The AIF Project

Wilfred QUIHAMPTON

Regimental number4297
Place of birthBarnet, England
SchoolMalvern College, Worcestershire, England
Age on arrival in Australia19 or 22
ReligionChurch of England
OccupationFarm labourer
AddressDickigund, Dubbo, New South Wales
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation30
Height6' 0"
Weight154 lbs
Next of kinFather, W G Quihampton, Nutfield, Red Hut, Surrey, England
Previous military serviceNil
Enlistment date7 August 1915
Place of enlistmentDubbo, New South Wales
Rank on enlistmentPrivate
Unit name1st Battalion, 13th Reinforcement
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/18/4
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A60 Aeneas on 20 December 1915
Rank from Nominal RollPrivate
Unit from Nominal Roll54th Battalion
FateKilled in Action 19-20 July 1916
Age at death29
Age at death from cemetery records29
Place of burialNo known grave
Commemoration detailsV.C. Corner (Panel No 11), Australian Cemetery Memorial, Fromelles, France
Panel number, Roll of Honour,
  Australian War Memorial
159
Miscellaneous information from
  cemetery records
Parents: William and Clara QUIHAMPTON, Wood Cottage, Nutfield, Surrey, England. Native of Barnet, Herts, England
Other details

War service: Egypt, Western Front

Allotted to and proceeded to 54th Bn from 1st Training Bn, Zeitoun, 16 February 1916; joined 54th Bn, Tel el Kebir, 16 February 1916.

Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 19 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 19/20 July 1916.

Killed in action, 19/20 July 1916.

Note, Red Cross File No 2220604: 'No trace Germany[.] Cert. by Capt. Mills. 10-10-19.'

Letter, 4310 R.O. SAMUELS, to Mrs Quihampton, 14 August 1916: 'As I am the other remaining friend of your son, W. Quihampton, it is my duty to write you a short letter. The day after we embarked in Sydney he gave me your address and told me that if anything should ever happen [to] him to write to you and tell you that he had done his best for home and country and now, Mrs. Quihampton, it has fallen to my lot to send this this cruel news, but you must be brave and, besides, it was God's will so we must not complain, and there are thousands of other mothers who have to mourn the loss of their dear ones, but I can feel for you, Madam, because I lost my brother in the same charge and I have to send the cruel news to my dear mother, but you know when we enlist we know that we can't all go home again, some of us must give our lives. Your boy was my best chum and I know I will never get another friend like him in this world, he was in every sense of the word a pure man. There is a possibility of your son coming to light again, but I feel sure he was killed. I can give you no hope, so, dear Mrs. Quihampton, do be brave and don't cry; you son was a brave, good man.

Second letter, 4870 Pte J.H. ROBERTS, 54th Bn, to Mrs Quihampton, 14 August 1916: 'It is with regret that I have to write this letter which bears such bad news for you, but you must try and bear up, as I know what it is, as my mother is still alive and I think it is the ones that are left at home that suffer most, but it cannot be helped, as thousands of other mothers have lost their sons. Your son, W. Quihampton, and I enlisted on the 24th of August last year and have been together ever since and a better friend and comrade one could never find, always looked on the bright side of things, always cheerful. We went into a charge together, six of us who had been together since the start and only two us came back allright. One was killed and the rest are reported missing, and your son is among the missing. There is just a chance of their all being taken prisoners, or they may be in the hospital. There was (sic) several of our boys cut off. There is just a chance they may be alright yet, as they were alright just before we retired back to our own trenches. I am sending you a few little things I gt in his pack - one large jacknife - he told me his father gave him some years ago -one houswife and one small pocket-book. They are in three separate parcels and if I get over to England I shall call on you and tell you all. In the meantime I hope we get some good news of our boys' whereabouts. With kind regards from Bill's old mate.'

Statement, 4310 Pte R. SAMUELS, 1st Bn, 31 July 1917: 'All I can say is that he was my pal, but up till now I have been unable to find any trace of him, the only conclusion I can come to is that he must have been hit by a shell and blown out of recognition[;] there are many cases of this sort in big battles. He was never seen by anybody who knew him after we left our own parapet to cross No Man's Land[;] therefore I am almost sure that that was his end.'

Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal
Miscellaneous detailsGiven name incorrectly entered on Embarkation Roll as Wilfrid.
SourcesNAA: B2455, QUIHAMPTON Wilfred
Red Cross file 2220604

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