Duffield, William Arthur

2899 Private William Arthur Duffield - 32nd Battalion AIF

William Arthur Duffield was born in Fremantle WA in 1897 to William and Georgina Duffield. He was one of six siblings with; Ena (1899), Oscar (1901), Mavis (1906), Doris (1908) and John (1912).

The family lived at 71 Sewell Street East Fremantle (now 29 Sewell Street) and William was educated locally. He also served in the 86A Cadets and had one years service in the 86th Infantry Regiment of the Citizens Military Service. He was employed locally as a clerk.

On July 12th 1916, the 19 year old William enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force in Fremantle. He was accepted as fit for service with the medical examiner recording William's details as;

Height - 5 feet 9 & 1/2 inches tall;

Weight - 135lbs;

Chest Measurement - 33-35 inches;

Complexion - Fresh;

Eyes - Brown;

Hair - Brown.

After his successful enlistment William was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was initially assigned to No.78 Training Depot. After a few weeks of training there he was transferred to the 18th Reinforcements to the 28th Battalion. He spent a month with this group and was then transferred to the 8th Reinforcements to the 51st Battalion. He only spent three days with this group and on the 4th September 1916 was transferred into the 7th Reinforcements to the 51st Battalion.

He had two more months training with this group in WA while they waited for their embarkation orders to arrive.

On the 9th November 1916 William and his group boarded the transport ship HMAT Argyllshire and set sail for England, arriving at Devonport Harbour on the 10th January 1917. After being disembarked they were sent to the 13th Training Battalion at Codford Camp on the Salisbury Plains.

William undertook several more weeks of training here and on the 14th March 1917 was put into a draft of soldiers bound for France. On arrival at Etaples William was sent to the 4th Australian Division Base Depot Camp.

It appears that William and a few other soldiers from his group were now re-assigned and instead of joining the 51st battalion they were transferred to the 32nd Battalion of the 5th Division.

William was taken on strength of the 32nd Battalion on the 6th April 1917. (Clarrie Monkhouse pictured standing with his mate Will Duffield (sitting) they were both transferred to the 32nd Battalion).

The 32nd Battalion were then near Bapaume. In May 1917 the 32nd Battalion fought at the Second Battle of Bullecourt. William came through this action unscathed and after leaving the front line, the 5th Division were given a three month rest period.

From June to August 1917 the 32nd Battalion underwent training as well as participating in recreational activities in their spare time. In September the 5th Division went to Belgium as they were to participate in the Third Battle of Ypres.

In September and October 1917, the 32nd Battalion saw action at Polygon Wood, Zonnebeke and Broodseinde Ridge. Casualties were heavy in the unit though William came through safely.

From December to March 1918, the 32nd Battalion helped to hold the front line in Belgium between Ypres and Messines. On the 25th February 1918 William was sent on a two week furlough to England, returning on the 12th March 1918.

On the 21st March 1918 the Germans had launched a massive assault which had broken through the British lines further south. The Australian Divisions in Belgium where then sent south to the Somme to help stop this German advance.

The 32nd Battalion went to an area near Hamelet and then took up part of the front line. Either side of them in April 1918 were large attacks at Dernancourt and Villers-Bretonneux, however their front remained quiet. The 32nd Battalion remained near the Somme and Villers-Bretonneux through to July 1918.

On the 31st July 1918 the 32nd Battalion captured an important German position known as the brick beacon. It was an important feature to capture as it overlooked part of the line behind the Australians.

On August 8th 1918 the large advance on the Villers-Bretonneux front began and the 32nd Battalion successfully captured their objectives. They were in action through August and September 1918 as the Australians advanced, constantly pushing the Germans back into retreat. They fought their last action in the Hindenburg Line on the 30th September/1st October 1918 near Joncourt. The 32nd Battalion CO was awarded the Victoria Cross for his bravery and leadership in this battle.

William came through without a scratch and after this action the 32nd Battalion was pulled out of the line for a well deserved rest.

When the Armistice was announced on the 11th November 1918, the 32nd Battalion was still out of the line.

After the Armistice the Germans pulled back to their own borders and the Australians went to what had been German occupied parts of Belgium and France. The Australians were in these areas from December 1918 to May 1919.

On the 21st January 1919 William went on leave to England, returning on the 10th February 1919. He then remained with the 32nd Battalion util the 5th May 1919 when the unit was disbanded.

William spent a week at the AIF Base Depot at Le Havre and on the 12th May arrived back in England. He only had a few weeks in camp in England and on the 1st June 1919 boarded the transport ship Somali and set sail for home, reaching Fremantle on the 8th July 1919.

William was discharged from the AIF on the 15th August 1919.

In 1922 in Perth he married Beryl Dorathea Wilson and they had a son called Neville born in 1923.

They then took up residence in Tyrell Street Nedlands and William was working as a Civil Servant. In the 1930's they moved for a few years to Montrose Avenue in Darlington and then had a couple of years in Busselton before returning to Tyrell Street Nedlands in 1937. They resided in Nedlands for the next thirty years and then moved to Waller Street Rockingham.

William Duffield died on the 27th January 1970 in Rockingham aged 73. He was buried in Fremantle Cemetery Plot Anglican MON A2 0216.