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William Henry Raines - Information

When the war was raging across the seas, William Henry Raines was living in Kilmore in Victoria with his wife, Mary Ann. William was born in Campbelltown in 1888 to William and Annie Raines, and later moved to Victoria. William supported his family working as a labourer, before enlisting in the AIF. He joined the military in Kilmore on the 5th of December 1914, when he was 26. Becoming a Trooper with the 4th Light Horse Regiment, he then boarded the HMAT Wiltshire in Melbourne on the 13th of April 1915.

William arrived in Egypt, and joined his unit and his horse. The attacks at Gallipoli did not go as planned, and the Light Horse Regiments were mustered to reinforce the infantry. William and his mates arrived at Anzac Cove on the 19th of May. Attached to the 1st Division they participated in many attacks, enduring the bitter conditions in the trenches. William was then wounded in action on the 14th of August 1915. At Gaba Tepe, he received a gun shot wound to his right forearm, unluckily fracturing the bone. He was then evacuated from Gallipoli and admitted to the Royal Navy Hospital in Malta. After he recovered, he was transferred to the ANZAC Police Corps in Egypt and was promoted Corporal in April 1916. William enforced military law, and kept the troops under control. In April 1917, he was appointed Temporary Sergeant. However, in August, he was admitted to the 14th Australian General Hospital in Abbassia with phlebotomus fever. After recovering, he returned to the ANZAC Provost Corps as Acting Sergeant. 1918 proved to be a difficult year. From June to August, William was suffering with pyrexia and in October he lost his rank when charged with conduct and prejudice of good order. After the war ended in November, William continued to serve with the Police Corps, becoming Extra Regimental Sergeant. He returned to Australia onboard the Kantara in early August 1919 and was discharged in November. William returned to his family, whom were now living at 192 Drybury St in North Melbourne. William passed away in Canberra in 1961 leaving behind his children.