Soldiers of World War I
When World War I broke out, many young men from the Wyong District volunteered to fight. These pages list some of those brave young men, and their stories.
Hector and George Crane were the youngest two sons of Phillip and Eliza Crane of Wyong. They enlisted on 4th May 1915.
Pte Hector Crane was in 55th Btn and L/Cpl George Crane was in 4th Machine Gun Company. Both were killed in France within a month of each other – Hector on 16th March 1917 and George on 11 April 1917.
Pte Hector Crane was in 55th Btn and L/Cpl George Crane was in 4th Machine Gun Company. Both were killed in France within a month of each other – Hector on 16th March 1917 and George on 11 April 1917.
Thomas Basil Gascoigne (click for his story)
Raymond Leslie Goldsmith (click for his story)
Private Francis Wallace Hill Service Number 2429 of the 35th Battalion. Francis Wallace was born in Wyong, and lived at Wyong Creek in 1916 when he enlisted, age 32 and working as a farmer. He also enlisted in WW2.
Francis Hill died in 1972 at Graithwaite Hospital, North Sydney and is buried at Jilliby Cemetery, Jilliby.
Francis Hill died in 1972 at Graithwaite Hospital, North Sydney and is buried at Jilliby Cemetery, Jilliby.
Private Clarence George Johnson 3rd Btn, enlisted on the 8 May 1916. He was wounded at Bullecourt, France on 4 October 1917. It was three days before his division found him, wounded from a shell blast which resulted in the amputation of his left leg and loss of hearing. Clarence Johnson died 9th April 1939, and is buried at Noraville Cemetery
Private Leonard Jean Kelle was with the 1st Infantry Battalion and sailed from Sydney on HMAT Argyllshire on 10th April 1915. He was killed in action at Gallipoli on 6th August 1915, and is buried at Lone Pine Memorial Cemetery, Gallipoli.
Private Bertie Pemberton enlisted in 1st Pioneer Battalion He departed Sydney on 19th December 1917 on HMAT Ulysses.He died February 1919 and is buried in Charleroi Cemetery, Belgium.
The 1st Pioneers were the Pioneer Battalion of the 1st Division . Pioneer Battalions were essentially light military combat engineers organised like the infantry and located at the very forward edge of the battle area. They were used to develop and enhance protection and mobility for supported troops and to deny it to the enemy. They constructed defensive positions, command posts and dugouts, prepared barbed wire defences and on occasion breached those of the enemy using devices like the Bangalore Torpedo.
The 1st Pioneers were the Pioneer Battalion of the 1st Division . Pioneer Battalions were essentially light military combat engineers organised like the infantry and located at the very forward edge of the battle area. They were used to develop and enhance protection and mobility for supported troops and to deny it to the enemy. They constructed defensive positions, command posts and dugouts, prepared barbed wire defences and on occasion breached those of the enemy using devices like the Bangalore Torpedo.
William John Woodbury was born 24th August 1897 at Yarramalong to William Thomas and Susannah (Bailey) Woodbury.
Private William Woodbury was a Trooper with the 7th Australian Light Horse Regiment which sailed from Sydney on 7th June 1915 on HMAT Chilka. He was killed in action at Gallipoli on 19th October 1915, and is buried at Shell Green Cemetery, Gallipoli Peninsula, Turkey.
Private William Woodbury was a Trooper with the 7th Australian Light Horse Regiment which sailed from Sydney on 7th June 1915 on HMAT Chilka. He was killed in action at Gallipoli on 19th October 1915, and is buried at Shell Green Cemetery, Gallipoli Peninsula, Turkey.