SAPPER WILLIAM SELBY
3901 – 2nd Tunnelling Company
Christian William SEYB was born on 31 August 1881, at Washdyke, New Zealand, the son of Johann Georg and Christina(nee Gudex) SEYB. His parents had been born in Kindenheim, Germany and as he was unable to serve with New Zealand forces, he moved to Australia and, using the name William Selby completed the ‘Attestation Paper of Persons Enlisted for Service Abroad’ on 25 March 1916.
He stated he was 34 years and six months of age, not married, and a Miner by trade. He named as his Next-of-kin his father Mr George Selby of Pleasant Point Road, Timaru, Canterbury, New Zealand.
His Next-of-Kin was later changed to his mother, Mrs. Christina Selby of the same address.
A medical examination on 24 March at Melbourne had recorded that he was 5ft 6¾ins tall and weighed 118 lbs. He had a fresh complexion, grey eyes and scanty brown hair. He was of the Presbyterian faith.
William signed the Attestation and the Oath to ‘well and truly serve’ at Melbourne, Victoria on 25 March 1916 after he was medically re-examined, and was appointed to No.5 Tunnelling Company, then camped at Broadmeadows, Victoria.
William embarked at Melbourne for the European Theatre on board Warilda.
Two Sections of the Northern recruits to form the No.4 Company had embarked from Brisbane, Queensland early in May, 1916 aboard HMAT A69 Warilda for Sydney, New South Wales (NSW). Six officers and 152 other ranks together with the 1st Reinforcements of fifteen other ranks made up the two sections. At Rosebery Park, Sydney, NSW they joined their Headquarters and two sections (8 officers & 153 O.Rs.) plus 1st Reinforcements consisting of one officer and seventeen other ranks for final training.
The 7713-ton transport departed Sydney, NSW on May 22, 1916 and collected in Melbourne, Victoria the No.5 Company recruited from Victoria, South Australia & Tasmania consisting of a Headquarters and 2 Sections (8 officers & 173 men) (3 M.D.). 1 Section from Tasmania (3 officers & 76 O.Rs); also 1st Reinforcements for No 5 Company (17 men from Vic. & 8 men Tas.) The ship departed on May 25, 1916 for Adelaide, S.A. to collect one Section of 3 officers & 76 O.Rs with 1st Reinforcements of 8 O.Rs.
Docking at Fremantle, W.A. on June 1, 1916, No.6 Company recruited from W.A. of 14 officers and 325 O.Rs along with 1st Reinforcements of 1 Officer & 32 O.Rs embarked and Warilda departed the same day for the European theatre.
Durban, South Africa was reached on June 16, 1916 and Cape Town on June 21, 1916 while St Vincent completed the African ports of call on July 7, 1916. Discipline was fairly good except at intermediate ports where soldiers going Absent Without Leave caused concern. The fifty-eight day voyage experienced remarkable pleasant weather and terminated at Plymouth, England on July 18, 1916. Four, Five and Six Companies comprising of 1064 officers and other ranks were detrained to Amesbury and Tidworth to begin training for the front.
William proceeded overseas to France on 28 August 1916 and marched in to the 2nd Australian Divisional Base Depot on 30 August, marching out to Reinforce the 2nd Tunnelling Company on 25 September. He was taken on strength of the 2nd Australian Tunnelling Company (2ATC) on 29 September 1916.
Whilst on active service, William was charged on 11 November 1916 with being absent from the Trench Parade on 9 November and was awarded 5 days Field Punishment No.2 by the O.C. of 2ATC, Major Mulligan.
He was wounded in action on 7 May 1917, receiving a gunshot wound to the left shoulder. He was treated at the 4th London Field Ambulance on the same day and, with his wound deemed to be severe, he was transferred to the 3rd Canadian Casualty Clearing Station.
On 10 May he was transferred by Ambulance Train 19 to the 4th Stationary Hospital at Arques. A telegram was forwarded to Wellington, New Zealand on 19 May to inform his father that he had been wounded
William was transferred to the 7th Convalescent Depot at Boulogne on 21 May and then to the Rest Camp at Boulogne on 26 May. He was classified C.1 and Evacuated to England on 25 June, marching in to No.2 Command Depot at Weymouth on 26 June
He was granted furlough from 9 to 23 July 1917 and left London on 27 July 1917 for return to Australia on board Demosthenes. There were 41 Tunnellers on board Demosthenes; 14 from 2ATC and 9 original members of the 5th Company who had been on Warilda with William on th evoyage to Europe.
On 23 August his Next-of-Kin was advised that he was returning to Australia.
William disembarked at Melbourne on 24 September and, although he was supposed to serve out his time on Home Service, was discharged from the A.I.F. on 3 November 1917, entitled to wear the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
He was granted a War Pension of 30 shillings per fortnight from 4 November 1917.
In February 1924, Base Records wrote to Williams’ father in New Zealand seeking a current address for William as they wished to forward his war medals to him.
After discharge William continued as a miner in the Bonnie Doon area of Victoria. On 13 May 1929 he submitted a Statutory Declaration stating that his Discharge Certificate ‘Was burnt when my tent was destroyed by fire’. On the Declaration he gave his address as Bungaree Post Office, Victoria. While he was at Base Records submitting his Declaration, he was issued his medals at the counter. The replacement Discharge Certificate was issued on 15 May 1929.
The Electoral Roll for 1936 records William as a labourer, resident at Fern Hill, Woodend, Bendigo. In 1942 he is recorded as a charcoal burner of Ashbourne, Woodend, Ballarat and between 1949 and 1954 he was a resident at the Benevolent Home, Castlemaine.
At age 69, William Selby (Christian William Seyb) died in 1954 at Castlemaine.
Williams’ brothers, Alexander Gudex SEYB and Heinreich (Harry) SEYB enlisted in the NZ Forces in WW1 and served as Reservists.
Brothers of Christian William Seyb (William Selby) with whom the cropped image above was compared.
Cousins of William Selby served with the New Zealand forces during WW1.
Michael SEYB was the brother of Johann George SEYB (father of Christian William Seyb aka William Selby). Michaels’ wife was Sylvia Louise (nee MORGAN) SEYB. Their children included:
SEYB, Henry Michael (b. 1889, Timaru, d. 1975, Ashburton);
SEYB, John Peter (b. 1890, Timaru, d. 1956) WW1 N/N
SEYB, Bernhardt (Ben) (b. 1895, Timaru, d. 1968) WW1 Service number 24/1481
SEYB, Wilhelm was born at Timaru, New Zealand in 1896 and served as:
SEYB, William, Service number 24/1808, Private, 2nd Battalion, Canterbury Regiment, N.Z.E.F.
© Donna Baldey 2013
with the assistance of Wayne Marriott, great grandson of Heinrich (Harry) Seyb.
ADDENDUM:
Three families: Seyb, Gudex and Kippenberger (as in Major General Sir Howard Karl Kippenberger, KBE, CB, DSO, ED served as a New Zealander in both World Wars) all came from the one village Kindenheim, Germany.