Orders, Decorations & Medals - Aust. Groups

Lot 3720    SESSION 13 (2.30PM THURSDAY 4TH APRIL)    Orders, Decorations & Medals - Aust. Groups

Estimate $500
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $400

PAIR TO KIA: British War Medal 1914-18; Victory Medal 1914-19. 7606 Pte. W.Wootton. 15-Bn. A.I.F. Both medals impressed. Very fine.

Together with Memorial Plaque WWI renamed to William Wootton. Note the plaque has a small pierced hole near top edge and some shaving on reverse. It is possible that the renaming has been done officially because the plaque was not issued until September 1932 long after production of them had ceased. Issued to his wife, who remarried, and then was called Ina Gray and as a result the Army Base Records had difficulty in locating her.

William Wootton, labourer, age 21, born at Gladstone, Qld; Enl.06Mar1917 at Brisbane, Qld with previous service of 2 years with Senior Cadets (Area 3B) and 4 weeks at Chermside Camp Brisbane, previously rejected for military service as having 'under standard chest' (note: height 5 feet 2 3/ 4 inches, weight 8 stone 5 (119lbs), chest 31.33 inches); Emb.14Jun1917 with 25 Rfts for 15Bn; TOS 15Bn 13Mar1918; TOS 14Bn ex 15Bn 04May1918; KIA 31May1918, France; Buried at Allonville Communal Cemetery, 4 miles NNE of Amiens; interestingly, his name on his headstone is spelt incorrectly as Wooton.

On 31May1918 German artillery, with range finding from an aircraft, fired towards the village of Allonville, which is located a few miles to the north east of Amiens. Two of the shells hit with devastating effect. The first shell shattered the main roof beam of the barn in which men were sleeping and it caused 69 casualties to A Coy 14Bn with 13 killed immediately and another 12 died of wounds. The second shell caused 17 casualties with at least 4 killed including Pte William Wootton.

With images of grave and receipt for plaque and Victory Medal.