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Headstone for William Henry Symington.
Courtesy of Carol & George Judkins.

William Henry was born in either Richmond or Bacchus Marsh, VIC in 1881 to William Symington and Annie Hamson Tanner. William Henry had at least four children, Henry, b. Benalla, VIC, 1905, Alfred, b. Benalla, VIC, 1906, William, b. Richmond, VIC, 1909 and Francis, b. Bacchus Marsh, VIC, 1913.

Willian Henry's father ran a brewery in Hopetoun, Bacchus Marsh, from 1867 to 1886. William Henry's grandfather⁽³⁾ and family settled in Bacchus Marsh in 1858 and started the brewery in 1862. William Henry's great-grandfather⁽³⁾, William Symington was the inventor of the Steamboat.⁽⁴⁾

William was a buttermaker at Bacchus Marsh, VIC when he enlisted in the AIF on the 9^th of March 1916, aged 35. He was allocated to the 18^th Reinforcements, 7^th Battalion at the end of April and embarked aboard the HMAT A33 Ayrshire in July, disembarking at Plymouth, England in early September.

William proceeded overseas to France in October 1916 and joined his unit in November. At the end of December he was accidentally injured whilst on parade and admitted to hospital in Rouen, France - simple fracture of the left fibula at the ankle. He was then evacuated back to England and admitted to the 3^rd London General Hospital, Wandsworth in early January 1917 and discharged to two weeks furlough in March. William rejoined his unit in France in July but during the 2^nd Battle of Passchendaele, on the 26^th of October was wounded in action and admitted to the 69^th Field Ambulance. He was transferred to the 11^th Stationary Hospital, Rouen, France before being evacuated back to England and admitted to the 1^st Southern General Hospital, Stourbridge, Birmingham (Auxiliary Hospital, Harbourne Hall) - shell wound to right shoulder, severe.

William was discharged to two weeks furlough in December 1917 and rejoined his unit in France in February 1918. Later that month he attended a school of instruction to be a batman. After attending a medical board in March, William was transferred to Headquarters 1^st Divisional Train as a batman. He embarked for home aboard the Ulysses in January 1919, returning to Australia in March and was discharged from the AIF in May.

William died in Oakleigh, VIC in 1971, aged 90.

He is listed on the Shire of Bacchus Marsh Roll of Honour, the Bacchus Marsh & District Roll of Honour and the Roll of Honour of S^t. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Bacchus Marsh.

Notes

1. His initials should be W H
2. He enlisted in, and saw action with the 7^th Battalion but later transferred to the 1^st Australian Divisional Train
3. The Bacchus Marsh Express 5 Dec 1914
4. The Bacchus Marsh Express 18 Dec 1909
5. Headstone for his father and grandfather.