William Tourrier

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Tourrier-WilliamName     William Tourrier

Number    Corporal 1187 Military Medal

Battalion      22nd Battalion  

Place of Birth   St Arnaud

Next of Kin   His father, Theodore John Tourrier of 240 Bakers Rd Hawthorn

Date and place of enlistment   Melbourne 14/7/1915

Physical details on enlistment Age 30 years and 6 months,

5’9 ½ ”, 11 stone 8 pounds, yellowish eyes and black hair

Religion   Church of England

Occupation   carpenter and farmer

Date and place of death

He was missing in action at Broodseinde Ridge Belgium on 9/10/1917 and was declared to have been wounded and died on that date at a Court of Enquiry held on 5/5/1918

Location of grave or memorial

He is remembered on the Menin Gate Memorial Ypres

Relationship to Woorayl Shire

He farmed at Stony Creek 

Decorations

Lance Corporal W Tourrier was awarded the Military Medal for bravery and devotion to duty at Bullecourt. His Lewis gun was the only one to reach the objective. Lance Corporal Tourrier brought it back and every man in his team was wounded. A bullet pierced his helmet and caused a scalp wound. For his bravery he was personally complimented by his major.

Lance Corporal Tourrier relinquished farming at Stony Creek South Gippsland to enlist in July 1915. In October he left Australia for Egypt with the 13th Light Horse. He arrived in France in March 1916 and was transferred to a machine gun section. His brother Theodore also served in France.

Military History

  • He is on the Grassy Spur and Meeniyan Honour Rolls
  • 14/7/15 He enlisted in Melbourne
  • 26/10/15 He embarked from Melbourne on HMAT Hawkes Bay
  • He started in the 6th reinforcement 13th light horse
  • 14/3/16 He transferred to the Cyclist Corps of the 2nd Division in the Canal Zone Egypt
  • 19/3/16 He joined the British Expeditionary Force and embarked from Alexandria
  • 30/3/16 He disembarked Marseilles
  • 15/4/16 He had tonsillitis at Port Romper
  • 16 /4/16 He was appointed to the 1st Anzac Cyclists Battalion in the 2nd Division at Croix du Bac
  • 12 /5/16 He went to the 1st Anzac Cycling Battalion
  • 23/6/16 He was sick and admitted to a number of hospitals
  • In August he was transferred to the 22nd Battalion
  • 1/2/17 He was appointed a Lance Corporal
  • 2/5/17 He suffered a head wound in action and went to Rouen.
  • 23/5/17.He was discharged from hospital
  • 12/6/17 He was awarded the Military Medal
  • 29/9/17 He became a Corporal
  • 9/10/17 He was reported wounded and missing.
  • 5/5/18 There was a Court of Inquiry into his death
  • 1/9/18 He was officially declared to have died on 9/10/17
  • His Mother Hannah Louise received a pension of 14/- per fortnight

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