Private Peter Arthur Williamson, Service No 881, 12th Battalion Australian Infantry, died on board HM Hospital Shipt Delta, 7th August, 1915. He was the only son of Mathew and Jessie Williamson of 28 Mounthooly Street, Lerwick. Peter was born in Edinburgh. He joined the 12th Battalion at Black Roy Hill on the 10th of September, 1914. He was employed as a miner. On the 7th of August, 1915 he was wounded in action at Gallipoli. As a resuilt, he suffered leg and arm fractures. These became septic. The 12th Battalion was an infantry battalion originally raised for the First Australian Imperial Force during the First World War. The battalion was recruited from Tasmania, South Australia and Western Australia and formed part of the 3rd Brigade, 1st Division. Just prior to his injury, the Battalion War Diary noted that on the 3rd of August, it had been quiet except for artillery exchanges. On the 4th, the weather was Hot and that Battalion had been resting as much as possible. On the 5th, the health of the men was noted as being generally not good - rest needed. It was added that preperations for the assumption of attack on enemy trenches at Lone Pine position in front of right flank of No 2 Section of Defence ANZAC. 12th Battalion alloted to Divisional Reserve. 1st Brigade detailed for attack on trenches. It was further noted that Lieut T.W. Haslam and 133 other ranks of 6th and 7th reinforcements for 12th Battalion arrived. Around the days that Peter was injured, the 12th Battalion had been involved in an assault on the Turkish defences. On the 6th, there a bombardment of enemy trenches took place and carried out all day. An attack took place on Lone Pine trenches at 5:30pm, and the attack was successful. Reinforcment took took place on various positions of captured trench, with an evacuation took place of casualties. At 10am on the 7th, the 12th Battalion was ordered to withdraw from trenches to relieve congestion. Attacks continued over the next few days, but the Lond Pine position was consolodated by the 10th of August. Peters effects were returned to his mother in Lerwick. These included two testaments, a knife a diary and a shaving brush. Also, she was awarded a pension of £2 per fortnight. He was buried at Sea between Gallipoli and Malta, and is commemorated on the Lone Pine Memorial. Sources Commonwealth War Graves Commission Shetland Family History Society Service Record, National Archives of Australia 12th Battalion War Diary Photograph: A 12th Battalion observation team at Gallipoli in August 1915
Posted on: Mon, 15 Sep 2014 22:57:49 +0000