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William Ross Brain - Information

William was a grandson of English migrants William and Sarah of Elderslie. When the war began, William was living in Kyogle near Richmond River with his family and working as a labourer. William was born to James and Katherine Brain in Moss Vale in 1892. The war affected the Brain family immensely. William’s cousin, Percy Brain, joined up in 1915 and was later classified MIA during the Somme Offensive. Then in April 1916, William’s younger brother, Vhere, enlisted and left for the front. William thought he should do his duty, and signed up in Lismore on the 29th of July in 1917, aged 25. He trained in Sydney, then the M & D Depot in Liverpool, before becoming a Trooper at the Menangle Park Light Horse Depot. In January 1918, he was assigned to the 14th Reinforcements, Camel Corps. He was then sent abroad, leaving Sydney on the 30th of April 1918 on the SS Port Darwin.

William landed in Suez in early June, and in August, was transferred to the 6th Light Horse Regiment, joining them the following month. William participated in the last operations before Turkish forces surrendered on the 30th of October. He remained with his unit until he was sent home on the 28th of June 1919.