Sebastian William BACH

Regimental number5331
Place of birthMelbourne, Victoria
Other NamesWilliam Sebastian.
ReligionRoman Catholic
OccupationClerk
Address192 High Street, Northcote, Victoria
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation18
Height5' 9.5"
Weight158 lbs
Next of kinMother, Mrs H Bach, 192 High Street, Northcote, Victoria
Previous military serviceServed for 4 years in the Cadets; 1 year in the 54th Infantry, Citizen Military Forces.
Enlistment date5 January 1916
Date of enlistment from Nominal Roll15 April 1916
Place of enlistmentMelbourne, Victoria
Rank on enlistmentPrivate
Unit name8th Battalion, 17th Reinforcement
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/25/5
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A14 Euripides on 4 April 1916
Rank from Nominal RollPrivate
Unit from Nominal Roll1st Motor Transport Company
FateReturned to Australia 6 October 1919
Discharge date23 March 1920
Other details

War service: Egypt, Western Front

Disembarked Suez, 14 May 1916.

Allotted to 60th Bn, 25 May 1916.

Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 21 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 30 June 1916 .

Found guilty, 2 August 1916, of (1) using a bicycle after orders had been issued to the contrary; (2) leaving his billet without permission from 9.10 pm to 9.20 pm after being warned for duty: awarded 28 days' Field Punishment No 2.

Wounded in action, 27 November 1916 (gun shot wound, left shoulder); admitted to 38th Casualty Clearing Station, 1 December 1916; transferred to Ambulance Train, 2 December 1916, and admitted to 1st Canadian General Hospital, Etaples, 2 December 1916; transferred to England, 9 December 1916, and admitted to County of Middlesex War Hospital, Epsom; transferred to 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Harefield, 2 January 1917.

Found guilty, 29 January 1917, of being absent without leave from 1550, 25 January, to 2100, 27 January 1917: awarded 7 days' confined to camp, and forfeited 3 days' pay.

Proceeded overseas to France, 15 February 1917; found guilty, 5 March 1917, of when on Active Service being in Etaples and not in possession of a pass: awarded 8 days' Field Punishment No 1 [2?]; rejoined Bn, in the field, 19 March 1917.

Admitted to 15th Australian Field Ambulance, 30 June 1917 (septic tonsillitis), and transferred to 5th Division Rest Station; discharged to duty, and rejoined Bn, 20 July 1917.

Detached to Anzac Corps Bomb School, 11 September 1917; rejoined Bn, 29 September 1917.

Transferred to 1st Australian Division Supply Column, 27 October 1917.

On leave to United Kingdom, 17 November 1917; rejoined unit from leave, 4 December 1917.

Accidentally injured, 30 January 1918 (contusion of eye and forehead, fracture of nasal bones), while riding a motor cycle, colliding with the sidecar of another motor cycle that had no lights: soldier not to blame; was in performance of military duty; other driver could not be traced; admitted to 72nd General Hospital, Fronville, 1 February 1917; discharged to duty, 12 February 1917.

Transferred to and taken on strength of 1st Australian Division Motor Transport Company, 12 March 1918.

Admitted to 4th Field Ambulance and transferred to 37th Casualty Clearing Station, 22 November 1918 (diptheria); transferred to Ambulance Train No 20, 25 November 1917, and admitted to 46th Stationary Hospital, 26 November 1918 (acute tonsilitis); transferred to england, 5 January 1919, and admitted to Northamptonshire War Hospital, Duston, 5 January 1919; transferred to 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital, 27 January 1919; discharged on furlough, 30 January 1919, to report to No 1 Command Depot, Sutton Veny, 13 February 1919.

Found guilty, 19 February 1919, of being absent without leave from 10 am, 13 February, to 10 am, 17 February 1919: admonished, and forfeited 4 days' pay.

Granted extension of leave from 25 February to 4 March 1919.

Detached for duty with AIF Headquarters, 25 February 1919.

Commenced return to Australia from Southampton on board HT 'Pakeha', 6 October 1919; admitted to ship's hospital at sea, 10 October 1919; discharged from ship's hospital, 17 November 1919; total period of treatment for venereal disease: 39 days; disembarked Melbourne, 24 November 1919; discharged (medically unfit), Melbourne, 23 March 1920.

Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal
SourcesNAA: B2455, BACH Sebastian William