WELLS, James, William, Oswald, and Leslie

James, William, Oswald, and Leslie were the sons of John and Rose Wells of Ashford NSW.

Oswald enlisted in June 1915 at Liverpool NSW. He was a twenty-five-year-old Labourer when he joined the 1st Battalion, 8th Reinforcement and sailed from Australia for Egypt on HMAT A54 Runic in August. Her served at Gallipoli before being sent to France in March 1916. He was wounded in action in July 1916 and sent to England for treatment at Western General Hospital at Manchester. He was invalided back to Australia and medically discharged in August 1917.

William enlisted at Enoggera, Queensland in September 1915 when he was twenty-seven. He joined the 2nd Light Horse Regiment, 14th Reinforcement and sailed from Australia for Egypt on HMAT A62 Wandilla in January 1916. After becoming ill, he was sent to England for treatment in June 1916. Three months later he was appointed Shoeing smith with the 6th Army Brigade Field Artillery. He was sent to France in March 1917 and posted to the 16th Battery. William was gassed in May 1918. He returned to Australia and was medically discharged in April 1920.

Leslie enlisted at Toowoomba, Queensland in September 1915 when he was twenty-one. He joined his brother William in the 2nd Light Horse Regiment 14th Reinforcement and sailed from Australia for Egypt. After becoming ill, he was sent to England and treated in hospital at Burford. He transferred to the 119th How. Battery in October 1916 and was sent to France in March 1917. He returned home and was medically discharged in July 1919.

James enlisted at Inverell in January 1916. He was a twenty-nine-year-old labourer at Ashford and one of a group of nineteen men who left Inverell together on 1 February 1916 to go into camp at Narrabri. James became a member of B Company Depot Battalion and transferred to the 36th Battalion 1st Reinforcements a few weeks before departing Australia on HMAT A72 Beltana in May 1916. After training in England, he was sent to France in November and attached to the 9th Light Trench Mortar Battery.

After time in hospital due to scabies, he returned to his unit and was wounded twice in 1917. The second occurrence was a gunshot wound to his thigh which required him to be sent to London Military Hospital in England for treatment. Six months later he was at the Front again only to be gassed and sent back to England for treatment at Norfolk War Hospital, Norwich. In August he was went back to France.

After returning to Australia in May 1919, James was discharged the following month. During the 1920s he lived at Killarney, Queensland. He died in Brisbane in 1947.

The four brothers have their names recorded on the Ashford Honor Roll and James has his name inscribed on the Inverell Honor Roll.