Fighting Sons of the Empire – Westonia WW1

The following records have been very kindly sourced by Graeme Monaghan, I would like to thank him for all his hard work:-

The following is a list of the men who joined up for WW1 in Westonia WA. It is not a comprehensive list, as there may be others we have not yet found. As you can imagine, many of the men who joined up to fight for their country from this town would be miners.

3776 Private (Pte) Frederick James Dudley, 11th Battalion, of Westonia, WA. A miner before enlisting in September 1915, Pte Dudley left Australia for Egypt with the 12th Reinforcements in November 1915. In March 1916 he transferred to the 1st Pioneer Battalion before arriving in France for service on the Western Front the following month. Rejoining the 11th Battalion in June 1917, Pte Dudley was killed during the 1st Division’s attack on Glencorse Wood, Belgium, on 20 September 1917, aged 32. He has no known grave.

3731 Private Edward Huxley Brown, 51st Battalion. A blacksmith’s striker of Westonia, WA, he enlisted on 18 September 1915 and sailed with the 12th Reinforcements on the RMS Mongolia. He was killed in action on 10 June 1917, aged 24, at Messines, in the Flanders region of Belgium.

In fact out of the 103 men listed, 30 gave their occupation as a Miner. However there were, 3 prospectors, 4 blacksmiths, 1 fireman, 2 engine drivers, 4 carpenters, 2 teamsters, 4 woodcutters, 2 timber workers, 1 millman, 1 axeman and 12 labourers. All of these men probably were working in mining related jobs.

Other occupations were 3 accountants, 1 barman, 1 bookmaker, 3 butchers, 2 carriers, 1 clerk, 1 contractor, 3 farmers, 1 grocer, 2 horse trainers, 2 plumbers, 2 postmasters, 1 store keeper, 1 station hand and most unusually a Chauffeur!

One of the most heartbreaking stories among these soldiers, is that of Dan (Daniel) Hart. He was a widower with a young son.  His wife Margaret nee Stockhouse had died in 1910. His only child, Richard was born in 1904. On the 29 May 1917 he enlisted in Westonia, he was aged 38yrs and was a teamster. He listed his next of kin as his young son. I can only think he had no other relatives at all. Sadly he had to place his son in the Independant Order of Oddfellows Orphans Home in Cottesloe, Perth. He was in the 15th Light Horse Regiment and fortunately he was returned to Australia but not until 5 Mar 1919. It is hoped that he was then reunited with his son.

Second Lieutenant Henry Arundel, 16th Battalion, of Westonia, WA. A school teacher prior to enlisting, he embarked from Fremantle aboard HMAT Ajana (A31) on 22 December 1915 as 3848 Private Arundel. On 26 September 1915, aged 41, he was killed in action at Polygon Wood, Belgium. He is buried in the Tyne Cot Cemetery, Belgium.

Out of the 103 men 19 were killed in action. The following if a brief summary of the details on the Outback Family History web site. Full details on each man can be viewed at https://www.awm.gov.au/advanced-search

Soon to follow will be the names of the men who joined up from Westonia for WW2.

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Moya Sharp

Owner at Outback Family History

My name is Moya Sharp, I live in Kalgoorlie Western Australia and have worked most of my adult life in the history/museum industry. I have been passionate about history for as long as I can remember and in particular the history of my adopted home the Eastern Goldfields of Western Australia. Through my website I am committed to providing as many records and photographs free to any one who is interested in the family and local history of the region.

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