SAPPER WILLIAM JAMES OATES
7909 – 2nd Tunnelling Company
Born at Eaglehawk, Victoria on 25 August 1874, William was the son of William Charles and Rosina (nee Williams) Oates. He married Emma Ellen Crowle at Eaglehawk in 1896. The Electoral Rolls for 1914 records William James Oates, engine-driver, and Oates Emma Oates, home duties, living at Clark St, Eaglehawk.
William signed the ‘Attestation Paper of Persons Enlisted for Service Abroad’, and the Oath to ‘well and truly serve’ at Bendigo, Victoria on 3 July 1917, stating he was Miner by trade and that he was 42 years and 11 months of age. A medical examination on the same day recorded that he was 5ft 8ins tall and weighed 11 stone 12 lbs. He had a dark complexion, greenish brown eyes and dark hair. He was of the Methodist faith. He was found to be fit for service with the Pioneer Corps.
He named as his Next-of-Kin his wife Mrs. Emma Ellen Oates of Clarke Street Eaglehawk, and allotted three-fifths of his pay for the support of his wife and 6 surviving sons and a daughter, the youngest born in 1916.
William began his training at the Recruit Depot, Broadmeadows, Victoria on 18 July and on 30 July he was transferred to the Tunnelling Reinforcements at Seymour, Victoria. On 25 August he was admitted to the Isolation Camp, Ascot Vale, rejoining the Tunnellers on 24 September. He was transferred to the Tunnellers’ Bendigo camp on 2 November and continued training until 20 November when he returned to the Broadmeadows camp prior to embarkation.
William embarked at Melbourne on 21 November 1917 on board HMAT A71 Nestor with the May 1917 Reinforcements.
The troopship HMAT A71 Nestor departed Port Melbourne, Vic on November 21, 1917 with 168 Reinforcements on board. The voyage of twenty-five days duration terminated at the Suez on December 15, 1917 and the men disembarked going to the Australian Infantry Camp, Suez the same day. They entrained for Alexandria on January 4, 1918 and marched into the Australian Camp, Gabbary, in Alexandria on January 5, then boarded on January 8, 1918 the Transport E620 Abbasiah, disembarking at Taranto, Italy on 12 January. It was an unusual journey for the troops to undertake the weeklong train travel from Taranto to Cherbourg, France, and to then cross the channel to Southampton, England disembarking on January 24, 1918. A further entrainment completed their journey to Tidworth and they marched into No.3 Details Camp at Parkhouse.
William proceeded overseas to France on 2 March 1918 and marched in to the Australian General Base Depot at Rouelles on 3 March. He was transferred to the Australian Corps Depot on 8 March and marched out to the 2nd Australian Tunnelling Company (2ATC) on 13 March where he was taken on strength on 15 March.
William was wounded in action on 29 September 1918.
It is believed that William was taking part in the above action when he was wounded.
William was admitted to the 132nd Field Ambulance on 29 September with gun shot wounds to the lower jaw and left leg. He was transferred to the 55th Casualty Clearing Station the same day and transferred to Ambulance Train 4 on 30 September.
He was admitted to the 5th General Hospital on 1 October and on 2 October was evacuated to England on board Carisbrook Castle. On 4 October he was admitted to the 1st Eastern General Hospital at Brighton.
On 14 October his Next-of-Kin was advised of his wounding.
On 6 November he was transferred to the 3rd Auxiliary Hospital and granted furlough until 21 November, to report to No.4 Command depot, Hurdcott. His Next-of-Kin was advised of details of his wounding and that he had been transferred to the 1st Eastern General Hospital on the same date.
William did not return from leave as directed and was charged with being absent without leave from 10.30 am 21 November until 6 pm on 25 November. He was awarded 7 days forfeiture of pay as punishment, which made a total loss of 12 days pay. He marched in to No.4 Command Depot on 27 November.
William left London on 18 December 1918 on board HMAT A60 Hospital Ship Aeneas, disembarking in Melbourne on 5 February 1919. He was discharged from the A.I.F. as ‘medically unfit’ on 20 February 1919, entitled to wear the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
In March 1919 William requested details of his time in hospital when wounded for Lodge purposes.
On 20 April 1919 details of Williams’ wounding were provided to the General Secretary of the Australian Native’s Association in Melbourne.
The Electoral Rolls for 1919 and 1924 record William James Oates, engine-driver, and Oates Emma Oates, home duties, living at Clark St, Eaglehawk.
The Rolls for 1931 and 1936 record William and Emma still at Clark St, Eaglehawk. Queenie Hazel Irene Oates, bookkeeper, and Leonard Eustace Oates, clerk, are also living in Clark Street.
In 1942 living at Clark St, Eaglehawk, are William James Oates, greenkeeper, Emma Oates, home duties, Queenie Hazel Irene Oates, bookkeeper and Clive Ian Anzac Oates, a labourer.
William James Oates died at Eaglehawk in 1945. He was 72 years of age. He was buried in the Eaglehawk Cemetery on 21 September 1945 at Section MON K4, grave 54.
Emma Ellen Oates died in 1955 and was buried on 21 November, in the grave with William.
© Donna Baldey 2013
www.tunnellers.net
with the assistance of Edward Oates, great nephew of William James Oates.
ADDENDUM I – provided by Edward Oates
ADDENDUM II
Note: - ‘William James Oates’ in following In Memoriam articles refer to William Charles Oates