Name
William Charles Halden
20/12/1895
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
28/10/1918
22
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
4516
Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
11th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ABBEVILLE COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION
IV. K. 7.
France
Headstone Inscription
IN EVER LOVING MEMORY OF MY DARLING SON
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Cheshunt Memorials, Not on the Waltham Cross Memorials
Pre War
William Charles Halden was born in Waltham Cross/Cheshunt, (depending on the document) Hertfordshire, on the 20th December 1895. Son of Henry Halden a, Navvy and Alice Rose Halden (nee Tew). One of ten children.
Henry Halden and Alice Rose Tew were married in Standon, Herts on the 26th September 1891.
By 1901 the family had moved from Standon, Herts, to Enfield, Middx, the Census records William aged 5, living with his parents, sister Edith Minnie (10), brothers Henry (8), Albert (3) and Robert (5 months) at, 65 Churchbury Road, Enfield, Middx.
His father Henry and sister Edith Minnie emigrated to Western Australia in abt. 1910.
1911 Census records William aged 15, at home, living with his mother Alice, six brothers and sister Alice (5), now at, 78 Churchbury Road, Enfield, Middx.
In November 1911 William his mother Alice and all his siblings emigrated to Western Australia (WA), leaving London Docks aboard the SS. Armadale, on the 18th November 1911, for Freemantle, Australia, to join his father and sister Edith at Glencoe Farm, south of Kojonup in Western Australia.
In 1913, brother Samual David Halden was born.
Wartime Service
At the outbreak of war, the family were still all living at Glencoe Farm. On the 9th October 1915, William enlisted at Blackboy Hill, WA, giving his age as 19 years and 10 months, his occupation, a Farmer. Posted to the 11th Battalion, 3rd Infantry Brigade, Australian Infantry with the service number 4516.
On completion of his training, he sailed with his Battalion from Freemantle, on the 12th February 1916, aboard HMAT (A28) Miltiades, for France, via Suez arriving on the 10th March 1916, then on to Alexandria arriving on 29th March, from there to Marseilles, France, arriving on 4th April 1916, then by train to Base Camp at Etaples, France, arriving on 8th April 1916.
William received a severe Gun Shot Wound to his left arm on 5th May 1917, admitted to Hospital in Rouen, France, from there to Le Havre and on to England aboard HMHS. Essequibo for treatment arriving on 31st May. On his discharge from Hospital, he was sent to Perham Downs Camp in Wiltshire, an Australian Command Depot dealing with Australian soldiers discharged from hospital before going back to active service in France. He sailed from Southampton for Le Havre on the 30th July 1917, arriving the following day the 31st, re-joining his Unit the 11th Battalion in the field on the 8th August 1917.
William was taken Ill in the field on the 17th October 1918, and admitted to the 3rd Australian General Hospital at Abbeville, France, on the 18th October, where he died on the 28th October 1918, of Broncho Pneumonia. He is Buried in the Abbeville Communal Cemetery Extension. Grave Ref: IV. K. 7.
Additional Information
His younger brother enlisted as Driver 6321 Albert Victor Halden in February 1915. He survived the war returning home in March 1919.
William and brother Albert’s service records are available on-line at the Australian National Archives.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
Jonty Wild
