The AIF Project

William Henry GELDARD

Regimental number4789
Place of birthArnidale, New South Wales
SchoolSuperior Public School, Armidale, New South Wales
ReligionChurch of England
OccupationShop assistant
AddressBeardy Street, Armidale, New South Wales
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation25
Height5' 4"
Weight118 lbs
Next of kinFather, Mr H.W. Geldard, Beardy Street, Armidale, New South Wales
Previous military serviceMember, Reservist Rifle Club.
Enlistment date15 November 1915
Rank on enlistmentPrivate
Unit name4th Battalion, 15th Reinforcement
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/21/4
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A15 Star Of England on 8 March 1916
Rank from Nominal RollPrivate
Unit from Nominal Roll56th Battalion
FateKilled in Action 20 July 1916
Place of death or woundingFromelles, France
Age at death27
Place of burialNo known grave
Commemoration detailsV.C. Corner (Panel No 13), Australian Cemetery Memorial, Fromelles, France
Panel number, Roll of Honour,
  Australian War Memorial
162
Miscellaneous information from
  cemetery records
Parents: Henry and Francis GELDARD. Native of Armidale, New South Wales
Family/military connectionsBrother: [2442] Lt Herbert Stanley GELDARD MC, 53rd Bn, returned to Australia, 21 March 1919.
Other details

War service: Egypt, Western Front

Taken on strength of 56th Bn, Ferry Post, 20 April 1916.

Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 19 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 29 June 1916.

Posted missing, 20 July 1916.

Previous report of missing, now, 28 July 1916, to be reported as 'Killed in Action, 20 July 1916'.

Statement, Red Cross File No 1150408, 3008 Lance Corporal D. BROADHEAD [?] (patient, Musters Road Military Hospital, Nottingham, England), 22 September 1916: 'We were attacking on July 19th and I saw Geldard badly wounded, on a Stretcher (sic). The wound was caused by shell.'

Second statement, 4771 Pte L. DUMONT, C Company, 56th Bn (patient, No 11 General Hospital, Etaples), 25 October 1916: 'I saw him dead at the bottom of Mine Avenue. He had been smashed up by a shell. They were burying some of our ded there, and some by the railway.'

Third statement, 4805 Pte C. HARVEY, 56th Bn (patient, Norfolk War Hospital, Norwich, England), 11 November 1916: 'Informant states that on the 20th July at Fleurbaix, W.H. Geldard was killed by a shell and his body was buried in the small (military) cemetery there.'

Fourth statement, 5180 Pte H.J. ORR, B Company, 56th Bn (patient, 2nd Birmingham War Hospital, Hollymoor, England), 15 November 1916: 'Informant states that on July 20th at Fromelles nr. Armentieres Pte. Geldard was killed in the trenches and was buried by the Pioneers Battalion.'

Fifth statement, 4841 Pte R. MOORE, 56th Bn (patient, 3rd London General Hospital, Wandsworth, England), 17 November 1916: Informant states that Pte. W.H. Geldard was on observation duty on [the] parapet, he was sniped, being insrantly killed. He was buried in a cemetery just behind thetrench called Wye Farm Cemetery at Fleurbaix. Thecasualty happened in the morning, so far as Informant can remember, about 11 o'clock.'

Sixth statement, 4775 Pte F.W. ENDERSBY, B Company, 56th Bn (patient, No 5 General Hospital, Rouen), 2 December 1916: 'Informant states that Geldard was buried in the Churchyard behind the lines at Fromelles. He cannot say which Churchyard but it was the one nearest to the ammunition dump.'

Seventh statement, [3667] Cadet J.T. ADAMS, A Company, 6 OCB, Balliol College, Oxford, England, 18 December 1916: 'It is true as I was the last chap that he spoke to. He was killed by shrapnel and I was one of the chaps that carried him out of the trench.'

Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal
SourcesNAA: B2455, GELDARD William Henry
Red Cross File No 1150408

Print format    


© The AIF Project 2024, UNSW Canberra. Not to be reproduced without permission.