William was born in 1891 to parents Richard William Joss (1867-1922) and Ellen Presshouse ( 1866-1948) in Perth, W A. He was one of 5 siblings, 3 sisters and one brother Charles Henry Joss who also applied to enlist in WW1.

William attempted to enlist on 6^th March 1916 at the age of 24 years and 7 months.He travelled to the Central Recruiting Office in Perth where he tried to enlist for military service. He was a small man, but it was not his lack of stature that caused his application to be unsuccessful though, it was the fact that he had what was described on his preliminary medical examination form as, “Intermittent heart – does not improve upon exertion.”

William was undeterred by this initial rejection and later that same year (26^th October 1916) he went to the military training camp at Blackboy Hill where he had a second go at enlisting … and this time he was accepted. His heart condition was described on his medical examination form as “tachycardia” but was obviously not considered sufficient grounds for rejection this time. This was to be short-lived, however, because he spent less than seven weeks as a private before being discharged on medical grounds. According to his medical records he ‘has suffered from weak eyes and is scarcely able to see anything without glasses’ and ”when sighting with rifle the right eye waters continuously and is blurred‘.

He was discharged as permanently unfit.

On the electoral rolls of 1917 he is listed as still living at Harold St and employed as an assistant druggist.

In 1917 he married Mary Elizabeth Littlejohn (1893-1972).

In 1922 they were living in West Pde, West Perth, moving to Cottesloe by 1930.

There is no record of children.

William died at the age of 73 on the 13th July 1964 and is buried at Karrakatta Cemetery.

Charles Henry was born in February 1898 to parents Richard William Joss (1867-1922) and Ellen Presshouse (1866-1948) in Perth, W.A. He was one of five siblings, three sisters and one brother William Frederick Joss who applied to enlist.

He applied to enlist 20 May 1918.

He was refused service as he was underweight, had hammer toes and corns. He worked as a warehouseman and was put to Home Service.

He enlisted for WW11 , W48634. He was a single man living with his mother Ellen Joss at 10 Chatsworth St, Mt Lawley. He was working as motor driver. Again he served only a year before discharge because of his B class medical classification (meaning he was unfit for active service).

In 1950, Charles married Mary Elizabeth Alice Lunt ( 1895-1967)

Mary died at the age 72 on 23 July 1967 .

Charles died on 9th June 1977 in Kalgoorlie and was cremated and his ashes put into the family grave.

John was born 1875 in Heathcote NSW to parents John Godfrey Johnson( 1848-1932) and mother Ellen Fowell ( 1859-1938). The family moved to Perth in 1894.

John was the eldest of 18 siblings (7 girls and 9 boys )with the other 17 born between 1876 and 1910.

5 of the male siblings joined WW1 and 4 enlisted in WW2.

John married Alice Maude Bradshaw (1884- 1973) in 1901 and they had 3 children; John Edward Godfrey (1902-1980), George Ernest Johnson (1909-1980) and Doris Eileen Maud ( 1913-1931).

John was 40 and working as a sorter at the General Post Office in Perth October when he enlisted as a Private in the Australian Army Postal Corps on the 28th October 1915. He left Australia on 18 November 1915. In May 1916 in Abbassia Egypt, he was admitted to hospital with appendicitis and later with muscle strain.

John was promoted to Corporal in England and later promoted to ER Corporal , still in London in November 1917. He returned to Australia in June 1918 on D13 HT Matautua and discharged from the Army in November 1918 with ‘chronic rheumatism’.

John returned to work as a mail sorter still living at Harold St until after 1940.

He died on the 22 October 1949 and was buried at Karrakatta Cemetery.

His brothers who enlisted in WW1 were; Joseph Francis Johnson ( 1878) Alfred George Austin Johnson ( 1880) , William Samuel Johnson (1884) and Albert Sydney Darling Johnson ( 1889)

The brothers that enlisted in WW2 were Albert Sydney Darling Johnson (1889), Godfrey Roy Alexander Johnson (1894), Clive Donald Johnson ( 1906) and Frederick Arthur Ernest Johnson (1906).

