ANZAC Heroes | Great War 1914 – 1918

Bunbury – Wellington District Western Australia

WADDINGHAM, Wilfred

Full Name: Wilfred

WADDINGHAM

Date of Birth: 11

–

1895

Place of birth: Bunbury

Australia

Occupation: Farmer

Address: Capel WA

Next of Kin: Father-George Waddingham Mother-Caroline Waddingham

Next of Kin Address: Capel WA

Religion: Church of England

Service Number: 4574

Rank: Private

Unit/Division: 28th Battalion

Enlistment Date: 1916-02-22

Enlistment Location: Blackboy Hill

WA

Embarkation Port:

Embarkation Date: 1916-03-31

Embarkation Ship:

Disembarkation Port:

Disembarkation Date: 1916-04-24

Locations Served:

Returned: No

Discharge Date:

Cause of Death: Died of Illness

Date of Death:

Place of Death: Rollestone England

Age at Death: 20

Burial Location: Durrington Cemetery England Grave No. 103

14/03/1916-To 28th Battalion 11th Reinforcements
12/06/1916-Disembarked Plymouth ex. Alexandria
3/09/1916-DIED IN TENT 7th Training Battalion Rollestone Camp Wiltshire England ( Syncope – Loss of consciousness due to a temporary reduction in blood flow, causing shortage of Oxygen to the brain )
3/09/1916-Post Mortem carried out- ( Syncope  – Cause  Unknown )

Extracts from Witness Statements/Evidence from Court of Enquiry into Soldier’s Death

No. 968 Cpl S. S. WOODS, 27th Battalion  AIF – ” On the 3rd September 1916, I was Orderly Corporal of ” B ” Company 7th Training Battalion to which the deceased No. 4574 Pte W. Waddingham was attached.  At aboiut 7.15am it was reported to me that the deceased was very seriously ill or dead.  I immediately ascertained that the Medical Officer  had been sent for and informed the Company Commander. About 10 minutes later the Doctor came accross and found that Pte. Waddingham was dead.  I was in the Company Orderly Room  at the time the information was given to me. The deceased at the time was sleeping in the canvas tents. The man who gave me the information about  the illness of Waddingham  ( Pte. Blackburn, R  No. 620, 26th Battalion ) has since proceeded overseas. Pte. Blackburn told me that  the deceased had been called twice , once at Reveille, viz. 6.00am and again about a quarter of an hour later.  He was observed lying covered  up in his rugs, and when called the second time, turned over and groaned. The deceased had not been on sick parade for some considerable time before. I am sure of this as at the time I turned up the Sick Reports to see if I could get any information about the state of his health “.

Capt. A. E. CULLEN, A.M.C. :-  ” I am the Medical Officer of the 7th Training Battalion Rollestone and found Pte. Waddingham to be dead. When I first saw him he was wrapped  up in his blankets and had  apparently died during sleep. On examination I found he had only been dead a short time , his temperature being 96 degrees.  I could not say without a post mortem  what was the cause of death. A post mortem was conducted at Fargo Hospital – the finding was that the Sodier died of Syncope – cause Unknown. When I examined the deceased there was no evidence of any suspicious circumstances or foul play. I had not previously seen this man on the Sick Parade “.

 

Service Medals Awarded

British War Medal – No. 34866

Memorial Plaque/Scroll – 314287

 

Memorial Inscriptions

Australian War Memorial Canberra – Panel No. 114

Capel War Memorial Western Australia.