Wyndham History

Stanley Edward Wilson (1897-?)

Item

Placeholder image - Veteran.png

Dublin Core

Type

Title

Stanley Edward Wilson (1897-?)

Contributor

Date

1915

Publisher

Wyndham City Libraries

Format

text

Language

eng

World War One Veterans Item Type Metadata

Name

Stanley Edward Wilson

Birth Date

Service Number

3442

Enlistment Date

Next of Kin

  1. January 1917 – Mr J.R. Wilson (Step-father), 24 Down Street, Collingwood. 
  2. April 1917 – Mr J.R. Wilson (Step-father) 200 Queensberry Street, North Melbourne. 
  3. 1917 - Mr J.R. Wilson (Step-father), Clarendon Estate, Hampton Road, West Footscray. 
  4. 1919 - Mrs G. Wilson. Hampton Road, Clarendon Estate, West Footscray, Victoria.

Address at time of Enlistment

Hampton Road,
Clarendon Estate,
West Footscray,
Victoria.

Occupation

Marital Status

Single

Death Date

Biographical Text

No. 3443 Private Stanley Edward Wilson
[a.k.a. Stanley Edward Hassen]
Stanley Edward Hassen (one of three brothers who all served in the Great War) was born in 1894 to Samuel Hassen and Georgina (Gina) Anderson, at Bathurst N.S.W. His parents had been married at Bathurst in 1879.
All seven children of the marriage were born at Bathurst, and were:
  • Samuel Hassen - born 1881
  • Henry J. Hassen - born 1883
  • Ann P. Hassen - born 1886
  • Elizabeth Hassen - born 1889
  • Victor G Hassen - born 1891 (A.I.F.)
  • Richard L T Hassen - born 1894 (A.I.F.)
  • Stanley E Hassen - 1897 (A.I.F.)
The children had a traumatic early life. Their father Samuel Hassen was fined in the Bathurst Police Court on 28 August 1892, for only sending his son to school for seven days. In his defence, he claimed that his boys got out of bed before him. He was fined 10 shillings and 6 pence.
National Advocate (Bathurst, NSW), 24 August 1892, p.2. 
This was not the only incidence of truancy.

In December of 1892, Georgina Hassen charged her husband in the Police Court at Bathurst with desertion.
National Advocate (Bathurst, NSW), 29 December 1892, p.2.

She took him to court again in August 1897 charging him with abuse, and neglecting to support her and her seven children.
National Advocate (Bathurst, NSW) 31 August 1897, p.2.

Their father Samuel Hassen died at Bathurst in 1904, and at some unknown date the family moved to Benalla in Victoria.

Georgina Hassen (his mother) married John Robert Wilson in Victoria in 1917.  John Robert Wilson and his wife Georgina (nee Hassen, nee Anderson) appear in the 1914 Electoral Roll at Benalla. In 1916 and 1917 they were at 200 Queensberry Street, North Melbourne, and, in 1919 they appear at 77 Alexander Street, West Footscray.  Georgina’s youngest son Stanley Edward Wilson was living with them.  The date when Stanley Hassen adopted his step-father’s (Wilson) name is not known.

War Service
Stanley Edward Wilson enlisted in the A.I.F. at Melbourne on 8 July 1915 and was sent to the Broadmeadow Depot for training.  He was in the camp between 14 July 1915 and 10 September 1915.  Stanley had previously applied to enlist, but had been rejected because of his chest measurement.

A note on his Attestation papers stated that his step-father was away, so his Mother’s consent was attached.  Stanley also stated that he had served for two years with the senior Cadets at Collingwood.

Private Stanley Wilson embarked from Melbourne per H.M.A.T. Nestor A71 on 11 October 1915 as a member of the 5th Infantry Battalion, 11th Reinforcements, and he nominated his last civilian address as Collingwood in Victoria.

After arriving in Egypt, he undertook further training, and was taken on strength with the 5th Battalion at Tel-el-Kebir, Egypt, on 7 January 1916.  They were defending the Suez Canal at the time.

On 17 February 1916, he was transferred to the newly formed 57th Battalion at Serapeum, Egypt.  Half of the members were Gallipoli veterans and the other half were fresh reinforcements, from Australia.

He was transferred again on 15 March 1916, to another newly formed 60th Battalion, at Tel-el-Kebir, Egypt.  They also comprised of half Gallipoli veterans, and the other half being fresh reinforcements, from Australia.  This was the Battalion that he remained with for the rest of the war.

The 60th Battalion embarked at Alexandria to join British Expeditionary Force per Kinfauns Castle, on 22 June 1916. After a short stop in Malta, they disembarked at Marseilles on 29 June 1916, and moved to their new camp at Rouge de Bout (near Fromelles).

The 60th Battalion's first major battle on the Western Front began on 19 July 1916. They were part of the Battle for Fromelles, and in one day the Battalion was virtually wiped out. They suffered 75 casualties, and as a result, saw little action until 1917.

Four days into the battle for Fromelles (on 22 July 1916), Private Wilson received a gunshot wound to his left thigh and knee. He was immediately moved to the 8th Stationary Hospital for treatment.  Six days later, on 28 July 1916, his family were advised that he had been 'Wounded in Action'.

On 31 July 1916, Private Wilson embarked to England per Hospital Ship St. David, and was admitted to the North Evington Military Hospital, Leicester, for treatment. He remained there for two months until 5 September 1916, when he was transferred the No.1. Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Harefield.  Two days later he was transferred to No 2 Commonwealth Depot at Weymouth, and medically classified as 'Class B' - men fit for certain kinds of service.

For taking an unauthorised extension of a leave pass, Private Wilson was charged with overstaying his leave, from midnight to 7:30 p.m. on 30 September 1916.  He was found guilty and sentenced to 3 days Confined to Barracks at Weymouth, and a forfeiture of 10 days pay.

