ROBESTON - WATHEN
War Memorial
War Memorial
Private William Henry MORGAN 2524
Born: Narbewith, Pembroke, Wales Enlisted: 6-6-1916, Bathurst, N.S.W Occupation to Enlistment: Blacksmith & Farrier 2nd Div. HQ. Traffic Control Australian Division Departed Australia 30-9-1916 Died of Illness 4-11-1918, France aged 36years Resting: Abbeville Communal Cemetery Extension, Abbeville, Picardie, France Honoured Australian War Memorial Panel 159 Son of Lewis and Mary Morgan, of Robston Wathen, Narberth, Pembroke, South Wales. |
West Wales War Memorial Project - William was the son of Lewis and Mary Morgan, of Robeston Wathen. He had been a member of the 7th Welsh, a Territorial Cyclist Battalion prior to emigrating to Australia. He enlisted there at Bathurst, NSW on 6 August 1916, and was posted to the 5th reinforcements to the 54th Battalion, Australian Infantry. William embarked at Sydney on 30 September 1916 aboard HMAT Aeneas, and disembarked at Plymouth on 19 November 1916. William then sailed for France on 21 December 1916, and eventually joined his unit from Etaples in February 1917 on the Somme. William was admitted to hospital just weeks later, suffering from gunshot wounds to his face and hands, and rejoined his unit on 15 May, but was wounded again that same day, and was out of action for two more weeks. William then transferred to the 5th Division Headquarters, as Shoeing Smith in September, 1917, while the Australian Corps was at Ypres. He remained with the unit over the winter, but was court martialled in January 1918 for stealing a bag of oats, and sentenced to 70 days Field Punishment No. 2, before being posted back to his Battalion, and reverted to Private for misconduct. He then served with the 54th Battalion until being admitted to hospital in France 24 October 1918 suffering from pneumonia. William died of pneumonia in hospital on 4 November 1918, aged 36. He was buried at Abbeville Communal Cemetery Extension, France.