Haines, William Christie Hall
6089 Private William Christy Haines - 28th Battalion AIF
William Christy Haines was born in Fremantle WA on the 21st December 1898 to Gilford and Ella Haines and he had a younger brother Gilford born in 1903.
The family lived in Fremantle till 1903 when they moved to Mingenew however they returned to Fremantle a few years later. Due to being in Three Springs William was exempt from service in the cadet scheme as he was living too far away from where these were held.
William's mother Ella died in Fremantle on the 7th September 1912.
William was working as a farm labourer at three springs but prior to the Great War was living at 21 Burt Street Fremantle. (later renumbered to 1 Burt Street)
On the 30th June 1916 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 11 inches tall;
Weight - 136lbs;
Chest Measurement - 33-36 inches;
Complexion - Fresh;
Eyes - Grey;
Hair - Brown.
Upon his successful enlistment William was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp. He was then assigned to No.78 Training Depot. He was taken through the basics of infantry training at this camp and then on the 1st August 1916 was transferred to the 18th Reinforcements to the 28th Battalion AIF.
William trained with this group for a month and then on the 4th September 1916 was transferred to the 17th Reinforcements to the 28th Battalion. He trained with this group in WA for the next two months. Their embarkation orders then came through and on the 9th November 1916 they entrained for Fremantle Harbour where they boarded the transport ship HMAT Argyllshire. The ship then set sail for England, arriving at Devonport on the 10th January 1917.
William and his group were then disembarked and sent to the 7th Training Battalion at Rollestone Camp on the Salisbury Plains. He trained here for a few weeks but on the 2nd February 1917 was sent to Fargo Military hospital as he was suffering from scabies.
He was in hospital for six weeks, only returning to his training battalion on the 18th March 1917. He had another six weeks at the 7th Training Battalion, then on the 25th April 1917 embarked for France. Upon arrival William was sent to the 2nd Australian Division Base Depot at Etaples. He stayed there for a week and on the 2nd May 1917 was taken on strength of the 28th Battalion AIF.
William joined the 28th Battalion just in time to take part in the Second Battle of Bullecourt. He survived this action unscathed and when the battle was over, the 28th Battalion was sent on a three month rest period out of the front line. From June to August 1917, the 28th Battalion spent much of the time on training and sporting activities.
In September 1917 the 28th battalion moved to Belgium where they took part in the Third Battle of Ypres. On the 20th September 1917 the 28th Battalion saw action in the Battle of Menin Road. The unit took their objectives, but during the action, William was wounded by shrapnel in the head and hands.
He was initially sent to the 6th Field Ambulance where his wounds were first treated and was then transported to the 2nd Canadian Casualty Clearing Station. Willian had more work done on his wounds here and was then put on an ambulance train which took him to the French coastal town of Le Treport. On arrival here he was admitted to the 16th USA General Hospital.
After a few weeks at Le Treport, William was shipped to England where he was sent to Bath War Hospital. Unfortunately his thumb could not be saved and had to be amputated. William was in Bath War Hospital until the 19th December 1917 when he was transferred to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Dartford.
William spent another month here and on the 24th January 1918 was transferred to No.2 Command Depot Camp in Weymouth. On the 25th February 1918 William was transferred to AIF HQ in London for duty. He was then attached for duty with the AIF Kit stores in England.
William would spend much of 1918 in England on this duty. On the 27th October 1918 he would be sent to the 2nd Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Southall with influenza. He would spend the next month in hospital and would be there when the Armistice was announced on the 11th November 1918.
William was released from hospital on the 21st November 1918 and then returned to duty at the AIF Kit stores. On the 20th January 1919 he left the AIF Kit stores and returned to No.2 Command Depot Camp at Weymouth. He had a few weeks here and then on the 5th February was transferred to No.1 Command Depot Camp at Sutton Veny.
William would wait here while being assigned a berth on a troopship home. On the 3rd March 1919 William boarded the transport ship Euripides and set sail for home, arriving at Fremantle on the 19th April 1919. William was then discharged from the AIF on the 31st May 1919.
After his discharge from the AIF William returned to farming at Three Springs.
In 1924 William married Doreen Olive Clark in Perth but they then moved back to Three Springs where William was working as a butcher.
Around 1930 they then moved to Onslow Road in Subiaco and William found employment as a Commercial Traveller. Prior to World War Two they moved to Coode Street in South Perth.
During World War Two, William offered his services again and was accepted for service with the Australian Army within Australia. He was given the service number W237674. After his enlistment he was given the rank of Lieutenant. He was assigned to the 5th Military District HQ Echelon and Records section. In 1943 he was promoted to Captain. William was in service till 1947 when he was discharged.
William died on the 3rd July 1977 aged 78. He was cremated at Karrakatta Cemetery.