ANZAC Search

William Patrick Stanton - Information

The Stanton family lived on the property of Lachlan Vale in Appin. William was one of many children of John Joseph and Emma Mary Stanton. Like his siblings, he was born in Appin c1894. When the war commenced, he was still living on the family property and working as a labourer. When William was 22, he decided to join the fight. He travelled into Sydney to sign up at the Royal Showground Camp on the 3rd of March 1916. He trained as a Private at Goulburn Camp and was then made a Gunner with the 1st Light Trench Mortar Battery in July, before departing for war service. He boarded the HMAT Euripides in Sydney on the 9th of September 1916.

William reached Plymouth in late October, and was marched into a Training Battalion at Parkhouse. He was subsequently transferred to the 17th Light Trench Mortar Battery in April 1917. By May, William was attending a School of Instruction in Lyndhurst. He then proceeded overseas to the trenches on the 25th of September. Once he landed, he was taken on strength to the 2nd Light Trench Mortar Battery. William survived the bitter winter with his mates, before he was wounded in action. Holding off the German Spring advance, he received a gun shot wound to his buttocks on the 14th of April 1918. Evacuated to England, he was admitted to Suffolk Hospital. By late August, he recovered and was transported back to France from Southampton. He marched into an Australian General Base Depot, before rejoining his unit in mid September. The war soon ended, and William continued his service until he was ordered back to Australia on the 12th of May 1919. He was discharged from the AIF in August and returned to his grateful family.