SERVICE PERSON RESEARCH

By: Sophie Austin

SERVICE PERSON DETAILS

Service Person’s Name / William Swanson
Rank / Private
Service Number / 5077
Regiment/Unit or
Ship or Squadron / 25th Infantry Battalion, 13-16 Reinforcement
Date of Birth / 14 December 1896
Place of Birth / Brisbane, Queensland
Family Details (married or single, name of wife, names of mother and father) / Single
Next of Kin: Mother, Charlotte Jane Swanson (nee Charlotte Jane Sharland)
Father: John Swanson
Age at Enlistment / 19 years old
Place of Enlistment / Brisbane
Date of Death / 1 November 1917
Place of Death / Passchendaele, Belgium
Cemetery or
Memorial Name / White House Cemetery St Jean-Les-Ypres Belgium
Grave or Memorial
Number / Plot 3, Row Q, Grave 14

PHOTO:

Source of photo: http://qld.ww1anzac.com/sw.html

Faithe Jones 2013, WW1 Pictorial Roll of Queenslanders http://qld.ww1anzac.com/sw.html (accessed 15 January 2016)

SERVICE PERSON’S STORY/EULOGY

Private William Swanson was born on 14 December 1896 and was raised in a family with eight siblings at New Farm in Brisbane, Australia. He was the son of John and Charlotte Jane Swanson. Swanson was educated at the Brisbane Valley School before training as a boilermaker. He enlisted in the army at the age of 19 years on 9 January, 1916 and was placed in the 25th Infantry Battalion in the 13th Reinforcement. After this, Swanson trained at the Enoggera Camp and left for war from Pinkenba on 4 May 1916, proceeding to England. From there, Swanson was sent to France where he fought in Pozieres, the Somme Valley and supported in the Second Battle of Bullecourt. Swanson’s role was as a machine gunner. However, when the Battalion moved to Belgium to fight in Passchendaele, William was killed in action by a gas shell on 1 November 1917. He was killed near Zonnebeke Ridge and was the only man to be killed that night. Private Swanson was buried at the White House Cemetery in St Jean-Les-Ypres, Belgium.

Swanson was remembered by his close friends as being “very popular with the lot”. Corporal Ryan states, “He [Swanson] was a general favourite to all who knew him and his death caused profound sorrow among his numerous friends”. Also known by his friends as “Snowy” due to his white blonde hair, Private William Swanson is to be remembered for his bravery and I am very proud to call him my great, great uncle. Lest we forget.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Australian War Memorial (n.d.), 25th Australian Infantry Battalion https://www.awm.gov.au/unit/U51465/ (accessed 21 January 2016)

Australian War Memorial (n.d.), First World War Embarkation Rolls – William Swanson https://www.awm.gov.au/people/rolls/R1909703/ (accessed 15 January 2016)

Australian War Memorial (n.d.), Red Cross Wounded and Missing – William Swanson https://www.awm.gov.au/people/rolls/R1478468/ (accessed 15 January 2016)

Australian War Memorial (n.d.), Roll of Honour – William Swanson https://www.awm.gov.au/people/rolls/R1672946/ (accessed 14 January 2016)

Commonwealth War Graves Commission 2013, Swanson, W http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/455019/SWANSON,%20W (accessed 14 January 2016)

Jones, F 2013, WW1 Pictorial Roll of Queenslanders http://qld.ww1anzac.com/sw.html (accessed 15 January 2016)

National Archives of Australia 2006, B2455, SWANSON WILLIAM http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=8096506 (accessed 13 January 2016)

SOURCES

Reference: Australian War Memorial (n.d.), Red Cross Wounded and Missing – William Swanson https://www.awm.gov.au/people/rolls/R1478468/ (accessed 15 January 2016)

Reference: National Archives of Australia 2006, B2455, SWANSON WILLIAM http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=8096506 (accessed 13 January 2016)

Reference: Australian War Memorial (n.d.), First World War Embarkation Rolls – William Swanson https://www.awm.gov.au/people/rolls/R1909703/ (accessed 15 January 2016)