ZORNIG, William Hermann
| Service Number: | 2744 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 5 September 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 47th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Rosewood, Queensland, Australia, February 1896 |
| Home Town: | Ipswich, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Ipswich State School, , Queensland, Australia |
| Occupation: | Railway Night Officer |
| Died: | Died of wounds, France, 16 May 1918 |
| Cemetery: |
Adelaide Cemetery Villers-Bretonneux, France III, A, 10 |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Beenleigh War Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 5 Sep 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2744, 47th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 27 Oct 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 2744, 47th Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '19' embarkation_place: Brisbane embarkation_ship: HMAT Marathon embarkation_ship_number: A74 public_note: '' | |
| 27 Oct 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 2744, 47th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Marathon, Brisbane | |
| 16 May 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Corporal, 2744, 47th Infantry Battalion, "Peaceful Penetration - Low-Cost, High-Gain Tactics on the Western Front", --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 2744 awm_unit: 47th Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Corporal awm_died_date: 1918-05-16 |
Help us honour William Hermann Zornig's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Julianne Ryan
Born 27 February 1895, Rosewood, Queensland.
Father Frederick Herman Carl Zornig
(b. 20/10/1868 Eagleby, QLD - d. 18/12/1948 QLD)
buried in Hemmant Cemetery, Brisbane, QLD, Plot: Monumental. D. 7. 4
Married: 14 November 1893, in Ipswich, Queensland
Mother Elizabeth Kate Zornig (nee Wyatte)
(b. 27/12/1875 - d. 06/08/1949
buried in Hemmant Cemetery, Brisbane, QLD, Plot: Monumental. D. 7. 5
(worked as a Station Mistress),
lived at Stapylton, South Coast Line, QLD.
Siblings:
Ivy Lousie Zornig (b. 17/03/1894 Ipswich - d. 28/06/1987)
m. James Leeke
William (Bill) Herman Zornig (b. 27/02/1895 Rosewood - d. 18/03/1918)
Vera Elizabeth "Smokey" Zornig (b. 19/12/1899 Rosewood - d. 14/10/1996)
m. Neil Harold Dawson
buried in Hemmant Cemetery, Brisbane, QLD, Plot: Monumental. D. 7. 5
Leonard Ernest Zornig (b. 11/02/1908 - d. 04/06/1987)
m. Alice May Winnett
Next of kin in service:
Brother: 50740 Private Harold Victor Zornig
15/11/1917 enlisted as a Private with QLD Reinforcement 1
08/05/1918 embarked Sydney, NSW onboard RMS Osterley
Last rank: Private with 41st Battalion
28/03/1919 Returned to Australia
29/06/1981 passed away
Cousin: 5219 Private William James Wyatte
17/11/1915 enlisted as a Private in 15th Battalion, 16th Reinforcement
31/03/1916 embarked from Sydney, NSW onboard HMAT A16 Star Of Victoria
Last rank: Private with 47th Battalion
27/08/1917 Returned to Australia
31/08/1974 passed away
Plaque in QLD Garden of Remembrance
A popular young man know for his good nature and athletic ability, Bill said goodbye to his family on the old Victoria Bridge in Brisbane, rather than at the dockside to spare his mother the sadness of seeing the ship leave the shore.
Described on enlisting as 20 years old; single;
05/09/1916 enlisted in Brisbane, QLD
27/10/1916 embarked from Brisbane QLD, onboard HMAT Marathon A74
as a Private with 47th Infantry Battalion, 6th reinforcements
Bill spent his 21st birthday in England with friends Mr and Mrs Bardacre and family and when leaving said, "Goodbye, I don't think I will be back."
1917 Promoted to Lance Corporal in France
22/01/1918 Promoted to Corporal in France
***SERVICE RECORDS - need to be ORDERED through the National Archives of Australia.
A soldier who saw what happened, later told Bill's family that no fighting was in progress as both the Germans and Australians were in their trenches. An English plane came down in no man's land (the area between the trenches), and a German machine gun opened fire on the plane.
Bill went over the top of the trench and ran to pull the pilot out and get him to safety. On the way back, Bill was shot in the legs, but continued to crawl towards his lines with the pilot clinging to his back.
A sergeant waving a white flag, went to their assistance and helped them into the trench. Bill was suffering from loss of blood and a subsequent shell burst killed him. The following is a copy of the official letter received by Bill's mother.
"Dear Mrs. Zornig,
It is with feelings of regret that I write to confirm the death in action of your son, William. One of our planes was shot down in "No Man's Land", close to the trench where your son was. Seeing that the pilot was still alive, your son and another sergeant rushed out, but your son was wounded. We got him in and sent him away to the dressing station, where he was well attended to. When he was being taken from the dressing station, enemy shell burst close to him and the shock killed him. The pilot's life was saved, thanks to your son's very brave and plucky action. The pilot was anxious to know who had saved him, so we pinned your son's name and address to his tunic.
My Commanding Officer desires me to convey to you his deepest sympathy in your sad bereavement will you please accept the deep sympathy of myself and the men under me, who fought by your son's side. Your loss is our loss. We can ill afford to lose men like you son. His utter disregard of danger to himself, was a very inspiring lesson to all. His name will live long in our memories on account of his very plucky action.
Yours etc.
WAR.HIND; Capt O/C A Coy. 47th Batt. A.I.F."
16/05/1918 died of wounds received in action, Villers-Brettoneaux, France
Buried in: Adelaide Cemetery, Villers-Bretonneux, Picardie, France
His name is commemorated on Panel 144 at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra, ACT.
Medals:
Sourced and submitted by Julianne T Ryan. 28/12/2016. Lest we forget.
Click images to start slideshow.