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William Thomas Malone - Information

William Thomas Malone was born in Campbelltown in 1880. After attending Albion Park Public School, he found work as a tram driver. He later fell in love and married Ethel Alice Maude, beginning their life together at 10 Hargrave St in Paddington. When William was 36 years old, he decided to enlist in the AIF in East Sydney on the 27th of October 1916. He trained as a Private at the Royal Showground Camp, and was allocated to the 18th Reinforcements, 18th Battalion at Liverpool.

William departed Sydney Harbour for war service on the 11th of November 1916 on the HMAT Suevic. Arriving in Devonport, he was taken to Rollestone for training. William spent a lengthy period in England, before going to the Western Front in March 1918, where he joined the 18th Battalion in the field. Two weeks later, the Germans launched their Spring Offensive. The 18th Battalion helped to impede the German onslaught, and then began to push on towards Hamel. In August, the Allies commenced their own offensive. When the Battle of Amiens commenced on the 8th of August, William was wounded in action at Warfuse. He received a shell wound to his right knee and left arm. He was taken away by stretcher, but later died from his wounds. He was buried at Longueau British Cemetery, Picardie in France the following day.

Back in Australia, his family was very perplexed about William’s death. They wrote to the Red Cross for answers about how he died. This led to an inquiry, although, this would provide little solace to Ethel, like so many losing her husband to the war effort.