Josiah Willey
History
Josiah Willey was born in Stawell in 1877 and educated in Ballarat. He was a miner before working as a linesman for the Commonwealth Post and Telegraph Department. He lived in Cobden Street, West Ballarat, and enlisted at the age of 38 in February 1916, joining the 57th Battalion, which had a strong contingent of Ballarat men. Josiah Willey had five children, and was active in the community as an Ancient Briton Lodge of Druids and Miners’ Association member.[1]
Transferred to the 59th Battalion in Egypt, Willey arrived in Europe on the eve of July. The battalion was within the 15th Brigade of the 5th Division, the brigade commanded by Harold ‘Pompey’ Elliott. Within three weeks Josiah Willey was dead. Of his 905 battalion comrades, a staggering 703 were casualties at Fromelles in that one night.[2]
When Josiah Willey died on 19 July 1916 he was one of 2,000 Australians who died on that day, with over 3,500 Australians wounded.[3]
Josiah's wife wrote to the Secretary of the Department of Defence requesting information on the fate of her husband early in 1917, saying in part:
- “...I am anxiously awaiting more news from the Def. Dept. as it is now 7 mth since he has been missing. Hoping you can give me some news. I remain, yours sincerely...”
Another letter in May of the same year, enclosing Sergeant Baker’s statement:
- “… it may be of help to you to be able to get some definate [sic] information about my husband that will be more satisfactory to me as the suspense is unbearable.”[4]
A witness to Josiah Willey's fate reported:
- ‘Willey was hanging, badly wounded, on barbed wire in a creek at Armentieres, up to his waist in water. Informant was being carried down wounded and saw this. He got out of his stretcher so as to enable the bearers to go to Willey's assistance... Informant does not know what happened after that.'
- Report of Sergeant E.A. Ormond Baker, C Company, 59th Battalion, to the Red Cross.[5]
Private Josiah Willey has no known grave.
Legacy
The World War One service of Private Josiah Wiles is recognised on the Ballarat Avenue of Honour.
See also
Notes
References
- ↑ http://www.thecourier.com.au/story/4025213/fromelles-ballarats-bloody-entry-to-the-western-front/, accessed 21 July 2016.
- ↑ http://www.thecourier.com.au/story/4025213/fromelles-ballarats-bloody-entry-to-the-western-front/, accessed 21 July 2016.
- ↑ Peter Barnes Facebook post, 07 May 2023.
- ↑ http://www.thecourier.com.au/story/4025213/fromelles-ballarats-bloody-entry-to-the-western-front/, accessed 21 July 2016.
- ↑ http://www.thecourier.com.au/story/4025213/fromelles-ballarats-bloody-entry-to-the-western-front/, accessed 21 July 2016.
Further Reading
External links
http://www.thecourier.com.au/story/4025213/fromelles-ballarats-bloody-entry-to-the-western-front/
Photograph https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=777969520597238&set=a.224355215958674
--Beth Kicinski 18:58, 24 August 2013 (EST; --Clare K.Gervasoni 16:50, 21 July 2016 (AEST)