William Francis Neilson

  General Notes:

Neilson, William Francis
Service Number: 1466
Rank/Calling: Private
Unit: 29 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 6 Reinforcements (November 1915 - April 1916)
Ship Name: HMAT Ascanius
Ship Number: A11
Date of Embarkation: 10/11/1915
Place of Embarkation: Melbourne

William Francis Neilson enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on 16/7/1915. His next of kin was his father J. Neilson, Swan Reach, Vic.
On the Certificate of Medical Examination William is described as: - 21 years 1 months, height - 5 feet 7 and a quarter inches, weight - 11 stone 4 pounds, chest measurement - 33/36 inches, complexion - fresh, eyes - grey, hair - dark brown and religious denomination - Presbyterian. His distinctive marks were - Vac 3 left arm, scar left elbow and 2 moles right shoulder.
William was sent to France and was on 20/7/1916 wounded in action with gunshot wounds to his left hand and back, the wounds were not serious. He was sent to England and admitted to Kitchener Hospital in Brighton. He rejoined his battalion on 7/10/1916.
He was again admitted to hospital on 30/11/1916 with myalgia and admitted again on 23/8/1917 with ulcerative tonsillitis. On the 26/11/1917 he was wounded accidentally with a bullet wound to his left hand and was transferred to England to the Military Hospital at Chatham. On the 12/3/1918 William embarked on the “Kenilworth Castle” and returned to Australia. He was discharged from the A.I.F. at Melbourne on 18/7/1918 medically unfit - Disability - Gun Shot wound left hand.
William made a statutory declaration on 11 may 1932 stating that he had lost his 1914 - 1915 Star and discharge issued to him by the Defence Department. His house and all effects had been burnt by a fire. He was living at 92 Anderson Street, Yarraville.
William was A.W.L. from 6.30 10/10/1916 until 0630 12/10/1916, he forfeits 7 days pay.
Service Record
Name NEILSON, WILLIAM FRANCIS 
Service Australian Army 
Service Number V19545 
Date of Birth 20 Jun 1894
Place of Birth EAGLE POINT, VIC 
Date of Enlistment 20 Sep 1941 
Locality on Enlistment ELSTERNWICK, VIC 
Place of Enlistment ROYAL PARK, VIC 
Next of Kin NEILSON, ALISON 
Date of Discharge 17 Dec 1943
Rank Corporal 
Posting at Discharge 3 DIST ACCT OFFICE CLERK 
WW2 Honours and Gallantry None for display
Prisoner of War No 

Electoral Roll:-
1919 - Lucknow, Vic. - Farmer.
1924 - Somerton Park, The Heart, Sale, Vic. - Dairy Farmer.
1931 - 120 Dawson Street, Ballarat, Vic. - Carrier,
1936 - 10 Sommerville Road, Yarraville, Vic. - Sales

William married Allison Belle CAMPBELL, b. 1902, Ballarat, Vic (325) in 1927, Vic. She died 1975, Glen?, Vic (27455). They had a daughter Jean. Allison is listed as a Nurse in the 1924 Electoral Roll.

  Noted events in his life were:

• Occupation: Timber Hewer.

William married Gertrude Maria (Gertie) Gadd, daughter of Alfred Burton Gadd and Grace Victoria Buck, in 1920 in Victoria Australia. (Gertrude Maria (Gertie) Gadd was born in 1890 in Warragul, Victoria Australia and died on 5 Dec 1925 in Sale, Victoria Australia.)

William next married Alison Belle Campbell in 1927 in Victoria Australia. (Alison Belle Campbell was born in 1902 in Ballarat, Victoria Australia and died in 1975 in Glen?, Victoria Australia.)