Name
Wilfred Albert Ball
1892
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
03/07/1916
23
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
1314
Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
2nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ESTAIRES COMMUNAL CEMETERY AND EXTENSION
II. S. 11.
France
Headstone Inscription
FOR KING AND COUNTRY
UK & Other Memorials
Bourne End Village Memorial, St John's Church Roll of Honour (book), Bourne End, Not on the Hemel Hempstead memorials
Pre War
Wilfred Albert Ball was born in 1892 in Capperquin, Waterford, Ireland, the son of Benjamin and Daisy Ball.
On the 1901 Census, the family were living at The Fox and Hounds Beerhouse, Bourne End, Berkhamsted, Herts where his father was the Grocer and Beer Retailer. His father remained there in 1911 with Wilfred's three youngest siblings, Daisy, Cyril and Muriel, but his mother and brothers William and Arthur had moved to Bucklers Lane, Kings Langley, Bucks. Wilfred was working as bookbinder.
He emigrated to Australia and worked as a farmer.
On enlistment, he gave his next of kin as father B Ball, 77 Horseferry Road, Westminster, London, later changed to 48 Causton Street, Westminster, London.
Wartime Service
He joined the Australian Imperial Force on 27/28 November 1914 at Liverpool Camp in New South Wales and embarked from Sydney on A48 Seang Bee on 11 February 1915.
He received an injury to his left foot on 14 June 1915 and was admitted to Floriana Hospital in Malta on 20 June but recovered and rejoined his unit detailed for Permanent Beach Party in Gallipoli on 8 July 1915. He was later sent to the Base Depot at Mustapha as "ex Malta" on Hospital Ship Ascanius but again recovered and left Alexandria on SS Ionian to rejoin his unit in Gallipoli on 19 September 1915. In early October he was back to hospital "sick" and rejoined the Beach Party on 9 October.
Leaving Gallipoli, he disembarked at Alexandria on 28 December 1915 .
On 22 March 1916 he left Alexandria on the Troopship Ivernia for Marseilles heading for the Western Front.
He received a gun shot wound to the stomach and died of wounds received in action on 3 July 1916 at the 1st Australian Casualty Clearing Station and is buried at Estaires Communal Cemetery.
Additional Information
N.B. on some records his place of birth is given as Westminster (his father's place of birth and later residence) and his second name of Albert is sometimes changed to Alfred.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, www.dacorumheritage.org.uk, naa.gov.au
