Regimental number | 2457 |
Place of birth | York, Western Australia |
School | West Perth State School, Western Australia |
Religion | Church of England |
Occupation | Driver |
Marital status | Married |
Age at embarkation | 30 |
Height | 5' 4.5" |
Weight | 145 lbs |
Next of kin | Wife, Mrs Mary Turvey, 5 Tower Street, Leederville, Western Australia |
Previous military service | Nil |
Enlistment date | |
Date of enlistment from Nominal Roll | |
Place of enlistment | Perth, Western Australia |
Rank on enlistment | Private |
Unit name | 11th Battalion, 7th Reinforcement |
AWM Embarkation Roll number | 23/28/2 |
Embarkation details | Unit embarked from Fremantle, Western Australia, on board HMAT A63 Karoola on |
Rank from Nominal Roll | Corporal |
Unit from Nominal Roll | 12th Field Artillery Brigade |
Fate | Killed in Action |
Place of death or wounding | Messines, Belgium |
Age at death | 32 |
Age at death from cemetery records | 32 |
Place of burial | Derry House Cemetery No. 2 (Plot II, Row B, Grave No. 1), Wytschaete, Belgium |
Panel number, Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial | 21 |
Miscellaneous information from cemetery records | Parents: William and Emily TURVEY, 11 Tower Street, Leederville, Western Australia. Native of York, Western Australia |
Other details |
War service: Egypt, Gallipoli, Western Front Embarked Alexandria to join the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, Gallipoli, 31 July 1915. Taken on strength, 11th Bn, 4 August 1915. Admitted to 1st Australian Casualty Clearing Station, 16 August 1915 (diarrhoea); transferred to Mudros, 16 August 1915, and then to Malta, and admitted to St Danid's Hospital, 25 August 1915 (debility and colitis) Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 2 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 9 June 1916. Transferred to 12th Australian Light Trench Mortar Battery, 3 July 1916; taken on strength, in the field, 4 July 1916. Appointed Lance Corporal, 2 August 1916. Promoted Corporal, 11 April 1917. Killed in action, Belgium, 16 August 1917. Statement, Red Cross File No 2800506L, 32067 Pte E.R. HAWKINS, 12th Light Trench Mortar Battery, 29 November 1917: 'I saw him hit in the back by piece of shell and died in a few minutes. Just said, "I've got one boys". He was sitting outside a dug-out at Wytschaete near Messines. I helped to buty him at 4th Div. H.Qrs. Wyteschaete. I had only known him for a week[;] believe he was married and had two children. A stout block of a man, had only returned from leave about a week and was made Cpl.' Second statement, 27116 Gunner P.F. Quinn, 12th Light Trench Mortar Battery, 7 January 1918: 'There were six of us in a pill box at Wytschaete when a shell hit a tree right in front of the box and blew into the door and killed Turvey outright wounding Stuart and Sutton. Turvey was buried by us at then Bgde. H.Qrs there - he was given a good funeral and a cross erected over his grave.' Third statement, 3316 Corporal L.M. HENDERSON, 12th Light Trench Mortar Battery, 19 December 1917: 'He was resting out-side a dug-out Wytschaete near Messines, he was hit through the heart by a piece of shell. I saw him just after he was hit, and helped to bury him in the Cemetery near the 47th Bn. Headqrs.' Fourth statement, 27340 Gunner W.F. CALCRAFT, 12th Light Trench Mortar Battery, 8 February 1918: 'Turvey was in a pill-box at Wytschaete with me and two others, when a shell hit a tree in front of the opening and a fragment passed through his side killing him and slightly wounding me. It was his first time in the line.' Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal |
Sources | NAA: B2455, TURVEY William
Red Cross File No 2800506L |