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William Egelton - Information

William Egelton was a member of a Campbelltown family that lived on Appin Road. William spent his whole life in the area born in Campbelltown on the 27th of March 1894 to Joseph and Rosannah Egelton. When war broke out, he was working as a farmer with his father, whom was also a Town Alderman.

William enlisted in the AIF on the 23rd of January 1916 at Casula, when he was 21. After he joined up, he was stationed with the Depot Battalion in Casula. He was then made a Private with the 18th Reinforcements, 13th Battalion. William's unit was shipped out from Sydney on the 3rd of May 1916 aboard the HMAT Clan McGillivray. After receiving further training in England, William was transported to France in September 1916, joining his Battalion in the field. After enduring the bitter winter, the 13th Battalion were brought into action with renewed assaults across the Somme Battlefield at Guedecourt in early February 1917. Here, William was wounded on the 4th of February with a gun shot wound to his right leg and chest. He was taken to hospital in Rouen, and then transported to Havre to be evacuated. He was admitted to Reading War Hospital in England. William recovered from his wounds, and was sent back to France in early July 1917. Shortly after returning to the trenches, William was promoted to Lance Corporal on the 4th of September 1917. At the time, his Battalion was advancing towards the Germans during the Third Battle of Ypres. William, however, was soon back in an English hospital with trench fever. William felt horrible, very weak and unpleasantly struck with diarrhoea and scabies also.

William returned to France via Folkestone at the end of May 1918. He was back in the lines, as the Allies were pushing the Germans back following their Spring Offensive. On the 4th of July 1918, William displayed great leadership and was promoted to Corporal. Unfortunately, William was then killed in action in France on the 18th of September 1918, while attacking the Hindenburg Line near Le Verguier. His comrades buried him in Jeancourt Communal Cemetery, Jeancourt in France.