Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

From Australian Remembrance Army: The following has been compiled by William’s grand-nephew, Shane.

𝗣𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗺 𝗣𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗽 𝗟𝗬𝗡𝗖𝗛
𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗡𝗼: 5𝟵𝟭
𝟰𝟵𝘁𝗵 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗕𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻

William Phillip Lynch is a WW1 veteran who is currently lying in an unmarked grave at Lutwyche Cemetery. We will be applying for funding for a plaque to place on his grave so his service to our country is not forgotten.

William was born in 1885 in Bundaberg, Queensland to parents Mary Cahill and Edward Lynch. He was the eldest of eight children.

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William Phillip Lynch enlisted in August 1914 when he joined the 9th Battalion.

The 9th Battalion was among the first infantry units raised for the AIF during the First World War. It was the first battalion recruited in Queensland, and with the 10th, 11th and 12th Battalions it formed the 3rd Brigade.

The battalion was raised within weeks of the declaration of war in August 1914 and embarked just two months later. After preliminary training, the battalion sailed to Egypt, arriving in early December. The 3rd Brigade was the covering force for the ANZAC landing on 25 April 1915, and so was the first ashore at around 4.30 am. The battalion was heavily involved in establishing and defending the front line of the ANZAC beachhead. It served at ANZAC until the evacuation in December 1915.

William Lynch was wounded in May 1915 at Gallipoli but re-joined his unit.

After the withdrawal from Gallipoli, the battalion returned to Egypt. It was split to help form the 49th Battalion of which he was part and bought up to strength with reinforcements. In March 1916 the battalion sailed for France and the Western Front. From then until 1918 the battalion took part in operations against the German Army.

William remained with the battalion until early 1917 when as the result of a combination of factors he was unable to remain on active duties, however he remained attached to the battalion. The battalion continued operations until late September 1918.
In November 1918 members of the AIF began to return to Australia for demobilisation and discharge.
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𝗔𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗮𝗿
In 1920 William married Martha Theresa Murphy and the couple lived in the Brisbane suburb of Paddington, where William worked as a porter/railway employee. They moved to other suburbs of Brisbane in the following decades living in Fairfield and Woolloongabba before moving to Petrie Terrace in Brisbane City in the 1950’s.

William passed away in Brisbane, Queensland on 31st October 1961, aged 76 years and was buried at Lutwyche Cemetery. His wife, Martha passed away the following month on the 14th November and was buried with William at Lutwyche Cemetery.
Lest We Forget