Cusack, William

2860 - Private William Luke Cusack - 28th Battalion

William 'Luke' Cusack enlisted in the AIF in Kalgoorlie on 19 August 1915. Luke had been working as a plumber in Kalgoorlie though after enlisting he was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp and was allotted to No.26 Training Depot. After six weeks in camp Luke was transferred into the 12th Reinforcement group for the 12th Battalion. However as his brother Robert was in the 6th Reinforcements to the 28th Battalion at Blackboy Hill Camp, Luke managed to get a transfer to this reinforcement group.

Both Robert and Luke embarked from Fremantle aboard HMAT Ulysses on 2 November 1915 and on arrival in Egypt they were transferred to the 7th Training Battalion. On 9 December Luke was sent to hospital with bronchitis and had a few weeks in hospital, returning to the training battalion on 6 January 1916.

Both Robert and Luke transferred to the 51st Battalion on 3 March 1916 and after a few more months of training they eventually embarked for France, arriving at Marseilles on 12 June 1916. While Robert was badly wounded in the Somme action, Luke’s fortune held and he came through the actions of Mouquet Farm unscathed.

Luke saw constant front line service from July 1916 to February 1917. The cold conditions saw many men evacuated with respiratory illnesses or a horrible condition called trench feet. The cold conditions did cause Luke some foot trouble and he was evacuated for four days in February to get them treated but he soon rejoined his unit.

On 11 May 1917 Luke was transferred from the 51st Battalion for duty with 4th Division Headquarters. He spent the remainder of the war with 4th Division HQ except for two periods of leave. He had a fortnight’s leave to England in February 1918 and also a fortnight in Paris in November/December 1918.

With the war now over Luke returned to England on 30 January 1919 and on 21 February 1919 he set sail for home on HMAT Anchises. Luke arrived home in Fremantle on 7 April 1919 and was discharged from the AIF on 3 June 1919.

After the war Luke worked in the mining industry and also found employment with the WA Government Railways. He moved back to Fremantle in 1950 and died in 1971. 

Many thanks to Pam Caddy, daughter of Matt Cusack, for providing much of this information and these images of the Cusack brothers.