William Joseph Rodgers

William Rodgers (Service No 6306) was born in Mount Kembla about 1882.  William was a single man, working as a labourer, and 34 years old when he enlisted at Wollongong, NSW.

He embarked on HMAT A14 Euripides with his Unit, the 20th Reinforcement, 13th Battalion, on 9th September, 1916. The troops disembarked at Plymouth, England, on 26 October, 1916.

William saw service in France arriving on 20 March, 1917, in time for the battle of Bullecourt. He was in action near the village of Reincourt while attacking the Hindenburg Line. This was a success but the Australians went too far too fast and eventually the German counter attack succeeded. This battle was a tragedy for Australia, with 28 officers and 1,142 soldiers captured; this was the largest number of Australians captured during the war. William Rodgers was one of these men.

William was listed as missing in action on 11th April, 1917, in France, and on 23rd July he was listed as a POW in Germany, having been captured in France. After capture he was interred in Limburg POW camp.

William's mother, his nominated next of kin, was advised of this in December, 1917.

William was repatriated to England, arriving on 15th December, 1918; he returned to Australia on HMAT Ascanius, arriving on 4 April, 1919.

He was discharged from the AIF, medically unfit, on 12th May, 1919.

In 1926.

William married Mary Gillespie and they raised their family in the Illawarra till his death.