BRIGGS, William Reuben

William, a twenty one year old Labourer, enlisted at Warialda on 11 January 1916 just in time to join the First Contingent of the Kurrajongs snowball recruiting drive. These men travelled by train to the Narrabri camp and shortly afterwards were moved to Armidale where William joined the 33rd Battalion C Company. The Battalion trained at Armidale and Rutherford prior to boarding the transport ship HMAT A74 Marathon for England. Further training was undertaken at Salisbury Plain before William’s unit was sent to France in November 1916. 

Shortly after arrival in France he was promoted to Lance Corporal. During September 1918 William was wounded in action and invalided to hospital in England for treatment. He came home to Australia in June 1919. William served again during WW2 and died in an army truck accident in Queensland in 1942. He is buried in the Military Cemetery at Cairns.

The Warialda School Honour Roll records the name of Lance Corporal William Briggs.

Photo: William Briggs seated right. Image provided by family