The Soldier's Details

Stuart enlisted AIF June 1941 formerly with 16th Battalion Militia where he was Staff Sgt and Vickers Machine gun instructor.   He joined ‘D’  Company 14 Platoon under Lt Tompkins.  At Singapore Stuart was transferred to the newly created 16 Platoon, this time under Commanding Officer Sgt Arbery.

Stuart was coming out from the west coast of Singapore when his group were split up under enemy small arms fire. He was not seen again.  He was 49 years of age, although he enlisted as being 38 years on his death and is inscribed on his headstone.

This soldier was veteran of WWI.  He was wounded in action with  16th Battalion at Gallipoli. He was wounded again at Hill 63 Messines Ridge and was awarded a Military Medal for his actions at Proyart with  48th Batallion in 1918.  ** See Below.

You can read further about Proyart

 

 

The above date of April 1946 suggests War Graves were not able to confirm his death earlier.

 

 

 

William (known as Bill) was the eldest of 7 surviving children born to his parents George Malcolm Douglas Stuart b. Scotland 1860 who married 1892  Port Adelaide to Emma Ann Myra Pilkington.

George Stuart died 1925 SA and William’s mother Emma died in 1928.

At 22 years Bill, single and employed as a cabinet maker, residing at Alberton, SA enlisted October 1914.  With service No. 1349 he initially joined 16th Battalion, going to Egypt.

In April 1916 he was transferred to 40th Btn.  He served in France as Corporal.  Court Martialled Mar 1916 for being absent w/out leave and was demoted to Private.  Bill appears to be in and out of trouble with AIF until 5 September 1918, whilst serving with Fourth Division he is awarded Military Medal and this time promoted to Sergeant.  He returns to SA 31 July 1919.

48TH BATTALION AIF WW1 – below information has been copied from and we wish to acknowldge  Birtwhistle Military History, Armadale

The battalion was raised in Egypt on 16 Mar 1916 as part of the expansion of the AIF. It gained experienced men from the 16th Battalion, with the rest new arrivals from regional South Australia and Western Australia. It became known as the Joan of Arc battalion because it “made of all Leanes”. Commanded by Lt Col Ray Leane, with his brother as its Adjutant and a number of other relatives scattered throughout the battalion.

Their first major battle in France was at Poziéres where it was tasked with defending the ground won earlier by the 2nd Division units, entering the front lines on two occasions, for three and then four day stints. During their first stint they experienced the heaviest artillery barrage ever thrown at the Australians. Before it could recover it was required to again defend ground, this time at Mouquet Farm.

During 1917 it fought at 1st Bullecourt in France and later at Passchendaele in Belgium, and on both occasion it was forced to withdraw after suffering heavy casualties due to poor planning and inadequate support. It then wintered in and out of the lines before in spring 1918 playing a crucial role in blocking the main road to Amiens against the German advance.

During the Hundred Days Offensive they fought at Amiens in early August , and the battle to seize the Hindenburg outpost line in mid September. The battalion was disbanded on 31 Mar 1919. During the fighting, it suffered lost 843 killed in action or died on active service and 1,628 wounded.

This description from AWM for which we wish to acknowledge and thank:

Proyart, a village in the Somme Valley in France, gave its name to an operation mounted between 10 and 12 August 1918 as part of the Battle of Amiens. Following the successes of 8 August, General Monash planned to continue the Australian Corps’ advance along both the north and south banks of the Somme. He believed the enemy to be in a state of confusion and all that was needed was to “hit him without warning and roll him up.”

Proyart was south of the Somme, and Monash’s plan was for a brigade, supported by six tanks, to advance in column, 1,200 metres along a dead straight road. The brigade would then turn and advance another three and a half kilometres due north to the river and establish a new front line between the road and the river, thereby cutting off a large section of German-held ground for clearance by another brigade. The road ran across a flat, open plain so the operation would take place under the cover of darkness.

When the 10th Brigade commenced the operation on the night of 10 August, it was unable to complete even the first stage of the advance. Moving forward along the road, the column was bombed by a German aircraft and then halted by heavy German machine-gun fire from around the village of Proyart. The tanks were also subject to anti-tank gun and rifle fire. The column withdrew just before dawn, the lead battalion – the 37th – having lost its CO and a quarter of its strength.

After an assault by the 11th Brigade to capture the village of Mericourt on 11 August, German troops began to withdraw from the area and Proyart was subsequently occupied by patrols from the 10th Brigade on the 12 August.’

 

Bill married in 1919 to Laura Alice Fordyce at Sunderland, Durham, England.    Laura moves to SA.  The couple have 2 daughters.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The below notice has been printed in SA Police Gazette 1925.

Bill’s marriage has failed and he moves to WA.

The first time we track William to WA is in the 1931 Electoral Roll working at Salmon Gums as Builder with Ruby Eveline.

1936 and 1937 they are living Ora Banda with William builder.

About this time  in 1937 Ruby and Bill move to Maylands.  Working as a carpenter they are residing 105 Sixth Avenue, Maylands.

In 1941 the couple marry.  In 1943 Electoral Roll they are living Guildford.

Ruby Eveline Stuart died 17 July 1968 at Mt. Lawley, cremated at Karrakatta.

William George Raymond Stuart enlisted 23 June 1941.  He was tragically KIA on 9 February 1945.

Please read about Bassendean Boys