Deeble, William
2466 Private William Deeble - 16th Battalion AIF
William Deeble was born in Bendigo Victoria on the 2nd November 1882 to Joel and Jane Deeble. He was one of sixteen siblings born into the family.
He was educated and spent his early years in Bendigo before the family moved to WA in the 1890's, first settling in the Goldfields.
On the 7th November 1901 William married Ethel Mary Ann Jamieson in Boulder WA. A daughter Elsie was born in 1901 and Louisa in 1904.
The family then moved to Fremantle, with William working as a Lumper and were living in Commercial Road and then 16 Stanley Street. (later renumbered to 3 Stanley and then renamed Silver Street)
On the 10th May 1915 William enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. He was found to be fit for enlistment with the medical examiner recording his physical attributes as;
Height - 5 feet 7 inches tall;
Weight - 178lbs;
Chest Measurement - 38-40 inches;
Complexion - Ruddy;
Eyes - Brown;
Hair - Brown.
After his successful enlistment William was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was assigned to the 7th Reinforcements to the 16th Battalion AIF. He had just on a month of training with this group in WA when their embarkation orders arrived. On the 19th June 1915 they entrained for Fremantle Harbour where they boarded the transport ship Chilka. This ship then set sail for Egypt, arriving there in July 1915.
William did not have long in Egypt as he arrived at Gallipoli on the 2nd August 1915 and joined the 16th battalion. He then took part in the August advance when the 16th Battalion, as part of the 4th Australian Brigade made their way through the northern foothills to attack Hill 971. The attack did not succeed but William survived the action. However he now came down ill with pneumonia and on the 13th August 1915 was evacuated by hospital ship which took him to Malta.
William was admitted to St George's Hospital and he remained here till the 26th September 1915. He then was sent back to Egypt where he remained till the 25th October. William was then sent back to Gallipoli and rejoined the 16th Battalion on the 6th November 1915. He had been back a week when he fell ill again and was again sent to Malta to recover.
He was diagnosed with pneumonia and cardiac weakness and remained under medical care in Malta till the 6th January 1916.
William returned to Egypt but did not rejoin the 16th Battalion. He spent several more weeks convalescing then joined the staff of the Australian Army Training bases.
William remained in Egypt till August 1916 and was then sent to England. William was hospitalised again in December 1916 with cardiac issues. Medical issues kept him in hospital for the next few months.
In June 1917 he was sent to No.4 Command Depot Training Camp at Wareham. In July 1917 he was then transferred to the Overseas Training Brigade Camp at Longbridge Deverell. On the 31st July 1917 William was sent to France.
After two weeks at the 4th Australian Division Base Depot at Etaples he rejoined the 16th battalion on the 15th August 1917. the 16th Battalion were then at the Messines sector. William spent ten days with them and was then evacuated with synovitis to the knees.
William was sent to the 3rd General Hospital at Le Treport and remained there for a few weeks before rejoining the 4th Division Base Depot. He then rejoined the 16th Battalion near Passchendaele on the 13th October 1917. William served with his unit for the remainder of their time near Passchendaele.
In December 1917 the 16th Battalion were sent to Peronne in France before returning to Belgium in January 1918.
On the 12th February 1918 William was detached for duty with the 4th Brigade Canteen. He remained seconded to the canteen till May 1918. He then fell ill with bronchitis and was evacuated to the 6th General Hospital at Rouen.
On the 24th June 1918 William appeared before a medical board and was then returned to England. His fitness level had been downgraded as no longer fit for active service. On the 25th June 1918 William was sent to No.2 Command Depot Camp at Weymouth.
William would remain here for the next few months. On the 23rd September 1918 he boarded the transport ship Runic and set sail for home, reaching Fremantle on the 17th November 1918.
William was then discharged from the AIF on the 8th December 1918.
His Brother Daniel who had remained in Victoria when the family moved to WA, died of war causes in Victoria in 1920 after having seen service with the 29th Battalion AIF.
William's mother died 30th April 1920 at their house in Attfield Street Fremantle.
When he was discharged from the AIF William returned home to Stanley Street and resumed his role as a Lumper.
They soon moved to 20 Rose Street South Fremantle. (Later renumbered to 10 Rose Street)
William's father Joel died on the 18th September 1929 in Claremont.
The Deeble's lived at 10 Rose Street through to the 1940's with William continuing to work as a Lumper on Fremantle wharf
William died on 17th August 1945 at Repatriation War Perth War Hospital aged 63. He was buried at Fremantle Cemetery plot Anglican Mon A7 0304