William Semmens Austin
Born 28 Mar 1871 - Died 31 Aug 1931
- Service number
- WWI 23/2 AWMM
- Also known as
- —
- Armed force / branch
- Army AWMM
- Last rank
- Inter War Lieutenant Colonel/Military AWMM New Zealand Rifle Brigade, 1st Battalion AWMM
- War
- World War I, 1914-1918 AWMM
About
- Title
- —
- Forenames
- William Semmens AWMM
- Surname
- Austin AWMM
- Ingoa
- —
- Also known as
- —
- Service number
- WWI 23/2 AWMM
- Gender
- Male AWMM
- Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
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- Religion
- Presbyterian, Christian AWMM
Images
Documents
About birth
- Birth
- 28 Mar 1871 Peter Dennis, UNSW Canberra
- Date of birth
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- Place of birth
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- Birth notes
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- Address before enlistment
- Pre 01 Oct 1915 AWMM 89 Cowper Street, Greymouth, New Zealand AWMM
- Post war occupation
- —
- Next of kin
- Mrs Christina Austin (wife), 89 Cowper Street, Greymouth, New Zealand AWMM
- Relationship status
- Pre 09 Oct 1915 AWMM Married AWMM
Wars and conflicts
- War
- World War I, 1914-1918 AWMM
- Campaign
- 1914-1916 AWMM Egypt AWMM
- 1914-1919 AWMM Western Front AWMM
- 1918 AWMM Le Quesnoy AWMM
- Armed force / branch
- Army AWMM
- Service number
- WWI 23/2 AWMM
- Military service
- NZ Volunteers AWMM
- Territorial Forces AWMM
- Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers
- —
Military decorations
- Medals and Awards
- Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) AWMM
DSO: London Gazette, 3 June 1916. Citation: "For distinguished service in the field [during the Senussi Campaign]." AWMM - Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) AWMM
- 1914-1915 Star AWMM
- British War Medal (1914-1920) AWMM
- Victory Medal with oak leaf AWMM
- Volunteer Officer's Decoration (VD) AWMM
- Colonial Auxiliary Forces Decoration AWMM
- New Zealand Long and Efficient Service Medal AWMM
- Croix de Guerre 1914-1918 (France) AWMM
- Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) AWMM
London Gazette 03/06/1916 AWMM - Mentioned in Despatches (MiD) Twice AWMM
London Gazette 21 June 1916, p6181 | London Gazette 28 May 1918, p6204, Rec No 1873 : In connection with operations on the Western Front. AWMM
- Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) AWMM
Training and Enlistment
- Military training
- —
- Branch Trade Proficiency
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- Enlistment
- WW1 01 Oct 1915 AWMM School teacher/Civilian AWMM
- Age on enlistment
- —
- Occupation before enlistment
- —
Embarkations
- Embarkation details
- WW1 09 Oct 1915-17 Nov 1915 AWMM
HMNZT 30 AWMM Vessel was Maunganui AWMM Major/Military AWMM Headquarters Staff AWMM New Zealand Rifle Brigade, 1st Battalion AWMM
Prisoner of war
- Capture details
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- Days interned
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- Liberation date
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- POW liberation details
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- Liberation Repatriation
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- POW serial number
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Medical history
- Medical notes
- Hospital Diseases , Wounds, WWI AWMM
Wounded four times AWMM
Last known rank
- Last rank
- Inter War 19 Jul 1919 AWMM Lieutenant Colonel/Military AWMM
New Zealand Rifle Brigade, 1st Battalion AWMM - Last rank
- —
Biographical information
- Officer commanding embarkation aboard HMNZT 30.
Appointed Commanding Officer (CO) of NZRB, 1st Battalion, 1 March 1916.
Wounded in action, 20 July 1916; transferred by HS 'St David' to England, 21 July 1916, and admitted to 2nd London General Hospital, Chelsea, 22 July 1916; transferred to No 1 NZ General Hospital, Brockenhurst, 12 August 1916; struck off strength, Hornchurch Convalescent Camp, and marched out to Sling Camp, 5 September 1916.
Wounded in action (second occasion), 21 March 1917; admitted to 2nd London General Hospital, Chelsea, 25 March 1917 (gun shot wound, left leg: severe); discharged on leave, 15 May 1917.
Proceeded overseas to France, 22 June 1917.
Admitted to 14th General Hospital, 30 August 1917 (myalgia: slight); transferred to England, and admitted to NZ General Hospital, Brockenhurst, 6 September 1917; transferred to NZ Officers' Convalescent Home, Brighton, 4 October 1917.
Wounded in action (third occasion), 29 March 1918.
Admitted to 8th General Hospital, 23 May 1918 (inflamed sciatic nerve); admitted to 1st NZ General Hospital, Brockenhurst, 29 May 1918; discharged from hospital, 12 June 1918.
Wounded in action (fourth occasion), 1 September 1918 (gun shot wound, left side, penetrating chest); listed as 'dangerously ill', 2 September 1918; removed from 'dangerously ill' list, 11 September 1918; transferred to NZ Officers' Convalescent Home, Brighton, 23 October 1918.
Commenced return to New Zealand on board 'Corinthian', 23 April 1919; discharged, 10 July 1919.
Total war service: 4 years 176 days (of which 3 years 195 days were abroad)
Medals: Distinguished Service Order, Croix de Guerre, 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal AWMM
About death
- Death
- 31 Aug 1931 AWMM
Age 60 AWMM - Date of death
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- Age at death
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- Place of death
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- Cause of death
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- Death notes
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- Cemetery
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- Cemetery name
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- Grave reference
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- Obituary
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- Memorial name
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- Memorial reference
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Memorial
- Memorial name
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Related objects
Sources
- External links
- Military personnel file
https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R22280605
Further Reference - References
- McDonald, W. (2013). Honours and Awards to the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in the Great War, 1914-1918. (3rd ed.). Hamilton, N.Z.: Richard Stowers.
- New Zealand Army Expeditionary Force. (1914-1919). Nominal Rolls of New Zealand Expeditionary Force, Volume I. Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer.
Vol1: 25 - Haigh, J., Polaschek, A. (Eds.). (1993). New Zealand and the Distinguished Service Order. Christchurch, N.Z.: Authors.
- NZEF Peter Dennis, UNSW Canberra
- Beattie, P.J. & Pomeroy, M. (2013-2020). Onward : portraits of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force (vols 1-5). Auckland, New Zealand: Fair Dinkum Publications
Vol. 1: Includes portrait - Austin, W. (1924). The official history of the New Zealand Rifle Brigade (The Earl of Liverpool's Own). Wellington, N.Z.: L T Watkins.
- The Le Quesnoy Campaign research was undertaken by the New Zealand Society of Genealogists as part of the development of New Zealand Liberation Museum - Te Arawhata (Le Quesnoy France). This research project was led by CJ Barbour (NZSG), BI Silvester, HH Farrant (NZMHS) with the support of NZSG volunteers (2022). The individuals included in this research dataset were identified as potentially having served in or around the wider Le Quesnoy campaign. Their presence at Le Quesnoy has not been individually verified in every case.
- HMNZT 30 - The Periscope : unofficial mouthpiece of the 1st Battalion N.Z. Rifle Brigade (Earl of Liverpool's Own) and Divisional Ammunition Column -- At sea : Officers & men of the Reinforcement : 1915
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