Just Another Pair Of Socks

Melton District ANZACS

William John DODEMAIDE

Personal

Born: May, 1890

Birthplace: Melton, Victoria, Australia

Parents: John Dodemaide & Mary Ann Cochrane 

Died: 24 August, 1942

Place of death: Bacchus Marsh, Victoria Registration No. 26365

Burial place: Melton Cemetery August 25, 1942

Awards and Honours

  • British War Medal 1914-20
  • Victory Medal

Battalions

5th Battalion, 14th Reinforcements,02/04/1916 46th Battalion

Events

Enlistment

Regimental Service Number: 4482

Enlistment date: 28 July, 1915 Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Age at enlistment: 25 Years 2 Months

Address at enlistment: Railway Station, Melton, Victoria, Australia

Religion: Roman Catholic

Marital Status: Single

Next of kin: Mother, Mrs Mary Dodemaide,
Railway Station, Melton

Physical Description: Height: 5 feet 10 inches
Weight: 14 stone
Complexion: Fresh
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Dark Brown
Distinctive marks: Vac. Marks, Hairy Body

Embarkation ship: HMAT A32 Themistocles.

Rank: Sergeant

Return Date: 5 March, 1919

Return Vessel: H. T. Nevasa.

Arrival at Australia: 25 April, 1919.

War Service Summary

09/09/1916    Appointed acting Corporal
02/04/1916    Joined 46th Battalion ex No. 2 Training Bn Zeitoun (Cairo, Egypt)
11/08/1916    Promoted to Corporal In the Field
20/11/1916    Promoted to Sergeant
11/04/1917    Prisoner of War: Captured by the Germans at Reincourt, interned Limburg, transferred to Friedrichsfeld
26/12/1918    Repatriated Prisoner Of War to Ripon, England

War Service Commemerated

Life After the War

Names of wife & children:
1921 William married Vera Clara Mary HALL, a school teacher, Reg. No. 12952 (See Bills Obituary)

Children:
- Barbara (d1922, Bacchus Marsh, (Reg. No. 7590).
- Son William Basil WW2 service. Image on AWM

Place/s of residence:
Bullmans Rd., Melton, Victoria, Australia.

Occupations:
Farmer

Date of death: 1942, Bacchus Marsh, Victoria (Reg. No. 26365, Age 52).  Place of burial: Melton Cemetery August 25, 1942

Additional Information

The Bacchus Marsh Express
Saturday 11 July 1914, P 2

Melton footballers visit Bacchus Marsh to-day, and are determined for a win.
The team to represent Melton against Bacchus Marsh to-day, at Bacchus Marsh, will be chosen from P. Exell (Captain), Gleeson, Dodemaide (2), Matheson, Barnes, Brislan, Scarce, Gaitskill, Cameron, Mac Guire (2), Looney, Butler, Lovell, Asker, Minns, Carew, Robinson, Exell, Bird, Burton. Players are notified that the drag will leave punctually at 12.45.
Our footballers suffer another loss from their ranks, as "Mick" Dodemaide is going to play for North Melbourne

Melton Express
Saturday 12 May 1917 p 2

William Dodemaide (one of Melton's best) eldest son of Mrs. M. Dodemaide, is reported "missing" at the Front. All sincerely hope that
he will be found alive and well.

And

Everybody learns with regret that some local soldiers are on the "missing" list; including Lance-Corporal Tom. Grant, who had twice previously been wounded. He is a son of Mr. and Mrs. W. Grant, "Millbank." Private Tom. Booth, of Rowsley, is also on the same list, as well as Sergeant W. Dodemaide, of Melton, who is the well-known giant of many football contests. Another practically local soldier on the same list is Athol Stuart, son of the late Rev. J. A. Stuart, Presbyterian minister at Bacchus Marsh for over 20, years. He was a bank officer in West Australia, and enlisted from there.


Melton Express
Saturday 11 August 1917 p 2

The news that Sergeant W. J. Dodemaide, sons of Mrs. M. Dodemaide, Melton, who has been reported missing since April 11th last is now officially reported a prisoner of war in Germany, has been received with feelings of great relief by his numerous friends.

Melton Express
Saturday 7 October 1916 p 2

COTTAGE TO- LET, Meliton Railway Station. Apply,
M. DODEMAIDE, Melton Railway Station.

Melton Express
Saturday 12 October 1918 p 2

L. A. FAIRBAIRN & Co., instructed by Messrs. W. Dodemaide & Son will hold a CLEARING SALE, on their farm, at Balliang, towards the
end of Nov.
Full. particulars and exact date later.

Sources

Australian War Memorial
Service Record
Embarkation Roll  Newspapers