Just Another Pair Of Socks

Melton District ANZACS

William Fell WHITESIDE

Personal

Born: 1895

Birthplace: Melton, Victoria

Parents: Edward Whiteside & Janet (Jeanie) Singleton

Died: 28 July, 1916

Cause: Died Of Wounds

Place of death: Pozieres, Somme, France.

Burial place: Puchevillers British Cemetery, Departement de la Somme, Picardie, France.

Awards and Honours

  • 1914-1915 Star
  • British War Medal 1914-20
  • Victory Medal

Battalions

22 Australian Infantry Battalion 9th Reinforcement; 6th Infantry Brigade 22 Infantry Battalion, A Company

Events

Enlistment

Regimental Service Number: 282 / 3995

Enlistment date: 6 February, 1915 Melbourne

Age at enlistment: 21 years 3 months

Address at enlistment: Melton, Victoria; Later changed to 930 Mt Alexander Road, Essendon

Religion: Church of England

Marital Status: Single

Next of kin: Father: Edward Whiteside

Physical Description: Height: 5 feet 11 inches
Weight: 12 Stones
Complexion: Fresh
Eyes: Hazel
Hair: Dark Brown
Distinctive marks: Scars on both knees and calf

Embarkation ship: H.M.A.T. Ulysses - HMAT A69 Warilda.

Rank: Private

War Service Summary

06/02/1915 - Enlisted
10/05/1915 - Embarked HMAT Ulysses A38 (6th Infantry Brigade 22 Infantry Battalion A Company)
02/09/1915 - Returned to Australia sick on A17 Port Lincoln
28/01/1916 - Returned to duty
08/02/1916 - Returned to Egypt on HMAT A69 Warilda
21/03/1916 - Proceeded France on H.T. Oriana. Embarked, Alexandria; Disembarked, Marseilles
27/07/1916 - Wounded in action France
28/07/1916 - Died from Gun Shot Wound to the chest and compound fracture to the elbow received in the battle of Pozieres; 3rd Casualty Clearing Station

War Service Commemerated

Killed in action.

Date: 28 July, 1916

27/07/1916 – Wounded in action France
28/07/1916 - Died at the 3rd Casualty Clearing Station from Gun Shot Wound to the chest and compound fracture to the elbow received in the battle of Pozieres.

Buried at Puchevillers British Cemetery, Departement de la Somme, Picardie, France.

William embarked overseas for Egypt, returned to Australia sick, then returned to duty, thus embarking again to Alexandria, from where he went to France and was killed.
It is unclear if William Whiteside served at Gallipoli before he was evacuated home in September 1915.

Additional Information

The Argus
Thursday 7 September 1916, P 4
AUSTRALIAN CASUALTIES.
206th and 207th LISTS ISSUED
340 DEATHS, 468 MISSING,
934 WOUNDED.
DIED OF WOUNDS. .
WHITESIDE, Pte. W. Melton, 28/7/16.

The Argus
Tuesday 29 August 1916 p 1
WHITESIDE. - On the 18th July, died of wounds in France, William Fell, beloved son of Edward Whiteside, of Melton, and brother of John, Robert, Edward, and Thomas, aged 21 years.

Melton Express
Saturday 2 September 1916
DEATHS.
ON ACTIVE SERVICE.
WHITESIDE. - A tribute to the memory of Private William Whiteside, one of our first Melton Boys to answer his Country's Call, died of wounds received in France, 28th July, 1916.
Lead, kindly light, amid the encircling gloom.
Lead Thou me on.
-K. Nissen.

Melton Express
Saturday 2 September 1916 On Sunday, at Christ Church, Melton, services in memory of the first Melton native to fall in the war (Private W. Whiteside) will be held at 11, when the Vicar will preach; and at 7. Service at Rockbank, 3; and Toolern Vale, 7. Much regret was expressed on the receipt of the news of the death of William Whiteside, who was killed on July 28th fighting for his country in France. He was the second youngest son of Mr. Edward Whiteside, and was born in Melton. He had returned from the front, and went back again. The flags were flown at half-mast on Monday.

The Argus
Friday 20 October 1916 p 7 The Defence department has received word that Private W. Whiteside, of 34 Spencer street, Essendon, has died of wounds in France.

Melton Express
Saturday 17 February 1917, P 2 . the Rev. Allen, who during the course of his remarks, said that the necessary permission had been granted to erect a memorial tablet in the church in memory of William Whiteside, a native of Melton, who was killed in Action in France, fighting for his King and Country.

Melton Express
Saturday 26 May 1917, P 2 At Christ Church, Melton, to-morrow, at 11 a.m., a memorial tablet will be unveiled, in memory of the late Private Wm. Whiteside. Rev. J. H. Allen (the late Vicar) will preach. Services will also be held at Rockbank, 3; Melton, 7; when Rev. Stanley Love will officiate.

Melton Express
Saturday 2 June 1917, P 2 A memorial tablet was unveiled in the Church of England, Melton, on Sunday last, by Rev. J. H. Allen, to perpetuate the memory of Private
William Fell Whiteside, a local soldier, who died of wounds received in France on July 28th, 1916, aged 21 years. The occasional sermon was preached by the Vicar, (Rev. F. Stanley Love) and there was a large representative congregation present.

The Argus
Monday 29 July 1918 p 1
WHITESIDE. - ln sad and loving memory of our son and brother, Pte. William Fell Whiteside, late of Melton and Essendon, who died of wounds on the 28th July 1916, received in the battle of Pozieres, in France.
Sad and often our thoughts do wander,
To a grave so far away,
Where they laid our loving son and brother,
Just two years ago to-day.
He sleeps not in his native land,
But under foreign skies;
Far away from those who love him.
In a hero's grave he lies.
(Inserted by his father and brothers, Essendon.)

Melton Cemetery Headstone
WHITESIDE In Loving Memory
Of
Our Dear Parents
JANET WHITESIDE
Who died 27th. May 1904
Aged 40 Years
And EDWARD WHITESIDE
Who died 26th Jan 1933
Aged 73 Years
Also Our Brothers
JOHN WHITESIDE
Aged 31 Years
And WILLIAM FELL WHITESIDE
Aged 23 Years
Who Lost Their Lives In The
Great War
1915-1918
Reunited

Sources

Australian war Memorial Commemorative Roll
Service Record
Embarkation Roll
Red Cross files
Melton Express
Melton Cemetery Inscriptions compiled by Melton Family History Group