The AIF Project

William TURVEY

Regimental number2457
Place of birthYork, Western Australia
SchoolWest Perth State School, Western Australia
ReligionChurch of England
OccupationDriver
Marital statusMarried
Age at embarkation30
Height5' 4.5"
Weight145 lbs
Next of kinWife, Mrs Mary Turvey, 5 Tower Street, Leederville, Western Australia
Previous military serviceNil
Enlistment date28 May 1915
Date of enlistment from Nominal Roll21 May 1915
Place of enlistmentPerth, Western Australia
Rank on enlistmentPrivate
Unit name11th Battalion, 7th Reinforcement
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/28/2
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Fremantle, Western Australia, on board HMAT A63 Karoola on 25 June 1915
Rank from Nominal RollCorporal
Unit from Nominal Roll12th Field Artillery Brigade
FateKilled in Action 16 August 1917
Place of death or woundingMessines, Belgium
Age at death32
Age at death from cemetery records32
Place of burialDerry 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
SourcesNAA: B2455, TURVEY William
Red Cross File No 2800506L

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