WORRALL, William James (1895-1966)
William James Worrall was born in 1895 at Beulah, the son of Seth Hazlewood Worrall and Hannaah nee Smith. He was enrolled as a boarder at Geelong College in February 1910 remaining a student there to April 1911. His address when he entered was 'Hazeldene', Rainbow and he had previously attended Rainbow State School.
He was living at Lismore when, after the outbreak of World War I, he enlisted (No. 3298) on 28 July 1915 as a Private with 21 Battalion (7th Reinforcement Group). He embarked for Egypt on HMAT A18 Wiltshire on 18 November 1915, and was admitted to 15th Field Ambulance at Ferry Post. While in Egypt he transferred to 58 Battalion on 15 March 1916 as part of the doubling of the AIF and embarked for France on HMT Transylvania on 17 June. He served there until he was wounded at Pozieres on 17 September 1916, suffering a gunshot wound to his leg. As a result, he was evacuated to England on HS St Patrick on 3 October and had his right foot amputated in 3rd Southern General Hospital, Oxford. He was on furlough in March 1917 before he returned to Australia, embarking on HMT Thermistocles on 4 May 1917.
He married in 1922.
He died on 15 September 1966.
His name is listed on the Geelong College Great War Memorial Tablet as 'Worrall, W J'
Sources: Based on an edited extract from Geelong Collegians at the Great War compiled by James Affleck. p341 (citing The Pegasus; National Archives).