Joseph Lancelot Collins was born on 14th October 1890 to parents Joseph Collns (1865-1922) and Marion Williamson (1874-1910). He had one sibling but she died within a year of her birth. The family seemed to have moved living in Cowle Street, Highgate Hill in 1903 and Clifton St in 1914. Joseph’s father was employed as a bookeeper as was Joseph Junior. They moved to Harold St around 1915.

Joseph enlisted 26 March 1916 and after attending the Non Commissioned Officer’s school in Claremont. He was promoted to Corporal in July with the 51st Battalion. In November 1916 he embarked on the HMAT Argyllshire to England and was sent to France, where he was promoted to Lance Corporal.

At the end of September 1917 he was wounded in the field at Ypres with a gunshot wound to his left thigh and was sent on the HS Stad Antwerp to England. After he had recuperated he re-joined his Battalion in France in February 1918.

Two months later he was wounded for the second time in France and invalided to England with a gunshot wound to the right leg.

He returned to Australia on SS City of Exeter in January 1919.

Joseph married Nina Mildura Winterbottom ( 1883-1961) in October 1924 and they lived in Harvest Terrace West Perth. He is also listed at 200 St Georges Terrace which maybe was his work address.

In the 1930’s he ran Collins Frock Shop at 731 Hay St Perth and his shop was mentioned in the media after a woman stole 2 frocks from the shop.

Joseph also enlisted and served in WW11.

In the 1960’s he was living in Thomas Street, Perth.

He died on 28th October 1971 and was buried at Karrakatta Cemetery .

William Paul was born in 1889 in Southhampton, England to parents William Paul and Elizabeth Hammond. There is very little recorded history on William.

He married Elizabeth Lewis (1891-1979) in Perth in 1916 and at the time of his enlistment he was living in Harold St.

He enlisted on the 22nd February 1917 as a Private, leaving Australia on SS Borda in June 1917 but disembarked at Capetown for surgical treatment and depressive melancholin.

In August the same year, he left Capetown for Australia on TSS Nestor and was admitted to Wooroloo Sanatorium in Perth for treatment in November.

His daughter Cynwen Beatrice Frances Paul was born in October.

He died on 23rd December 1917, with the cause of death being cited as pulmonary tuberculosis.

His wife Elizabeth remarried in 1924 to William Thomas Gare and the family moved to Kondinin, Western Australia.

Photo courtesy of Find a Grave.

Albert Edward Game was born on 15th November 1894 to parents Samuel Armine Game ( 1856-1901) and Mary Guerin ( 1861-1946). He was one of 7 siblings ( 5 sisters, 1 brother and 1 half sister) .

When he enlisted he was working as a printing machinist.

He enlisted 21st March 1916 and attached in April to 20th Reinforcements 16th Battalion. He left Fremantle in October the same year, arriving in England 2 months later. He left England on the Princess Victoria to France from Folkestone in January 1917 and was transferred to 19th Reinforcements. In April he wounded in action for around 10 days and 3 months later he was transferred to the 4th Australian Divisional Base Depot in England and then to the 2nd Australian Command Depot in Weymouth for assessment of shell shock. He returned to Australia at the end of August 1917.

In 1925 he was living in 34 Smith St Highgate with his half sister Doris Mary. Doris (1903-1976) married in 1933.

Albert didn’t marry. He worked as a labourer . He moved to South Perth in 1939 and in 1954 was living in Railway Parade ,Maylands.

Albert died on the 16th of March 1960. He was buried at Karrakatta Cemetery.

Photo courtesy of VWMA

Charles was born in Fremantle on 17th September 1899 to parents Charles William Thomas Anning Jnr (1874-1946) and Frances Elizabeth Anning who died in 1904. He was one of 6 siblings.

He had not long turned 18 years old when he enlisted 8th of March 1918. He was working as a confectioner and living at home with his father.

