JACOBSON, William

When William Jacobson was born on 20 April 1879 in Launceston, Tasmania, his father, Charles (1835-1904), was 43 and his mother, Margaret, nee Carswell, was 34 . William was the eldest of four children, Janet (b. 1881), Arthur (b.1884) and Ada (b.1886). William was working an engine driver when he enlisted in 1915 and was unmarried.  He  had moved states and was living at 193 George St., East Melbourne. He married Edith Annie Stebbeings on 5 February 1916 in Victoria. They had one child during their marriage, a daughter, Selina Martin Jacobson (1916-2000). William Jacobson died on 18 August 1949 in his hometown, Launceston, at the age of 70, and was buried there.

William Jacobson joined up on 23 December, 1915. He trained with the 24th Depot Battalian at Royal Park, Parkville and was then sent to Broadmeadows. On 21 March, 1916, with the other new recruits,he sailed for England on board the RMS Mahua, then marched in to join the 24th Battalion in  the field in France on 5 September, 1916. The 24th was then on the Western Front, havnig served in gallipoli and Egypt during 1915. Their first major action was at Pozieres, then Mouquet Farm in July-early September of 1916. By the time Will Jacobson joined them, the Anzac Corps, including the 24th Battalion had been repulsed from three times from the farm.  

The 24th Battalion was still on the Western Front when William Jacobson became ill, coming down with what seems to have been a severe case of mumps on 23rd December, 1916. He was sent to hospital in France, then transferred to a Convalescent Depot in England, returning to France to rejoin his battalion. On 5 February, 1917, he marched in his battalion, but then developed 'Trench Fever'  and was sent to hospital in Rouen and to Convalescent Camp there. He seems to have been away from the battlefields for a considerable time and was again characterised as 'sick' 0n 19 May, 1917. He finally rejoined his battalion on 1 September, 1917, where he fought in the Battle of Broodseinde (October 1917). It was here that Will Jacobson was wounded, with gunshot wounds to his abdomen and leg. He was sent back to England, and admitted to the East Suffolk Hospital, before being moved to the 3rd Auxiliary Hospital in Dartford. On 14 December, he was again admitted to hospital, this time the Fovant Military Hospital, Hurdcott,his condition descrobed as Sinus Neurosis. He had recovered by February and was discharged to Hurcdott, and placed in the No 2 Convalescent Depot. 

William Jacobson returned to France on 4 May, 1918, finally rejoining the 24th Battalion on 1 June, 1918. On 27 July, he was gassed, probably when the 24th Battalion took part in the Battle of Hamel. He recovered again, rejoining the Battalion 0n 19 October, three weeks before the armistice on 11 November, 1918. Onm 11 April, 1919, the 24th Battaslion returned to England, disembarking at Southampton and marching in to camp at Sutton Very. They embarked for home on 29 May, 1919, leaving from Devonport, England, and reaching melbourne on 22 July. William Jacobson was finally discharged on 20 August, 1919 and returned to Launceston, Tasmania, where he made his home.