William Hetherington

Submitted by Mt Kembla Minin... on Fri, 25/08/2017 - 14:06

First Name:

William

Last Name:

Hetherington

Date of Birth:

Friday, December 31, 1886

Mother's Name:

Elizabeth Hetherington

Father's Name:

William Hetherington

Date Enlisted:

Monday, November 29, 1915

Rank at Enlistment:

Private

Rank at Discharge:

Private

Unit:

1st Battalion

Service:

Infantry

Awards:

British War Medal

Victory Medal

Date of Death:

Sunday, May 31, 1959

Place of Death:

Bulli, N.S.W.

Details:

William Hetherington (Service No 6024) was born in Dalton, England and arrived in Australia with his family in April 1889. He attended Woonona Public School in N.S.W. and when he enlisted in Wollongong after joining the Waratah March, he was single, 29 years old & worked as a miner.

William embarked from Sydney on HMAT A18 Wiltshire with 1st Battalion, 19th Reinforcement on 22nd August 1916. He arrived in England on 13th October 1916 and joined 1st Battalion in France on 14th December 1916.

While not wounded William suffered a number of illnesses during his time on active service on the Western Front. On 27th August 1918 he was transferred to 2nd Machine Gun Battalion. He was granted leave from 1st April 1919 until 1st July 1919 for work at the Chivers Poultry Farm in Suffolk.

William returned to Australia in August 1919 and was discharged on 7th November 1919. In 1921 he married Ruby Ferguson and the couple raised 4 children.

William died in 1959. His service is commemorated on the Bulli-Woonona War Memorial and the Woonona Public School Roll of Honour.

Sources:

NAA: B2455, HETHERINGTON W 6024