He joined the 3rd Depot unit of Supply with the 1st Reinforcements in April, transferred to the 2nd Reinforcements , leaving Australia on the A74 Marathon from Albany, disembarking in England in September 1918.

He joined the 11th Battalion Reinforcements at the 1st Training Brigade at Fovant.

Charles left for France in January 1919 and was part of the Burial Detachment from March 1919.

He returned to Australia on SS Mahana and was discharged in November 1919.

He returned to his home in Harold St and in 1928 married Mary Catherine McDermott (1899-1990).

The family moved to the Fremantle area where they remained.

They had 3 children.

Charles enlisted in WW2.

On his enlistment form, his wife is listed as Sarah Anning (Sarah Priscilla Dorothy Anning ) and that they married in 1924.

Therefore there is confusion with Charles Anning. All records state the same date of birth but others state the different wives and this also includes the electoral rolls .

At his grave his grave stone is just behind that Mary Catherine Anning who died in 1990.

photo courtesy of Find a Grave

Harold Grenville Nugent lived at 109 Harold St, Mt Lawley. SN1333.

Gunner Harold Grenville Nugent was born on 3rd June 1892 in Fremantle Perth to parents Samuel Nugent (1866-1941) and Jane Parham Bowra ( 1866-1941. Jane was related to Frederick Douglas Atlee Bowra ( 1887-1915) who died serving in WW1. Samuel and Jane had 4 children, 3 of whom were boys and all 3 served in WW1. The eldest was Arthur Parham Nugent (1880-1945), Harold Granville and Mervyn Atlee Samuel Nugent (1894-1938).

Harold enlisted on the 21st July 1915. He is listed as being a hairdresser upon enlisting and was married to Marjory Williams (1892-1983).

Harold and Marjory had 2 sons before Harold went off to war: Harold Lawrence (1913) and William James (1914).

Harold left Australia on the HMAT Geelong in December 1915. He arrived in Egypt in March 1916 and transferred to the 5th Artillery Division and in June 1916, joined the British Expeditionary Forces in Marseilles.

In the field in August he was admitted to the hospital with variocele and transferred to hospital in Boulogne.

In January 1917 he joined the 15th Field Artillery Brigade but was off to hospital with influenza. On leaving hospital he joined the artillery detail at the Australian General Base Depot in Etaples.

In May 1917 he left for Perham Downs England for discharge , sick again with debility.

He returned home to his wife and children.

Another son was born in 1919 and a daughter in 1926.

In 1935, tragically his first born son was killed in a traffic accident.

His second born son William James Nugent and third born son Robert Samuel Nugent enlisted in WW2.

Harold died on the 20th January 1962. He was cremated and his ashes placed in the The Western Australian Garden of Remembrance at Karrakatta Cemetery Nedlands.

John McCabe lived at 115 Harold St, Mt Lawley. SN 2235

John McCabe was born in Liverpool England on 26th June 1880 to parents Bernard McCabe ( 1842-1905) and Mary nee Clarke ( 1848-1926). He was the 3rd of 4 siblings- 2 brothers Patrick McCabe ( 1876-1918) and Bernard McCabe ( 1878-1958) Bernard also served in WW1.

The brothers arrived at Fremantle in 1895 but John arrived later.

John had completed active service as a Private SN 454 with the Sixth Mounted Infantry in South Africa for 14 months, leaving Perth in April 1901 and returning 1902.

He then worked as a cleaner at St Georges Hall before he re-enlisted .

He enlisted on 18th May 1915 with the 28th Battalion and joined them in Gallipoli. A few months later he was wounded with a shrapnel wound on his left arm. He was transferred to hospital at Hudros, then to the military hospital at Hampstead in September 1915.

He returned to Australia at the beginning of 1916, disembarked in February and was discharged as medically unfit on 5th October 1916.

