William Thomas SHIRLEY

Regimental number5756
Date of birth1876
Place of birthPenrith, England
Other NamesSHERLEY, William Thomas
ReligionRoman Catholic
OccupationBuilder
Address53 Rope Street, Leichhardt, Sydney, New South Wales
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation39.4
Height5' 6"
Weight134 lbs
Next of kinBrother, J Shirley, 53 Rope Street, Leichhardt, Sydney, New South Wales
Previous military serviceNil
Enlistment date12 January 1916
Date of enlistment from Nominal Roll11 January 1916
Place of enlistmentCasula, New South Wales
Rank on enlistmentPrivate
Unit name13th Battalion, 18th Reinforcement
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/30/4
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A46 Clan Macgillivray on 3 May 1916
Regimental number from Nominal Roll5756A
Rank from Nominal RollPrivate
Unit from Nominal Roll13th Battalion
FateReturned to Australia 25 August 1917
Discharge date29 November 1917
Other details

War service: Egypt, Western Front

Taken on strength, 13th Bn, France, 24 March 1917.

Admitted to 13th Australian Field Ambulance (debility), 14 April 1917; transferred to England on hospital ship, 25 April 1917, and admitted to Southwark Military Hospital, Dulwich, 27 April 1917 (pleurisy); discharged on furlough, 12 June 1917.

Commenced return to Australia, August 1917; discharged (medically unfit: senility and debility), Sydney, 29 November 1917.

Pre-war tuberculosis accentuated by war service. Entered Lady Davidson Home, Turramurra, for TB treatment, 1924. Spent 18 months carving a replica Sphinx from rock and sandstone in Ku-rin-gai Chase, unveiled by the Governor of New South Wales, Sir Phillip Game, 3 May 1931.

Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal
Date of death27 August 1929
Age at death52
Place of burialRookwood Catholic Cemeteries and Crematoria, Rookwood, New South Wales
SourcesNAA: B2455, SHIRLEY William Thomas
https://www.warmemorialsregister.nsw.gov.au/news/great-sphinx-ku-ring-gai-chase-national-park