William George Coysh

William was born on June 7, 1894, at Cudgewa, Victoria. He was the third of eleven children for George and Anna Elizabeth Catherine (nee Klippel) Coysh. On March 18, 1907, William's youngest brother, Claude, died. He was almost three weeks old.

William moved to Sydney, where he would work as an apprentice saddler with J.J. Weeks Ltd in Kent Street, Sydney for almost two years.

He enlisted on September 13 1915, at Sydney, NSW. One of his younger brothers, Ernest, would enlist six months later. They would return to Australia on the same ship. At the time of his enlistment, William was a single 21-year-old saddler living on Renwick Street, Marrickville, NSW. He was given Service Number 2782, placed on strength with the 7th Field Company Engineers and given the rank of Sapper. He embarked on HMAT A 23 Suffolk at Sydney on November 27, 1915. 

On the final day of 1916, William was admitted to the 5th Australian Field Ambulance suffering from mumps. He would be passed to the 39th Casualty Clearing Station and the 4th Ambulance Train before being admitted to the 25th Stationary Hospital at Rouen, France. After one week, he was transferred to the 2nd Convalescent Depot, Rouen, where he would remain until being discharged to duty at the 5th Infantry Base Depot at Etaples on January 26 1917.

William finally rejoined his unit in late February. In June of 1917, he was granted a two-week leave pass, although it's unclear where he spent it. On November 7, he was promoted to Lance Corporal. He was sent to the Australian Corps Lewis Gun School in Belgium for two weeks in March 1918.

Field Companies were responsible for the upkeep of physical infrastructure, such as trenches, dugouts, bridges, roads, and water supply systems, as well as erecting barbed wire, just to name a few. Ernest would experience the battles of Second Bullecourt (May 1917), Menin Road and Broodseinde (September to October 1917), Amiens (August 1918) and Mont St Quentin and Peronne (August to September 1918).

William embarked on the HT Mahia on July 17, 1919, along with his brother Ernest, to return home to Australia. He received his discharge on September 8 of that year. For his service during the war, he was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

On April 5 1922, William married Eva Maud Murray at ”The Glenn”, Mt Alfred, the residence of Eva’s uncle, Mr W.H. Gadd. The couple would live at Walwa, with William working as a saddler. Their only child, a son, Frank, was born in 1924.

William passed away at Walwa on April 15, 1940 and was buried in the Walwa Cemetery. His death was reported in the April 18 1940, edition of the Corryong Courier.

“MR. WM. E. COYSH

The death took place at Walwa on Monday of Mr William E. Coysh, storekeeper, at the age of 45 years. Mr Coysh had not enjoyed good health for some time past, and about a fortnight ago took a bad turn from which he did not recover. The deceased who was the third child of Mr Geo. Coysh, of Corryong, and the late Mrs Coysh, saw active service in the Great War and was attached to the 7th Field Engineers. Some years ago he started a storekeeping business in Walwa, and took an active interest in the affairs of the town. He leaves a widow and a son (Frank) to mourn their great loss.”