He had married Eva Boon (1898 -1984) in London October 1915 and they had a daughter who was born in 1916 in Perth, followed by a son in 1917 and another daughter in 1919.

They lived in York St Subiaco and later in Hubert St, Victoria Park.

In his NAA record there is a letter (13th June 1963) written from the family to the army requesting his details from his service in the Boer war as he was critically ill.

He died on 25 June 1963 (aged 81–82) and was buried at Karrakatta Cemetery.

Herbert Everington was born in Bunbury Western Australia on 19th November 1897 to parents James William Everington (1870-1939) and Mary Elizabeth nee Franklin ( 1878-1951). He was the eldest of 3 siblings- the other 2 being sisters Dorothy and Marjorie born in 1900 and 1905.

He enlisted just after turning 18 while working as a shipping clerk . He had previously been a senior cadet in the 88th Battalion.

He joined the 44th Battalion as a Private, leaving Fremantle in June 1916, heading to France from Southhampton in November 1916.

After being the field, in June 1917 he was shipped back on the minesweeper HMS Beaufort with a right inguinal hernia. He spent four months in recovery before returning to the field.

In March 1918 he was mentioned in Sir Douglas Haig dispatches relating to conspicuous services rendered.

He was wounded in action ( gassed) in May 1918., and returned to Australia on the HMAT Main in July 1919 disembarking in September.

In 1919 Herbert was living at 35 Rookwood St, Mt Lawley.

He married Florence Ingles (1895-1988) in 1922 and they lived in Toodyay.

A son was born the same year, Ronald James (1925-2003).

The family moved into farming at Koorda (WA) on a farm ” Bellarene”. In 1949 they’re living at 26 Brisbane St, Perth working as shopkeepers. In 1954 they were back at 35 Rookwood St Mt Lawley, Herbert working as a Civil servant and Florence a shop assistant.

Herbert enlisted in WW2.

They continued to live at Rookwood St until after Herbert died on 11th June 1970. His body was bequeathed to the University of WA.

He is remembered Memorial ID248447386 in the Garden of Remembrance, Karrakatta.

Photo courtesy of ANZAC Heroes Great War 1914 – 1918 Bunbury – Wellington District Western Australia.

Arthur was born on the 14th April 1898 in Renmark South Australia to parents Thomas Henry Lack (1862-1910) and Alpha Polina Carona Tischner aka Alice Frances (1876-1958). Harold had one older sister who died not long after birth and 2 younger brothers who died within a few years of birth.

After his father died in 1910, his mother was married again Harold Oliver Beachley Wheeler (1876-1939) and a half sister was born , Eileen Winfred Wheeler (1915-2001).

Arthur enlisted in March 1916 with the 4th Australian Machine Gun Company and left Australia a month later arriving in England for training. In November he left for France.

He was badly wounded and captured at Bullecourt France on 11th April 1917 and interned at Verdun as a Prisoner of War. His right leg was amputated.

He was able to send a postcard for his mother “I was under an operation since and had my right leg taken off. Would you please be so kind and let my mother know as soon as possible – Sarah Wheeler, 135 Harold Street, Perth. West Australia.“

On the 2nd of January 1918 he was transferred to Holland and then admitted to Tooting Military hospital .

Arthur was repatriated to England in March of that year and discharged. He was given a war pension of 60 shillings a fortnight in August 1918.

He returned to Harold St.

In May 1929 he was arrested and charged with other men as having kept their business premises as betting shops.

He married Elsie Ashcroft ( 1902-1977) on 27th April 1931 at St Albans Church in Highgate, Perth. At this time they were living in McKenzie St Wembley, In 1939 they lived in Turner St North Perth and later moved to South Australia.

They had one child.

He died on the 10th February 1949 at the Dawes Road Hospital in Adelaide South Australia . In 1950 his wife applied for assistance under the War Service Home Act.

Photo courtesy of The Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial Lake Wendouree, City of Ballarat, Victoria, Australia

William John Fagg was born in Perth in 1892 to parents William John (1866-1936) and Irene Emily Mary nee Nunn (1897-1946). He was the eldest of 7 children, 6 of whom survived into adulthood.

