Irvine, William George
3795 Private William George Irvine - 4th Battalion AIF
William George Irvine was born in Albany WA on the 16th February 1890 to Robert and Margaret Irvine. He was one of nine siblings in the family. After his birth the family moved to Swan Street North Fremantle where his brother Michael Francis 'Frank' Irvine was born in 1896.
They then moved to Perth for a few years (Brother Thomas died 1905 in Perth) before heading to Tambellup. The family then came back to North Fremantle where they lived at Thompson Road.
William was working in NSW when war was declared for the NSW Railways and he enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force at Cootamundra on the 17th August 1915.
William was passed as fit for service, with the medical examiner recording his physical attributes as;
Height - 5 feet 7 inches tall;
Weight - 160lbs;
Chest Measurement - 38 unches;
Complexion - Dark;
Eyes - Brown;
Hair - Black.
Upon his successful enlistment, William was sent to the Liverpool Army Camp in NSW. Upon his arrival he was assigned to the 12th Reinforcements to the 4th Battalion AIF.
On the 7th January 1916 William embarked from Sydney Harbour aboard the transport ship HMAT Medic. The ship then set sail for Egypt, arriving there in February 1916. As the 4th Battalion was already at full capacity, William was retained in the reinforcement camp. On the 27th March 1916 William departed from Alexandria aboard the troopship Saxonia and set sail for France, arriving at Marseilles on the 3rd April 1916.
As he was still in the reinforcements, William entrained to Etaples with the 1st Australian Division Base Depot. Ten days after arriving, William fell ill with scabies and was sent to No.20 General Hospital at Camiers. He was there for a week and was then released back to the 1st Division Base Depot Camp.
William would spend the next month at the base depot, and was officially taken on strength of the 4th Battalion AIF on the 17th May 1916. The 4th battalion were then still situated in the Armentieres sector near Bois Grenier and Estaires. They would remain here through June 1916 and in July 1916 were sent to the Somme Battlefield.
As part of the 1st Australian Division, William and the 4th Battalion participated in the capture of Pozieres on the 23rd July 1916. William came through their week at Pozieres without being wounded but it seems all the digging and labour they were doing in keeping the trenches open and digging out men buried by the shells had another health effect on William. On the 3rd August 1916 he reported ill and the medical officer at the 1st Australian Field Ambulance diagnosed that William had developed a hernia.
William was sent to the 3rd Canadian Stationary Hospital at Boulogne and he was here till the 25th August 1916. He was then transferred to Etaples and admitted to the 26th General Hospital. The following day he was shipped to England and upon arrival was sent to the Norfolk War Hospital at Norwich.
It took a fair time to recover from the hernia as he was not released from Norfolk War Hospital till the 23rd October 1916. He was then transferred to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Dartford. After a few days here William was deemed well enough to be sent on a two week furlough. On the 11th November 1916 he then reported into the No.1 Command Depot Camp at Perham Downs.
William spent the next month at Perham Downs but was then deemed well enough to return to France. On the 13th December 1916 William left Folkestone on a troopship and set sail for France. He then reported into the 1st Australian Division Base Depot Camp at Etaples. He was taken back on strength of the 4th Battalion on the 20th December 1916.
The 4th Battalion were then situated on the Somme Battlefield near Flers. He spent the next few weeks with them but it appears his hernia flared up again and he was sent to hospital at Rouen. On the 19th January he was then transferred to the 26th General Hospital at Etaples. He had two days there and was then transferred to England, where upon arrival he was sent to the 3rd London General Hospital at Wandsworth.
Again, the hernia took some time to heal and William was a patient at Wandsworth till the 20th April 1917. He was then given a two week furlough and reported into No.4 Command Depot Camp at Wareham on the 5th May 1917. William reported into two days late and was fined five days pay.
On the 15th May 1917 William was transferred to the newly forming 61st Battalion of the new 6th AIF Division. This new Division was being formed in England from reinforcements from other units, but it soon became clear that not enough men were coming from Australia to complete a 6th Infantry Division, so this unit was disbanded and the men returned to their previous units.
