Lane, William
361 Private William Lane MM - 44th Battalion AIF
William Lane was born in Newtown NSW on the 14th February 1894 to George and Jessie Lane, being one of eight siblings. William's father George work in the Naval Office in Cliff Street Fremantle and much of his early life was spent around the Port City.
He attended Fremantle Boys School and after leaving school became a horse driver.
William was living at 54 Wardie Street South Fremantle (later renumbered to 35 Wardie St)
On the 8th January 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 5 & 1/2 inches tall;
Weight - 130lbs;
Chest Measurement - 33-36 inches;
Complexion - Fair;
Eyes - Grey;
Hair - Fair.
After his successful enlistment, William was sent to Claremont Camp where he had a few days in No.44 Training Depot and was then assigned to "B" Company of the 44th Battalion AIF.
During the next few months they undertook much training in the Claremont region and going on the rifle range at Osborne. (present day Swanbourne). They trained in WA through March, April and My 1916 when their orders to depart finally came through.
On the 6th June 1916 William and his Battalion boarded the HMAT Suevic in Fremantle Harbour and set sail for England, arriving at Plymouth on the 21st July 1916. After being disembarked, the men were sent to the 3rd Division Training Camp on the Salisbury Plains, where they would remain for several months. On the 15th October 1916 William got into trouble for leaving a church parade without permission and was fined one days pay. A week later he was absent from a parade and was then confined to camp for three days. It appears William was getting a bit tired of all the training as on the 30th October he went absent without leave for five days. After reporting back to camp he was fined twelve days pay and given six days of Field Punishment No.2. This often involved extra duties and hard labour.
It wasn’t until the 25th November 1916 that the 44th Battalion left Southampton England for the journey across to France. After arriving they were sent to the sector around Armentieres where they would gain experience of Western Front life. The 44th Battalion remained in this sector for the next few months over the French winter. On the 10th January 1917, William was wounded when he was struck in the head by shrapnel. Fortunately it was only a slight wound and he was treated at the 10th Australian Field Ambulance and the 12th Casualty Clearing Station. He then returned to his unit on the 25th January 1917.
He spent a month with the 44th Battalion but then reported sick with defective vision. William spent a few days at the 9th Field Ambulance and then returned to his unit on the 9th March 1917.
The 44th Battalion soon moved from Armentieres in France to the Ploegsteert sector in Belgium. From March to August 1917 they would remain in this area. On the 14th May 1917 William got into trouble for going absent without leave for a few hours and had to undergo 5 days of Field Punishment No.2.
In the first few months at Ploegsteert/Messines, as well as the usual routines of trench warfare, the men also undertook trench raids on the German positions. The amount of raids seemed to increase, the closer it got to the start of the Messines Offensive. On June 3rd 1917 the 44th Battalion conducted a raid in Germans positions at Ploegsteert but William came through the action unscathed.
There had been over 20 mines dug beneath the German lines and on the given signal on June 7th 1917 these were exploded, devastating the German front line.
The 44th Battalion took part in the Messines advance as they were assigned the 2nd & 3rd objectives in their sector which took place in the days after June 7th. These were successfully taken though after their initial setback the German resistance had strengthened considerably.
Through June and July 1917 the 44th Battalion remained in the Messines sector. On the 9th July 1917 William was wounded in action but was also recommended for distinction. The official recommendation reads;
On the night of 9th July 1917, this man was a member of a patrol working in No mans Land. Private Lane accompanied by Pte Tyson was on the right flank of the patrol and on the enemy commencing a heavy shelling took cover in a shell hole. While lying up in the shell hole about 200 yards from our front line Pte Tyson was seriously wounded by a fragment of shell. Private Lane attempted to render first aid, but finding the wound too serious he hoisted the wounded man on his back and commenced to carry him in to our trenches. Private Lane had proceeded only a few yards when he was attacked by two Germans, part of an enemy patrol seen earlier in the evening. Laying Pte Tyson down he immediately engaged the two Germans with bombs. Several bombs were exchanged. One of the enemy fell and the other ran away. Private Lane was himself slightly wounded in the head. He then place Pte Tyson on his back again and commenced to crawl back to our trenches. Three more Germans appeared and picking up their comrade who had been hit, they disappeared in the direction of their own lines. Corporal H Barr, the patrol leader, states, that hearing bombing on the right flank of his party, he hurried across and found Private Lane slightly wounded standing over Pte Tyson who was unconscious and apparently badly wounded. This mans brave action not only saved the wounded man but prevented the enemy from obtaining an identification. Pte Lane has done splendid work as a scout ever since the Battalion has been in France. He was previously wounded during the raid carried out by the Battalion at Armentieres on the night of 13th/14th March 1917. On that occasion he showed great courage and initiative in working ahead of the platoon he was guiding, passing alone through the German wire, he stood on the parapet and directed the raiding party by flashing his electric torch. He has always shown great resource and intelligence as a scout.
William was recommended for the Distinguished Conduct Medal but was instead awarded the Military Medal. During the action William had been wounded but only spent a day away from his unit while the wound was patched up.
In September 1917 the 44th Battalion moved to Ypres in Belgium where they would take part in the Third Battle of Ypres. The 44th Battalion saw action at Zonnebeke, Broodseinde Ridge and Passchendaele through October 1917. In the 4th October action near Zonnebeke, William was hit by shrapnel in the thigh and foot. After initial medical treatment at the Field Ambulance, William was then sent to the Casualty Clearing Station. He was then put on an ambulance train which took him to the 26th General Hospital at Etaples. He had five days there before being sent to England.
On arrival in England, William was sent to the Guildford War Hospital. He had just over two weeks of treatment here, and on the 26th October 1917 was transferred to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Dartford. He had another two weeks there and then on the 9th November 1917 was sent to the 2nd Command Depot Camp at Weymouth.
William had been medically assessed while here and due to his wounds, and also still suffering from defective vision, he was ruled as medically unfit for further service. He would spent the next few months at Weymouth Camp.
On the 11th January 1918 William boarded the transport ship Port Darwin and set sail for Australia, reaching Albany on the 26th February 1918. After being disembarked William took a train north to Fremantle and was then sent to No.8 Australian General Hospital in South Terrace Fremantle for further medical treatment. He was then discharged from the AIF on the 15th May 1918.
After his return home, William married in 1921 to Rosetta May Sunnucks. He resumed his work as a horse driver and they lived at 156 Attfield Street Fremantle (later renumbered to 84 Attfield Street)
On the 17th April 1923 William joined the Royal Australian Navy and would spent the next five years as a sailor. He would be based in Fremantle and then Adelaide during this five year period.
After leaving the Navy, William took up work as a skin merchant and in 1930 a daughter Mauretta was born. During this time the family were living at 12 Pier St East Fremantle.
Sadly their daughter Mauretta died at home at 12 Pier Street in 1936 just six years old.
During World War Two William began service with the 2nd Fremantle Battalion Volunteer Defence Corps.
William Lane died on the 30th April 1942 in Subiaco WA aged 47. He was buried at Fremantle Cemetery plot Anglican MON A5 0276.