westernaustralia

Williams Australian Army papers can be seen here naa12.naa.gov.au/NameSearch/Interface/ItemDetail.aspx?Bar... He was born Fremantle and had been employed as a Clerk prior to enlisting. He gave his next of kin as his father, living at 29 Hampton Road, Fremantle.(Subsequent mails went to 9 Hampden Road, so may be an error) He is described as 5 feet 8 and a quarter inches tall, weighed 175 pounds with a fresh complexion, grey eyes and brown hair. His religion is given as Congregalionalist. It looks like he had to resign from some kind of militia unit in order to be able to enlist for service overseas. His military career seems to have followed a not untypical pattern for Australian soldiers, with several offences for being absent from parade and AWOL while stationed in England but rapidly promoted once in the field. Even whilst recovering he went AWOL from hospital for 3 days. As well as the Croix de Guerre, the note on his records read "Commendation of the Div.Commandant at Armentieres. 8.3.17 During a bombardment of the town by the enemy, Cpl Bawden by allaying(?) the alarm of the residents(?) + helping the wounded. A factory was being shelled causing casualties among the women workers. On hearing cries for assistance Cpl Bawden entered the building and ??? assisted in the removal of the wounded workers while the factory was still being shelled - before all were removed he himself was severely wounded. (??? = handwriting is indecipherable. The citation isn't typed out anywhere in his records)

It is tempting to assume that this picture was taken after his injuries had been managed, perhaps even after the war. His uniform is in particularly good condition for the time and the right side of his face, sympathetically in shadow, does appear to be disfigured.

Help piece together the Life Stories of more than 8 million men and women who made a contribution during the First World War at www.livesofthefirstworldwar.org/

SS Zephyr, Fremantle to Rottnest Island ferry. Stone jetty projecting due east, from a sandy beach. Highly probable this is Thomson Bay, Rottnest Island. trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/58975869

a very familiar early days scene in many parts of Australia

Dale thanks miniopterus! :)

Zephyr was still carrying passenger in the 1950s. used to go from fremantle to Garden Is, now the new Naval Base.

thanks ra FROST :)

Interesting. Thank you for sharing.