Power, William James
SURNAME
Power
NAME
William James
PLACE OF BIRTH
Roma, QLD
OCCUPATION
Labourer
PLACE OF ENLISTMENT
Townsville, QLD
DATE OF ENLISTMENT
28/10/1915
NEXT OF KIN
(wife) Mrs Ada Power, George Street, West Sydney, NSW
LINK TO DOUGLAS SHIRE
W J Power is on the Shire Honour Board but embarkation address was c/- PO Mosman Sydney. (could this be an error?)
Enlistment at Townsville suggests this could be the man.
REGIMENT 1
26th Battalion AIF
REGIMENT 2
49th Battalion AIF
RANK
Private
CAMPAIGN 1
Western Front
OTHER INFORMATION
British War Medal No.16290; Victory Medal No.15927
STORY OUTLINE
William James Power is one of two soldiers in the National War Records with initials WJ and is the most likely to be the Douglas Digger on the Shire Honour Board, although we have not identified a definite link.
A labourer, aged 40, he enlisted at Townsville in October 1915. He embarked Brisbane 4/05/1916 HMAT "Seang Choon" and was sent to join the British Expeditionary Forces at Alexandria Egypt, then to England and France where he arrived on 16/10/1916.
In June 1917 he was wounded in the thigh and was transported to the field hospital at Wimereux near Boulogne on the northern part of the French coast, rejoining his unit three weeks later.
In March of 1919 he was sent to England and following demobilisation he returned to Australia on HMHS "China" (hospital ship) arriving 8/06/1919.
He was last known as living at Mt Isa QLD in 1936.
If you can confirm that this is our Douglas Digger or can identify someone else, please contact us.
SERVICE NO
5132
