William Turnley

William Echlin Turnley was born in Plymouth, Devon, in 1891, and arrived in Australia as a young telephone mechanic. He enlisted in the AIF on 20 August 1914, with the rank of 2nd corporal, and was made lance corporal the following month. He had served two years with the Volunteer Rifles and five years with the Territorial Army in England.

William embarked on 18 October 1914, a member of the 1st Field Company Engineers. He was on the first Australian troopship to enter Mudros Harbour in early March 1915 to assist in building the military base.

He was among the Australians in the Gallipoli landing on 25 April. Although he was wounded in July, remained on active duty. William was promoted to the rank of corporal on 15 July and in August was attached to the Divisional Engineers Headquarters. He was promoted to acting staff sergeant on 8 September, returning to the rank of corporal in late November.

In November, William developed oedema in his left leg. He was initially treated in No. 3 Australia General Hospital on Lemnos, but was later transferred to Malta and then Egypt, where he developed cardiac complications. Eventually, he was found ‘unfit for active service’ and repatriated to Australia on the Itonus and discharged from the military in August 1916.

Following his war service, William studied local government accounting, becoming a shire clerk first at Carrathool and then at Coraki, New South Wales. He died in 1934, aged 43.