Private: 2926 William Wallace GAWN.

34th BATTALION - 36th BATTALION AIF

Private: 2926 William Wallace GAWN.

Born: 29th March 1897. Ballyclare, Ireland.

Married: 1921. Waratah, New South Wales, Australia. Marriage Cert:18355/1921.

Wife: Amy Belinda Gawn. nee: Maher. (1895-1972) Died at Newcastle, N.S.W. Death Cert:81229/1972.

Died: July 1961. Wallsend via Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. Death Cert:19325/1961.

Buried: 1st August 1961. Sandgate Cemetery, Newcastle, New South Wales Australia.

Father: Robert Gawn. (1864-....)

Mother: Isabella Gawn. nee: Houy. (1875-....)

INFORMATION

William Wallace Gawn enlisted with the AIF at Newcastle, N.S.W. on the 7th September 1916 and was originally allocated to the 5th Reinforcements 34th Battalion with the service number 2577 but was later re allocated to the 6th Reinforcements 36th Battalion AIF with the service number 2926.

William embarked from Sydney on board HMAT A72 "Beltana" on the 25th November 1916 with the 36th Battalion Reinforcements and disembarked at Devonport England on the 29th January 1917. The Reinforcements were marched in to the Durrington Army Camp at Larkhill where they settled into camp routine and commenced their training in Trench War fare.

William proceeded overseas for France from no:11 Camp Durrington via Southampton on the 14th June 1917 and was Taken on in Strength with the 36th Battalion on the 6th July 1917

William returned to Australia on the 6th July 1919 on board the "Yipringa" and was discharged from the AIF on the 14th August 1919.

War Medal: and Victory Medal: to PTE 2926 W W GAWN 36 BN AIF were acquired in August 2019 from the Lucas Collection in the ACT and are now in the Harrower Collection.

Family Information

William was a single 19 year old Gardener from Cardiff, N.S.W. upon enlistment with the AIF. After he returned from the Great War he married Amy B Maher in 1921 at Waratah, N.S.W and lived at Ash Island via Newcastle in 1935 where William was a Farm Hand.