William attended Highgate State School following which he worked as a packer.

In 1913 William married Irene Emily Mary Nunn (1897-1946) and they had three children.

His brother Albert Thomas (1895-1965) enlisted but was rejected as unfit for service due to small staure and chest size.

William enlisted 28th May 1915 and left for overseas 5 months later to Alexandria on HMAT Borda. At Lemnos in November he joined the 5th Battalion. In January 1916 he returned to Alexandria on the HMT Empress of Britain and was tranferred to the 57th Battaliion at Serapeum.

On the 18th March 1916 he was taken to hospital at Tel-el Kebir. Early April he was admitted to hospital in Ismailia with rheumatism and later with pain in his shoulder.

After rejoining his battalion, he left in June 17th 1916 to join the British Expeditionary Forces on the HMT Kaylan at Alexandria, disembarking in Marseilles a week later.

On the 21st June he was wounded in action with a gunshot wound to his leg and transferred to England to Edmonton Military Hospital with a severe wound. 5 months later he was discharged to Wareham 4th Command Depot then to No 1 Command Depot Perham Downs.

In February 1917 he left for France on the SS Invicta, and joined the 57th Battalion in the field.

Three months later he was wounded for the second time with a gunshot wound to his shoulder and shipped to the 3rd London General Hospital in Wandsworth. At the end of July he was given leave, went absent for a few days, was charged but the charges were dismissed due to medical grounds.

In September 1917 he commenced training at Perham Downs, left England and rejoined his battalion in France.

On the 26th of April 1918 he was wounded for the 3rd time with a bomb wound to the abdomen and died from his wounds.

At the end of May his wife wrote to the Army requesting a death certificate.

At the end of December 1918 his personal effects were sent to his wife. In September 1921 the memorial scroll was sent; February 1922 the Memorial Plaque; and September 1924 the details of his grave at Crouy British Cemetery, Crouy-sur-Somme, France. His wife received a pension of 40 shillings a fortnight and his daughter Phylis Maud 20 shillings.

On the 26th April 1919 a memoriam notice was placed in the newspaper.

His brother Percy Edgar Fagg (1905-1972) served in WW11 as did his brother Roy Henry (1911-1980).

Photo courtesy ancestry.

Private Percy Robert Edward Walker (known as Robert Walker) was born on the 18th April 1894 to parents Frederick Walker (1869-1930) and Jane Vagg (1869-1945). Robert was the 2nd eldest of 7 children.

He worked in the metal ceiling trade.

He enlisted in the Army at the age of 21 years and 6 months. He left Australia on the 9th June 1915. In training camp he had a few absences without permission and one when on active duty in Bologne, France.

In May 1916 he was wounded in action with a gunshot wound to the foot and admitted to the 26th General Hospital.

He rejoined his unit a month later in Belgium.

Towards the end of 1916 he had several admissions to hospital with scabies.

On the 2nd July 1917 , he was awarded the Military Medal for “bravery in the field”.

After leave in England in October , he returned to the field and was absconded in the field for the second time on 7th December 1918 but stayed on duty.

HMAT A68 Anchises on the 28th February 1919.

In 1924 he married Nena Elizabeth Glanfield and they had 3 children.

Robert worked as a labourer on dams being built in the Perth area of Churchmans Brook and Canning dam in in the 1920’s and 1930’s.

His son John Robert Walker (1925-1976) served in WW11.

Robert died on the 28th August 1956 and is buried at Karrakatta Cemetery in the family grave.

Driver John ‘Jack’ Peter Glennon was born around 1883 in Kilmore, Victoria to auditor father John Patrick Glennon (1850-1920) and mother Eugenie Mary Caroline Fryer ( 1858-1941). Jack was the eldest of four children. Younger brother Patrick Richard Glennon (1887-1919) was a partner in the electrical contracting business Brear and Glennon. Patrick left his estate of £240 to his father. His other younger brother Thomas Glennon was killed in action on the 1st November 1917 in France, and his history follows. Jack had spent 11/2 years in school cadets and 11/2 years working as a civil servant prior to the war.

