William was born at Port Melbourne July 1892. He married Elizabeth Llewelyn at East Melbourne in May 1912. After the wedding they were living at 112 Grey Street, East Melbourne.

William enlisted as a private in the AIF in Melbourne on the 12 September 1914. He was allocated to the 8th Battalian in C Company. He was 22 years old, a commercial traveller, married and had one child, a son Leslie Llewelyn. He listed that he had been a Navel Cadet for 5 years.

He embarked for Eygpt to join the Gallipoli Campaign on the HMAT Benella [A24] in October 1914 and left Alexandria for Gallipoli on the 5 April 1915.

He was promoted in the field at Gallipoli  to Sargeant  on the 12 May 1915 and was badly wounded with a gun shot wound to the right eye and face on the 11 June 1915. he was transferred to a Hospital ship and very quickly transferred to the Malta General Hospital where he was admitted on the 20 June 1915. Apart from his war wound treatment he also contracted Gonorrhea in Malta and was admitted to the special Hospital on the 30 July 1915

The GSW to his face and right eye were very serious and he was transferred to the King George Hospital in London on the 3 September 1915. He lost his right eye on the 21 September 1915.

William was taken back on strength in March 1916 for admin work but his eye and facial wound were still causing him concern.

In October 1916 he was recognised for 'having performed various acts of Gallentry at Gallipoli in the May/June 1915 period and was awarded a Military Medal.

He was discharged on the 3 August 1917 due to GSW disability.

After the War william moved to Adelaide and re married. He died at his home 59 Sheffield Street, Malvern, Adelaide on Sunday 9th September 1934 aged 42.

He was buried at the AIF Cemetery West Terrace Adelaide.