Private: 2341 William ‘Bill’ KEARSEY

Private Kearsey was badly injured in the action at Glencorse Wood during the Third Battle of Ypres in 1917, when artillery shrapnel hit him between the eyes, leaving a deep gash to his forehead, which ‘obliterated’ (according to his medical records) his sinuses. The injury was so devastating, the member of the 33rd Battalion was initially left for dead.

His face was operated on 29 times over an eighteen-month period before he was repatriated to Australia. Arriving home in May 1919, he took the advice often given to badly disfigured men to live out of town in the bush, where there would be fewer stares or difficult questions.

He suffered severe sinusitis, chronic bronchitis, headaches and eye trouble. Fluids leaked from his nose and eyes, and the latter were usually red and sore, his left eye weeping puss.

Bill tried his hand at farming and, after several false starts, made a go of it as a farmer, cattle, and wool producer. He married at the age of 59 and was an active community member. It has been said of him “He never expected anybody to do anything that he wouldn’t do. For a man who’d had his disfigurement and been knocked about so much by his wounds, he was a very successful man. He just got on with life.”

Bill passed away at age 80 in 1971 and is buried at the Inverell cemetery, NSW.

Bill Kearsey’s story is truly remarkable and I will include photographs in the comments section of him badly disfigured and also a photograph of him after all his operations on his face. Also I will include links that give you more information on the life of this incredible man.

Early 20th century plastic surgery, infection management, and anaesthesia rocketed in their advancement during a time when surgeons were faced with horrific injuries on the wards during WW1.

As many as 37,000 Australian soldiers returned home with shocking injuries and mental issues... the facially disfigured became socially marginalised on repatriation.

While some wore special custom made masks to conceal their missing ears, noses, mouths and jaws, others simply disappeared from normal civilian life by leaving their parents and wives, upon whom they were often dependant for spoon or tube feeding. They went into the bush, where they were less conspicuous.

Many others killed themselves or died in suspicious accidents.

Lest We Forget.