3750 Private FOOTS “Willie” William James

1st Australian Pioneer Battalion, 34th Reinforcements 

6th Light Horse Regiment –15-34 Reinforcements (March 1916-March 1918, HMAT Anglo Egyptian A25.) 

Born at Young 11 June 1895, Willie went to school at Belowra, Wambanumba. His next of kin was his Mother, Philadelphia Gorham Foots (Hall), Young, care of Miss Wall, Tubbul. 

William’s place of Association was Marengo. William James Foots (Hall) presented himself for enlistment on 20 August 1915 at Cootamundra aged 20 years and 2 months. Willie was allotted 27 October 1915 to 12th Reinforcement 4th Battalion at Liverpool NSW. He embarked from Sydney on the ship HMAT A7 Medic on 30 December 1915 and disembarked at Alexandria. 

From there William went to France where he joined the 1st Pioneer Battalion, 26 May 1916. William kept a diary, a full record of his experiences from the time he left Sydney. William was killed in action at Hooge Dump, Belgium, 25 July 1916 aged 21. No known grave. William’s Remembrance details are on the Villers- Bretonneux Memorial, Picardie, France