William James JEFFERS

William James JEFFERS Update Details

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JEFFERS, William James

Service Number:	4524
Enlisted:	3 August 1915, Melbourne, Victoria
Last Rank:	Private
Last Unit:	6th Infantry Battalion
Born:	Strathbogie, Victoria, Australia, 1893
Home Town:	Camperdown, Corangamite, Victoria
Schooling:	Strathbogie North State School, Victoria, Australia
Occupation:	Labourer
Died:	Killed in Action, Gueudecourt, France, 11 November 1916
Cemetery:	No known grave - "Known Unto God" No known grave, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, Picardie, France
Memorials:	Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Camperdown War Memorial, Euroa Strathbogie North Great War Honor Roll, Euroa Telegraph Park, Euroa War Memorial, Strathbogie War Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial (Australian National Memorial - France)

3 Aug 1915:	Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 4524, Melbourne, Victoria
28 Jan 1916:	Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 4524, 6th Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '8' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Themistocles embarkation_ship_number: A32 public_note: ''
28 Jan 1916:	Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 4524, 6th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Themistocles, Melbourne
11 Nov 1916:	Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 4524, 6th Infantry Battalion, 'The Winter Offensive' - Flers/Gueudecourt winter of 1916/17

Biography contributed by John Edwards

"...4524 Private William James Jeffers, 6th Battalion, of Camperdown, Vic. Pte Jeffers enlisted on 3 August 1915 and embarked aboard HMAT Themistocles on 28 January 1916. On 11 November 1916 he was killed in action at Fritz's Folly north of Gueudecourt in France. His death is commemorated at the Villers Bretonneux Memorial. He had two brothers who also joined the 6th Battalion. 4522 Roy Ernest Jeffers, was killed in action at Mouquet Farm on 19 August 1916. 4523 Lance Corporal Ralph Henry Jeffers returned to Australia on 27 September 1917." - SOURCE (www.awm.gov.au)

Biography contributed by Loretta Mcpherson

William Jeffers had THREE brothers enlist. As above, both William and Roy were Killed in Action. George and Ralph came home, but both committed suicide. George in 1919 and Ralph in 1926.
It is written that all five sons went off to war, but the fifth was alive and living in Queensland, I believe, estranged from the rest of the family, Robert died in 1964.

Both William and Roy are remembered in the Avenue of Honour at Euroa.

Lest We Forget

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War Memorial
Australia