After completing his punishment, Private Wilson left Weymouth and was Taken on Strength at No 1 Commonwealth Depot, Perham Downs, on 11 October 1916.  He remained there just for a few days, until 13 October 1916, when he marchediIn to No 3 Commonwealth Depot at Bovington Camp, near Wool in Dorset.  Private Wilson remained at Wool until 3 November 1916, when he was sent to the No 4 Commonwealth Depot at Wareham.

On 2 December 1916, while stationed at No 4 Commonwealth Depot at Wareham, Private Wilson was charged with two offences. They were Drunkenness, and urinating on a footpath outside a hotel at 8 p.m. He was found guilty of both charges and awarded 5 days Confined to Camp, and fined 2/6.

After completing his punishment he went absent without leave and was subsequently charged on 9 December 1916, with being absent without leave from Defaulter’s Parades, on the previous three days.  He was found guilty and was sentenced to 48 hours in detention.

At the completion of this sentence, he absconded from the Army again. On 9 January 1916, he was charged with being absent without leave for 14 days over the Christmas period.  He was found guilty, and awarded 14 days in detention, and forfeited 32 days pay. Private Wilson was held in detention at Wareham between 9 and 24 January 1917, and when he was released, he marched out to the Infantry Draft Depot at Perham Downs.
 
He spent a short period there before embarking from Folkstone per Princess Clementine on 2 February 1917. Two days later he Marched In to the Etaples Depot, in France, and on 8 February 1917 he re-joined the 60th Battalion in the Field at Delville Wood.

The 60th Battalion were stationed 'In the Field' at Sercus on 3 August 1817.  On that day, Private Wilson was charged with Drunkenness.  He was found guilty, and fined 10 shillings.

Two months later, the 60th Battalion relieved the 30th Battalion in the lines around Ypres on 13 October 1917. Private Wilson then committed the most serious of his many offences. He failed to go with them, and was charged that he absented himself without leave from the Bivouac Camp (Canal Area) at about 4 p.m. on 13 October 1917, until he was apprehended at Marlboro Details Camp, Boulogne, at about 9 a.m. on 25 October 1917. A total of 12 days.

He faced a Field General Court Marshal, which was held in the field at Reninghelst, on 11 November 1917.  For this offence he was found guilty, and sentenced to 2 years Imprisonment with Hard Labour.  His sentence was subsequently commuted to loss of Field Pay No.2. for  90 days.  He was in custody awaiting trial for 16 days, and his total forfeiture of pay was 119 days.

On 9 February 1918, the 60th Battalion were 'In the Field' at Kemmel, when Private Wilson went to hospital sick.  He was admitted to 15th Australian Field Ambulance suffering from scabies. He was then transferred to the No. 5 A.D.R. Stn, and remained with them for three days, before being discharged to duty.

He was wounded again on 25 March 1918, as the 60th Battalion relocated from Kemmel to Meteren. While marching through Dranoutre, they were shelled by German long range guns, and Private Wilson was one of 12 men who were wounded. He was admitted to 59th General Hospital at St Omer, with a gunshot wound to his foot.

On 7 April 1918, he embarked for England and was admitted to the General Military Hospital at Edmonton in London.  He remained there until 16 April 1918, when he was transferred to the 3rd Australian Hospital at Dartford.  After further treatment he was discharged from hospital to the No 3 Convalescent Depot at Hurdcott, on 24 April 1918. His wound did not heal well, and he was readmitted to the Brigade Hospital on 29 April 1918, with a septic foot. He was finally discharged to the No 3 Commonwealth Depot at Hurdcott on 7 June 1918.

Private Wilson remained in England, and went sick again on 12 August 1918.  He was admitted to the 1st A.D.H. at Bulford, suffering with V.D.42. (Syphilis).  After being treated, he was medically classified as Class B1A1 - was fit for overseas training camp in three to four weeks, and he Marched In to the No1 Commonwealth Depot at Sutton Veny on 1 October 1918. He spent a month there, before marching out to the No 2 Command Depot at Weymouth.

The Armistice occurred on 11 November 1918, and troops then had to wait for a passage back to Australia.

Private Wilson embarked on 4 January 1919 per Morvada and returned to Melbourne. He was discharged from the 3rd Military District on 14 April 1919.

Post War
The 1919 Electoral Roll lists the following people at 77 Alexander Street, West Footscray:
  • Stanley Edward Wilson, Cab Driver
  • John Robert Wilson, Cab Driver (step-father)
  • Georgina Wilson (mother)
  • Victor George Hassen (brother)
In 1930, Stanley Wilson wrote to the Army from Belmore, New South Wales asking for a copy of his discharge papers.

There is nothing on the public record about this former soldier, after this time.

Notes:
1. "Wilson S., from West Footscray" first appeared in the Roll of Honor, Werribee Shire Banner, 13 February 1919, p.3.
2. His other brothers who served in the A.I.F. were:
3. After living together since before the Great War, Georgina (Gina) Hassen married John Robert Wilson in Victoria, in 1917. No location was given.
4. The date when Stanley Hassen adopted his step-father’s (Wilson) name is not known.

Medals & Entitlements:
  • 1914/15 Star
  • British War Medal
  • Victory Medal

Bibliography

Military record
http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/Search

Military units
https://www.google.com.au/search

Embarkation
https://www.awm.gov.au/people/roll-search/nominal_rolls/first_world_war_embarkation/

CD - Great War Index Victoria 1914-1920

Medals and Entitlements

1914-15 Star
British War Medal
Victory Medal

Citation

“Stanley Edward Wilson (1897-?),” Wyndham History, accessed October 4, 2023, http://www.wyndhamhistory.net.au/items/show/1742.

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