Bushby, William Job Stanley
4303 Private William Job Stanley Bushby - 48th Battalion AIF
William was born on the 9th March 1896 in Greta NSW to William and Sarah Bushby, being one of six siblings.
The family moved to WA in 1900's and took up residence in 14 South Street Fremantle. William was educated locally and took up working as a cooper. During this time he had served in the Navy Cadets and then continued this service in the Navy Reserve
His younger brother Harry had enlisted early in the Great War and was serving with the 11th Battalion. On the 8th May 1917 William enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force and was accepted as fit for service. The medical examiner recorded William's physical attributes as;
Height - 5 feet 7 inches tall;
Weight - 126lbs;
Chest Measurement - 33-36 inches;
Complexion - Fresh;
Eyes - Brown;
Hair - Brown.
After his successful enlistment, William was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he had a few weeks in the depot training camp. He was then assigned to the 12th Reinforcements to the 2nd Pioneer Battalion AIF. He trained with this group in WA for the next few months before heading to Victoria to complete their training.
On the 30th October 1917 William and his group embarked from Port Melbourne aboard the transport ship HMAT Aeneas. The ship then set sail for England, reaching Devonport Harbour on the 27th December 1917. William and his group were then disembarked and sent to the Pioneer Training Battalion at Sutton Veny Camp. On the 2nd January 1918 William was then transferred to the 15th Training Battalion. While he was in England his brother Harold was killed in Belgium in 1918 while serving with the 11th battalion.
On the 1st April 1918 William was sent to France and after a few days at the Base Depot Camp he was sent to join the 48th battalion AIF. He was taken on strength on the 16th April 1918. William then took part in the 48th Battalion action at Monument Wood on the 3rd May 1918.
During the attack he was shot in the shoulder and he was able to get back to the 12th Field Ambulance to receive medical treatment. He was then sent to the French town of Rouen where he was admitted to the 12th USA General Hospital. Fortunately the wound was not severe and after a few weeks William was returned to the Base Depot.
On the 7th June 1918 William was taken back on strength of the 48th Battalion. William and his unit were in support positions when Hamel village was successfully captured on July 4th 1918.
William then participated in the 8th August 1918 advance from the Villers Bretonneux front which broke through the Germans lines. He was in action with his unit from August 8th to September 18th 1918. He came through all this time unscathed. The September 18th action at Le Verguier was the 48th Battalion's last action in the war.
On the 26th September 1918 William was detached for duty to the 4th Australian Division as a Guard for the Headquarters. He rejoined his unit on the 13th October 1918. The 48th battalion were still out of the line on a rest period and the Armistice was announced before they could return to the front. After the Armistice was announced the 48th Battalion went to what had been German occupied parts of France and Belgium.
In January 1919 William was sent to the transport section of the Battalion and spent a month on this duty before returning to his Company. William remained in France till the 9th May 1919 and was then returned to England. He was sent to No.4 Group Camp and would remain here while waiting to be assigned a berth on a transport ship home.
On the 12th July 1919 William boarded the transport ship City of Exeter and set sail for home, reaching Fremantle on the 16th August 1919. He was then disembarked and went through a medical examination at No.8 Australian General Hospital in South Terrace Fremantle. He was then discharged from the AIF on the 16th September 1919.
After his return home William was living at 14 South Street and resumed his role as a Cooper. He married on the 4th July 1921 to Effie Eileen Meldrum and son Roy was born in 1922. The family then moved to 130 Sewell Street East Fremantle (later renumbered to 62 Sewell Street). However Effie soon left home and William was granted a divorce.
In 1930 William remarried to Elizabeth Turbett and they would later move to Victoria Park.
William's father died in East Fremantle in 1954 and his mother died in 1958.
William retired to Safety Bay in 1972. William died on the 1st March 1977 at Hollywood Hospital. He was cremated at Karrakatta Cemetery.