Gurney, Joseph William
3804 Private Joseph William Gurney - 11th Battalion AIF
Joseph William Gurney was born in Nedlands WA on the 11th January 1882 to James and Ellen Gurney and was one of eight children born into the family.
The family had lived on Rottnest Island in the 1900's and then Fremantle Joseph's father was a warder on Rottnest Island and in Fremantle Prison.
In 1910 in Fremantle Joseph married Margaret Ellen Stephens and a son Thomas was born in 1912. During this time Joseph also saw service in the 88th Regiment of the Citizens Military Forces.
The family lived at 49 Bellevue Terrace and Joseph was working as a strike for the WA Government Railways.
On the 28th July 1915 Joseph enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. He was passed as fit for enlistment with the medical examiner recording his physical attributes as;
Height - 5 feet 7 & 1/4 inches tall;
Weight - 123lbs;
Chest Measurement - 33-35 inches;
Complexion - Dark;
Eyes - Grey;
Hair - Brown.
Upon his successful enlistment Joseph was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where hew as assigned to No.20 Training Depot. He spent the next two months here being taken through the basics of infantry work. On the 16th October 1915 he was then assigned to the 12th Reinforcements to the 11th Battalion AIF.
On the 22nd November 1915 Joseph and his group entrained for Fremantle Harbour where they boarded the transport ship RMS Mongolia and set sail for Egypt. The ship arrived in Egypt three weeks later and the men were disembarked and sent into the reinforcement camp.
The 11th battalion was currently at Gallipoli but that battlefield was being evacuated, so the 11th Battalion returned to Egypt in January 1916. Joseph did not join them immediately as a bout of influenza kept him in hospital through January and February. On the 2nd March 1916 Joseph was officially taken on strength of the 11th battalion AIF.
He only had a few weeks with them in Egypt as on the 29th March 1916, the 11th battalion departed for France, arriving at Marseilles on the 5th April 1916. The men were then disembarked and sent north to the Armentieres sector of the Western Front.
They would have their first experience of the Western Front in this sector. On the 30th May 1916 the Germans launched a heavy raid on the 11th Battalion positions, and a shell landed nearby Joseph and though not wounding him it caused shell shock.
Joseph had two weeks away from his unit before rejoining them in June 1916. In July 1916 the 11th battalion was moved to the Somme battlefield where they would take part in the capture of Pozieres village. On the 23rd July 1916 the 11th battalion helped in the successful capture of this village. After the village was captured the Germans launched a torrent of shellfire on the position.
Joseph was initially reported missing but it seems that he was blown up by a shell and again suffered from severe shell shock. He was evacuated to the 10th General Hospital in Rouen but only spent a few days there and was then transferred to England.
On the 28th July 1916 Joseph was admitted to Graylingwell War Hospital in Chichester. He spent the next few weeks here before being given a two week furlough. On the 23rd August Joseph reported into No.1 Command Depot Camp at Perham Downs and was then transferred to the 3rd Training Battalion. He had a few days there and was then returned to France.
On the 30th August 1916 Joseph joined the 1st Australian Division Base Depot at Etaples and was on strength of this unit till the 13th December 1916 when he was returned to the 11th Battalion. The 11th Battalion were on the Somme battlefield near Flers. However Joseph was only with them for five days as he was evacuated with rheumatism.
He was sent to the 22nd General Hospital at Camiers but on the 2nd January 1917 was transferred to a convalescent camp. He had a few days rest there and then returned to the 1st Australian Division Base Depot. He had a month there and it seems his health was assessed and due to the rheumatism and general debility was then returned to England on the 13th February 1917.
On arrival in England Joseph was sent to No.2 Command Depot Camp in Weymouth. He would now wait here to be assigned a berth on a troopship home. On the 4th May 1917 Joseph boarded the transport ship HMAT Themistocles and set sail for home, reaching Fremantle on the 25th June 1917.
Joseph was discharged from the AIF on the 16th July 1917.
He then returned home to the family, who by then had moved to 99 Mary Street Beaconsfield. (later renamed to 41 Solomon Street) Despite being discharged from the AIF, Joseph continued with his service, being taken on the staff of No.8 Australian General Hospital in Fremantle.
Sadly his wife Maggie died on 3rd august 1919.
In 1931 Joseph was living at 9 Dorothy St Fremantle but then worked in the country for the next few years at Williams and Darkan. He then moved back to Perth, residing at Victoria Park.
In World War Two, Joseph again offered his services, enlisting on the 11th October 1939. He was accepted and given the service number W243103 and was assigned to the 10th Garrison Battalion. His son Thomas who was at the RAA Barracks in Fremantle was named as his next of kin.
Joseph served from 1939 to February 1941 in the 10th Garrison Battalion and was then transferred to the 5th Garrison Battalion, with whom he served up to June 19143. He was then sent to the 29th Garrison Battalion, and srved with them for seven months. In February 1944 he was transferred to No.26 Employment Company.
Joseph was discharged from the Army in 1947.
He then returned home and took up residence in Guildford.
Joseph died on the 30th August 1964 in Midland WA aged 83. He was buried in Midland Cemetery plot Roman Catholic F0025.