William returned to France on the 12th September 1917 and had two weeks at the 1st Australian Division Base Depot at Etaples but was taken back on strength of the 4th Battalion on the 25th September 1917. The 4th Battalion was then in Belgium taking part in the Third Battle of Ypres. On the 4th October 1917 William took part in the action around Broodseinde Ridge and Zonnebeke. Though casualties were heavy for the 4th Battalion, William came through the successful operation unscathed.
The 4th Battalion remained in this sector for the next month. On the 5th November 1917 William was hit by shrapnel from a German shell, being struck in the leg and shoulder. After treatment at the 1st Field Ambulance and the 3rd Casualty Clearing Station, William was sent on an ambulance train to the 9th General Hospital at Rouen. He had three days here and was then shipped to England.
Upon arrival in England, William was admitted to the 3rd Southern General Hospital. He had a few weeks here and was then transferred to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Dartford. He was there for a further ten days and on the 17th December was transferred to No.3 Command Depot Camp. William would have the next two months in this camp while he overcame his wounds and restored to full fitness.
On the 22nd February 1918 William was transferred to the Overseas Training Brigade Camp at Longbridge Deverell. He had a few more weeks here and returned to France on the 13th March 1918. After a few days at the Base Depot Camp William rejoined his unit on the 18th March 1918.
From November 1917 to March 1918, the 4th Battalion had been holding the front line in the sector between Messines and Ypres in Belgium.
As a result of the German offensive of March 21st 1918 when they broke through the British front in the southern sector, the five Australian divisions were sent to the Somme to help stop this advance. The 4th Battalion, as part of the 1st Australian Division was the last of the divisions to leave Belgium and had just arrived near Amiens when the Germans broke through the line in Belgium and made a speedy advance into northern France. The 1st Australian Division was then returned north and met the Germans around Hazebrouck, Meteren and Merris and for the next few months were in action here.
On the 13th April 1918 at Strazeele William was wounded when the 4th Battalion came into contact with the Germans. He had been struck in the thigh by shrapnel and after being hit was taken by stretcher bearers to the 1st Field Ambulance where he was initially treated. Further medical work took place at the 15th Casualty Clearing Station before he was admitted to hospital. William only had three days in hospital in France as he was then shipped to England.
Upon arrival in England, William was sent to Colchester Military Hospital. He spent a month there on recovery and on the 22nd May 1918 was transferred to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Dartford. He had tow more days here and was then sent to No.3 Command Depot Camp. William would have the next four months in England in various camps while he was recovering to full fitness.
He returned to France on the 4th October 1918 and was taken on strength of the 4th Battalion on the 11th October 1918. When he rejoined them, the 4th battalion were on a rest period away from the front line and the Armistice was announced a few weeks later on the 11th November 1918 so William did not have to return to action.
On the 30th November 1918 William's Hernia again flared up and he was sent to the 9th General Hospital at Rouen. He then returned to England on the 23rd December 1918 and upon arrival was sent to No.2 Command Depot Camp at Weymouth. William would remain here while waiting to be assigned a berth on a troopship home. On the 7th February 1919 William boarded the transport ship Lancashire and set sail for home, arriving at Fremantle on the 21st March 1919.
Upon being disembarked William was sent to No.8 Australian General Hospital in South Terrace where he was given a full medical examination. William was then discharged from the AIF on the 6th May 1919.
William then returned to the family home in North Fremantle and was soon living in Harvest Street North Fremantle.
William had a brother who had remained in SA before the family moved to WA, called Robert (born 1884) who died in the War in April 1918, being killed with the 52nd Battalion at Villers-Bretonneux.
William lived at Harvest Road North Fremantle in the 1920's and also resided at Norfolk Lane Fremantle and Mary Street.
His mother died on the 30th April 1923;, and his father died on the 13th October 1928
In 1928 William was married to Charlotte Mary 'Lottie' Bodycoat and they would take up residence in Maylands before moving to Merriwa Street Hollywood in 1931
William died on the 8th September 1941 at Wyndham meat works due to an accident when he fell down a hatch on a ship. He died in hospital a few days after the accident.