Symonds, William Pascoe
No.3474 – Private William Symonds – 11th Battalion AIF
William Pascoe Symonds was born in Norfolk England in 1885 to John and Jane Symonds. He was one of nine siblings and was initially educated in Norfolk but when he was ten years old in 1895 the family left England and moved to Western Australia, setting up residence in South Fremantle. William completed his schooling in Fremantle and after leaving he took up work as a general labourer. John Symonds began work at the Government Magazines at Coogee and the Symonds family moved into the residence there.
On the 26th July 1915 William went to the Francis Street Drill hall in Perth to enlist in the AIF. He was accepted as fit for service with the medical examiner finding him to be 5 feet 5 & ¾ inches tall; weight of 158lbs; chest measurement of 35-37 inches; fresh complexion; blue eyes and light brown hair. His religious denomination was Church of England. Upon his successful enlistment William was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was assigned to No.20 Depot Training Company.
He remained with this depot until the 27th September 1915 when he was transferred into the 11th Reinforcements to the 11th Battalion AIF. William spent just over a month training with this group in WA as on the 2nd November 1915 they went to Fremantle Harbour and boarded the HMAT Ulysses and set sail for Egypt.
Arriving in Egypt at the end of November 1915 the men were disembarked and marched into the 3rd Training Battalion. As Gallipoli was going to be evacuated the men were not sent to the Dardanelles but were retained in Egypt. The 11th Battalion arrived in Egypt from Gallipoli in early January 1916, but William remained with the 3rd Training Battalion until the end of February 1916.
On the 2nd March 1916 William joined “A” Company of the 11th Battalion at Habieta Camp. He had just a few weeks with the 11th Battalion in Egypt as on the 29th March 1916 they set sail from Alexandria aboard the HMT Corsican bound for France. The ship arrived at Marseilles on the 5th April 1916 and after being disembarked the men were marched through the city to the railway station where they boarded trains which took them to Northern France.
The Australians arrived in the Armentieres sector and had their first taste of Western Front trench life at Fleurbaix. They would remain here for the next few months gaining experience. On the 18th June 1916 William was sent to the 3rd Field Ambulance with a sprained ankle. His ankle was treated and then he was sent to the 1st Australian Casualty Clearing Station. It must have been a severe sprained ankle as William was sent to the 3rd Canadian Stationary Hospital at Boulogne.
William spent three days there and was then sent to England to undergo further treatment on his ankle. On the 28th June 1916 William was admitted to Bevan Military Hospital in Kent. He spent a week here and then on the 5th July 1916 he was transferred to the 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Harefield. William spent a further week there and was then transferred to a Military Convalescent Depot at Epsom Hospital where he was to remain until the end of August 1916.
On the 1st September 1916 William was sent to No.1 Command Depot at Perham Downs Camp and was granted a two week furlough. After his leave was over he reported back to No.1 Command Depot on the 18th September. His ankle was then tested and William was classed as B1 fitness which meant that he was not yet fit enough to return to France. He remained at this depot for the next few months but in November he reported to the 3rd Training Battalion on the Salisbury Plains.
On the 4th December 1916 William was in a draft of soldiers that left Folkestone England aboard the troopship SS Princess Victoria and set sail across the Channel to France. The following day William was marched into the 1st Australian Division Base Depot, where he trained for the next few weeks. On the 26th December 1916 William rejoined the 11th battalion in the field.
The 11th Battalion were then in the Flers sector of the Somme battlefield and would be stationed here through the French Winter of 1916/17. Towards the end of February 1917 the Germans began their withdrawal to the Hindenburg Line and their retirement was pressed all the way. From late February to March 1917 the 11th Battalion saw action at Le Barque, Bapaume and Morchies. On the 15th April 1917 at Lagnicourt the 11th battalion held an outpost line when the Germans attacked in great numbers.
The 11th Battalion put up a stout defence and helped to bring the German attack under control. The Germans did gain some ground but were ejected out of the ground they did occupy. A fortnight later the 2nd Australian Division attacked the German line at Bullecourt. The attack did capture a portion of the German line, and the 1st Division, including the 11th Battalion were brought in to support the 2nd Division units. It was a difficult battle and on the 6th May William was struck in the hand by shrapnel and he went back for aid to the 5th Field Ambulance. After initial treatment he was sent to the 3rd Casualty Clearing Station.
He was then put on an ambulance train and sent to the 1st Canadian General Hospital. William remained there for two weeks and on the 21st May 1917 was transferred to No.6 Convalescent Depot where he remained until the end of May. On the 1st June 1917 William rejoined the 1st ADBD at Le Havre but only spent a few days there and was taken back on strength of the 11th battalion on the 4th June 1917.
The 11th Battalion as part of the 1st Division were then undergoing a three month rest period out of the line, during which time much training and sporting activity was undertaken. In early September 1917 the 11th Battalion returned to Belgium where they would soon take part in the Third Battle of Ypres. On the 20th September 1917 the Battle of Menin Road commenced and the 11th Battalion successfully took their objectives. Six days later further operations commenced against Polygon Wood and on October 4th the Battle of Broodseinde Ridge took place and again the Australians took the objectives allotted to them.
While not involved in all the attacks, the 11th battalion continued to hold the line in the newly captured sector from October 4th on Broodseinde Ridge. On the 8/9th October 1917 the 11th Battalion were relieved form the front line and moved into reserve positions on Anzac Ridge. However they were still under heavy shellfire and on the 9th October William was badly wounded, suffering multiple shell wounds. He was taken by stretcher bearers to the 64th Field Ambulance and after initial treatment was sent on to the 41st Casualty Clearing Station. Unfortunately the wounds proved too severe and William died the same day. He was buried at Godewaersvelde British Cemetery in plot I.H.9
After the war his mother received a pension of 30/- per fortnight. The family also received William’s personal effects and medals.
The family saw much service during the war as his two brothers also served. No.2933 John Edward Symonds (pictured left) served in the 48th Battalion and was captured at Bullecourt, spending the rest of the war as a Prisoner of War before returning home in 1919.
Warrant Officer Samuel Richard Symonds served in the Royal Australian Navy in the Great War, mainly on the HMAS Torrens.
William also had two brothers-in-law that served; No.679 Private Leslie Ernest Peters of the 44th Battalion & No.260 L/Cpl Mont Alexander Taylor of the 44th Battalion. Both of these returned home but his nephew from the country town of Cockernup; No.7029 Private Joseph Jackson of the 16th Battalion was not so fortunate. He died of wounds in France on the 5th May 1918 and is buried at Pernois British Military Cemetery I.B.21.