William Hilton SAUNDERS

Regimental number4901
Place of birthGoodooga, New South Wales
Other NamesWilliam Hilton
ReligionChurch of England
OccupationGrocer
AddressWongarbon, New South Wales
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation21
Height5' 7.5"
Weight136 lbs
Next of kinFather, E J Saunders, Wongarbon, New South Wales
Previous military serviceNil
Enlistment date15 October 1915
Date of enlistment from Nominal Roll8 October 1915
Place of enlistmentStuart Town, New South Wales
Rank on enlistmentPrivate
Unit name13th Battalion, 15th Reinforcement
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/30/4
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A15 Star Of England on 8 March 1916
Rank from Nominal RollDriver
Unit from Nominal Roll4th Division Ammunition Column
FateReturned to Australia 12 May 1919
Discharge date27 August 1919
Other details

War service: Egypt, Western Front

Embarked Sydney, 8 March 1916; disembarked Egypt, 11 April 1916.

Transferred to 4th Divisional Artillery, Tel el Kebir, 16 April 1916.

Appinted Driver, 18 May 1916.

Taken on strength, 4th Divisional Ammunition Column, 25 May 1916.

Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 6 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 13 June 1916.

[Page appears to be missing from Form B103.]

Found guilty, 17 August 1917, of when on Active Service, drunkenness in Calais, 7 August 1917: awarded 21 days' Field Punishment No 2.

Wounded in action, 15 October 1917 gun shot wound, right foot), and admitted to 3rd Australian Field Ambulance; transferred to 35th General Hospital, 16 October 1917; to England, 19 October 1917, and admitted to East Suffolk and Ipswich Hospital, 20 October 1917; discharged on furlough, 20 November 1917, to report to No 1 Command Depot, Sutton Veny, 4 December 1917.

Marched out to Overseas Training Bn, Longbridge Deverill, 20 December 1917.

Proceeded overseas to France, 9 January 1918; rejoined unit, in the field, 15 January 1918.

Admitted to 13th Australian Field Ambulance, 2 September 1918 (injury, hand); transferred to 41st Stationary Hospital, 5 September 1918 (abscess, forearm); to 9th General Hospital, Rouen, 6 September 1918; to 2nd Convalescent Depot, 12 September 1918; to 11th Convalesecent Depot, Buchy, 20 September 1918; to Base Depot, Havre, 20 September 1918; rejoined unit, in the field, 28 September 1918.

On leave to United Kingdom, 26 October 1918; rejoined unit from leave, 21 November 1918.

Found guilty, 18 November 1918, of being absent without leave in London, 6 am, 12 November, to 10.10 pm, 16 November 1918: awarded forfeiture of 5 days' pay; total forfeiture: 10 days' pay.

Marched out for return to Australia, 21 March 1919; marched out to England, 31 March 1919; disembarked Weymouth, 1 April 1919, and marched in to No 4 Command Depot.

Commenced return to Australia on board HT 'Port Napier', 12 May 1919; disembarked Sydney, 5 July 1919; discharged (termination of period of enlistment), Sydney, 27 August 1919.

Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal
Miscellaneous detailsSecond given name incorrectly entered on Embarkation Roll as Hinton. Address incorrectly entered on Embarkation Roll as Wongarba.
SourcesNAA: B2455, SAUNDERS William Hilton
UNSW Canberra Academy Library Manuscript Collection: Guide to the Papers of William Hilton Saunders
Digitised Diary: February 1916 to 2 Jan 1917
Digitised Diary: 1 January 1917 to 24 October 1917
Digitised Diary: 1 January 1918 to 31 December 1918
Digitised Diary: 18 February 1919 to 8 July 1919 October 1917
Digitised Diary: 1916-1919 address book with poetry