WILLSMORE, Max Carlyle
| Service Number: | 2011 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 20 September 1915, Adelaide, South Australia |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 13th Light Trench Mortar Battery |
| Born: | Adelaide, South Australia, 15 September 1896 |
| Home Town: | Medindie, Walkerville, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Walkerville & Sturt St Schools & Adelaide High School |
| Occupation: | Clerk |
| Died: | Died of Illness (influenza & pneumonia), France, 22 October 1918, aged 22 years |
| Cemetery: |
Ste. Marie Cemetery, Le Havre Plot V, Row M, Grave 11, |
| Memorials: | Adelaide Commissioner of Public Works Roll of Honour, Adelaide High School Honour Board, Adelaide National War Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Gilberton Soldiers Memorial Swimming Reserve, Keswick Prospect Highbury Street Methodist Sunday School Roll of Honour, Keswick Prospect Methodist Sunday School Honour Board WW1, Prospect Methodist Sunday School Honour Roll |
World War 1 Service
| 20 Sep 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, 2011, Adelaide, South Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 13 Jul 1916: | Involvement Private, 2011, 50th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '19' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Seang Bee embarkation_ship_number: A48 public_note: '' | |
| 13 Jul 1916: | Embarked Private, 2011, 50th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Seang Bee, Adelaide | |
| 22 Oct 1918: | Involvement Private, 2011, 13th Light Trench Mortar Battery, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 2011 awm_unit: 13 Light Trench Mortar Battery awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1918-10-22 |
Advertiser, Adelaide 21 Oct 1923
WILLSMORE.In loving memory of Max Carlyle. who made the supreme sacrifice in France on the 22nd October. 1918
Dearly beloved younger son of Isabel E. and the late Arthur Willsmore, Thorngate.
Greater love hath no man than this.
Submitted 3 November 2015 by Sharyn Roberts
Biography contributed by Nicholas Egan
Margaret Phillips
Club Historian Gilberton Amateur Swimming Club Inc.
Born 15 September 1896 in Elgin South Australia. He attended Walkerville and Sturt Street Primary Schools and then Adelaide High School. He took up a position in the Civil Service, obtaining a position in the Hydraulic Engineer’s Department. From the age of 6 he attended the Highbury Street, Prospect Methodist Sunday school and he was a member of the church. For several years he played cricket in the Church Association and showed exceptional promise. As a batsman he had few equals of his years. He was fond of music, and possessed a fine voice. He was of a bright, lovable disposition and he won the hearts of all with whom he came in contact. - Chronicle 14 December 1918
He had served in the Senior Cadets 79 th Infantry and enlisted with his 25 year old brother Private Arthur Reginald (Reg) Willsmore 2010A with both posted to serve in the 13 th Light Trench Mortar Battery. Reg returned to Australia on 25 February 1919.
Max arrived in Plymouth England on 9 September 1916 and was sent to France on 28 November 1916 to Etaples. He was admitted to No. 26 General Hospital on 6 December 1916 with pyrexia of unknown origin and then transferred to No. 6 Convalescent Depot Etaples. He returned to Base Depot on 16 December 1916 and detached for duty with 13 th Australian Light Trench Mortar Battery on 16 March 1917. After leave in England from 20 November 1917 to 8 December 1917 he returned to his unit.
On 26 July 1918 he retired to the 4 th Army Rest Camp and then rejoined his unit on 10 th August 1918. Unfortunately he was admitted to No. 4 Australian Field Ambulance on 20 September 1918 and transferred to No. 53 Casualty Clearing Station on the same day with inflammation of connective tissues, left knee. He was sent to No. 2 Convalescent Depot at Ruen and the on 28 th September 1918 to No. 1 Australian Convalescent Depot, Le Havre 1 October 1918 followed by admittance to No. 2 General Hospital on 15 October 1918 where he died on 22 October 1918 from influenza and broncho pneumonia.
Biography
"Private MAX C. WILLSMORE, whose death was reported on October 22 in France, was born on September 16, 1896, and was the younger son of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Willsmore, Dutton terrace, Medindie. He was educated at the Walkerville and Sturt street schools, and passed through the Adelaide High School to the Civil Service, obtaining a position in the Hydraulic Engineer's Department. From the age of 6 he attended the Highbury street, Prospect, Methodist Sunday school, and he was a member of the church. For several years he played cricket in the Church Association and showed exceptional promise. As a batsman he had few equals of his years. He was fond of music, and possessed a fine voice. He was of a bright, lovable disposition and he won the hearts of all with whom he came in contact. He enlisted, with his only brother, Rex, They were attached to the 50th Battalion for some time, and were then transferred to the 18th Light Horse Mortar Battery, 4th Division. After being for nearly three years and two months on active service, he died of illness at the age of 22 years in the 2nd General Hospital, France." - from the Adelaide Chronicle 14 Dec 1918 (trove.nla.gov.au)
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