as fit with the medical examiner finding him to be 5 feet 5 & ½ inches in height; weight of 117lbs; chest measurement of 34-35 inches; sallow complexion; Grey eyes and brown hair. His religious denomination was Congregational. William was then sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was initially sent to a training Depot. However a few days later he was assigned to the 3rd Reinforcements to the 16th Battalion AIF.
William did not have a long period of training at Blackboy Hill Camp as on the 22nd February 1915 his group boarded the H.M.A.T. “Itonus” in Fremantle Harbour and set sail overseas. Over three weeks later the ship berthed at Suez, with the men being disembarked and sent to camp near Cairo. Unfortunately William’s records are very sparse on detail but it appears that at some point he may have been transferred from the 3rd Reinforcements into the 16th Battalion as he departed from Alexandria on the 12th April 1915.
The 16th Battalion, as part of the 4th Brigade were sent to Lemnos Island where they remained for the few weeks prior to the landing. The 1st Australian Division would make the initial landing at Anzac Cove on April 25th 1915 and the 4th Brigade and New Zealanders would land the same day to reinforce the units ashore. As it turned out the 16th Battalion landed after 5pm on April 25th 1915 and they were sent up to a dangerous position on the 2nd Ridge which would later become known as Pope’s Hill, named after the 16th Battalion commanding officer.
The Turkish troops tried to break the line but were repulsed by the 16th; however the Turks were able to fire into the back of the defenders from Russel’s top. The 16th fought at Popes for the first week of the campaign and on May 2nd were assigned with the 13th Battalion to capture what would later be known as Dead Man’s Ridge. The assault initially succeeded and a trench at the top of the ridge was captured, however with the Turks being able to fire into this area from the front and flanks it was untenable, and after suffering a large amount of casualties the Australians were forced to withdraw.
The 16th Battalion had been hit hard with casualties and it appears that William was among those killed. He was initially reported as ‘Missing’ but a court of enquiry held in France the following year declared that William was killed in action on May 2nd 1915. There were no eyewitness reports to his death nor was his body recovered. His heartbroken parents advertised in the local newspaper for any returned 16th soldiers to let them know if they knew anything about William’s fate.
With William’s body not recovered he is commemorated on the Lone Pine Memorial.
His parents died a few years later heartbroken.
His brother Sidney also served in the First World War but fortunately made it back to Fremantle.
After returning home Sidney resumed work with the Wool Department of Dalgety’s & Co. He lived in Wray Avenue Fremantle. Sidney Jose died on the 9th December 1937 aged 43 and is buried in the Congregational section of Fremantle Cemetery.