Jack was working as a farm hand when he enlisted on 7th February 1916. He embarked from Melbourne on HMAT Port Sydney on 7th September, 1916. He joined the Australia Army Training Depot in Parkhouse, England. Jack was hospitalised in Bulford briefly in November 1916. He proceeded to Etaples France in January 1917, joined his unit, 4th Divisional Ammunition Column in February, and was assigned as a driver. This unit was located in the Somme area in early 1917 and then supported 4th Division at Bullecourt in April. From May until September, the unit rested and reorganised in the Armentieres sector. In October and November, the unit supported the Battle of Passchendaele. They wintered in the Messines sector. During this time, Jack had leave in England. From March to April 1918, the unit reinforced the line around Amiens, Villers-Bretonneux and Dernancourt. Jack was detached to the 4th Infantry Brigade in May. He sustained a fractured left scaphoid in September, and was invalided to England for treatment at the Norfolk Norwich Hospital. Jack took leave in November, 1918, and was hospitalised again in December. He returned to Australia on the HMAT A38 Ulysses in January 1919, and was discharged in May.

Jack married Ethel May Dorham in Victoria in 1923. Their only child was stillborn in 1924. The couple lived for a number of years at 107 6th Avenue, Maylands, with Jack working as a horse driver. They had moved to Victoria by 1949. He died on 28th July, 1952, at Mt Waverley, Victoria, and was buried at the Springvale Botanical Cemetery.

Private Thomas Glennon was born around 1883 in Kilmore, Victoria to auditor father John Patrick Glennon (1850-1920) and mother Eugenie Mary Caroline Fryer ( 1858-1941). He was the youngest of four children. Older brotherJack’s history is noted above. Another older brother Patrick Richard Glennon (1887-1919) was a partner in the electrical contracting business Brear and Glennon.

Thomas was working as a metal ceiling fixer when he enlisted on 24th January 1916 in the 1st Reinforcements, 44th Battalion. He embarked on HMAT Suevic on 6th June, 1916. Thomas proceeded to France in September, joining 11th Battalion at Etaples on the 24th. On the 30th September, he suffered a strangulated left inguinal hernia which required hospital management in England at the Third London General Hospital. Thomas later transferred to the Second Auxillary Hospital for convalescence. He joined the 70th Battalion in March, 1917. Thomas was forfeited nine days pay in July, 1917, for being absent without leave -AWL. On 16th October1 917, Thomas joined 11th Battalion. The 11th Battalion was in Flanders, Belgium, taking part in the Third Battle of Ypres. They were operating around Broodseinde Ridge towards Passchendaele. The offensive was bogged down due to the very wet conditions.

On the 1st November 1917 Thomas was killed in action. Witness, Private Frederick William Tyler, SN 6110, 11th Battalion, noted, “Was in B Company – 6 platoon – called ‘Tom”. I saw him killed instantly by a shell (6 killed by the same shell). It happened during the 3rd stunt at Passchendaele on November 1st. He was next to me at the time. He was buried in the field – in a shell hole – just near where hit. I saw his grave – a cross had been erected – with his name, number etc. He was very popular with the boys. Was originally in the 44th Battalion and transferred to the 11th.” A later report noted his brother, John Peter, had received full particulars and sent these to his mother in Mt Lawley. Thomas was killed by concussion (not a mark on his body). He was mourned by family and friends.

Thomas is honoured at The Australian War Memorial, Kings Park and Ypres (Menin Gate). Widowed mother Eugenie received the memorial scroll and plaque in 1922. She was the beneficiary of Thomas’ will and received a pension of 30/- from 17th January, 1918.

Photo courtesy of Zonnebeke and Passchendaele Museum