William George Munday 1083

SAPPER WILLIAM GEORGE MUNDAY

1083 – 3rd Tunnelling Company

William George Munday was born in Northam, Western Australia on August 18, 1882 the son of George and Mary Ann Maria (nee Newman) Munday.

At the recruiting depot No. 89A at Midland Junction, W.A. on October 13, 1915 the thirty-three year old labourer applied to enlist for active service abroad. Passing the preliminary medical examination his application forms were completed and describe him as single, residing at Scott Street, Guildford and 168cms (5ft 6ins) tall with a chest measurement of 94cms (37ins). Declared fit his application was accepted by the recruiting officer.

Attestation Forms followed and reveal further details he weighed 68.1kgs (150lbs) with a chest expansion of 86-94cms (34-37ins) and had a fair complexion with blue eyes and brown hair. Church of England was his religious faith. Next-of-kin nominated was his father George Munday of Scott Street, Guildford. He was sworn in at Blackboy Hill camp on October 20, 1915.

He married soon after enlistment to Clarice Irene Bamford with their marriage registered in Perth, W.A. She became his next-of-kin with her address as Maylands Post Office.

Basic training commenced with the 33rd Depot Battalion on October 20, 1915.

Recruiting for the Miners’ Corps had begun on December 1st, 1915 therefore Private Munday was placed for basic training at the Helena Vale camp at Blackboy Hill, W.A. with the newly forming Corps. The Unit’s title was the No. 3 Company with a major portion of No. 3 Company recruited by 2nd Lt. L.J. Coulter, A.I.F. who was sent from N.S.W. to W.A. for that purpose. They were made up to strength with 1 Officer and 274 Other Ranks and embarked from Fremantle, W.A.

On December 18, 1915 the company sailed for Sydney, NSW on board the troopship SS Indarra. His name appears on the passenger list which was published in:

On Boxing Day (Dec 26th), 1915 the Unit arrived in Sydney and marched into Casula Camp, near Liverpool, NSW. They were joined by the 4th Section of the Tasmanian Miners, bringing the establishment strength up to 15 officers and 349 Other Ranks under the command of 2nd Lieutenant L.J. Coulter.

Mining Corps Units from all Military districts came together at Casula camp, near Liverpool, NSW to complete training as a Corps. Munday was assigned the regimental number 1083 in the rank of Sapper and remained in No. 3 Company.

At a civic parade in the Domain, Sydney on Saturday February 19, 1916, a large crowd of relations and friends of the departing Miners lined the four sides of the parade ground. Sixty police and 100 Garrison Military Police were on hand to keep the crowds within bounds. The scene was an inspiriting one. On the extreme right flank, facing the saluting base, were companies of the Rifle Club School; next came a detachment of the 4th King’s Shropshire Light Infantry, then the bands of the Light Horse, Liverpool Depot, and the Miners’ on the left, rank upon rank, the Miners’ Battalion.

The Corps boarded HMAT A38 Ulysses in Sydney, NSW on February 20 and sailed for the European theatre. Arriving in Melbourne, Victoria on February 22 the Miners camped at Broadmeadows for a stay of 7 days while further cargo was loaded.

Another parade was held at the Broadmeadows camp on March 1, the Miners’ Corps being inspected by the Governor-General, as Commander-in-Chief of the Commonwealth military forces.

Leaving Melbourne on March 1, Ulysses arrived at Fremantle, Western Australia on March 7 where a further 53 members were taken on board.

On Wednesday March 8, 1916 the whole force, with their band and equipment, paraded at Fremantle prior to leaving Victoria Quay at 9.30 o’clock.

The ship hit a reef when leaving Fremantle harbour, stripping the plates for 40 feet and, although there was a gap in the outside plate, the inner bilge plates were not punctured.

The men on board nicknamed her ‘Useless’. The Miners were off-loaded and sent to the Blackboy Hill Camp where further training was conducted.

The Mining Corps comprised 1303 members at the time they embarked with a Headquarters of 40; No.1 Company – 390; No.2 Company – 380; No.3 Company – 392, and 101 members of the 1st Reinforcements.

Finally departing Fremantle on April 1, Ulysses voyaged via Suez, Port Said and Alexandria in Egypt. The Captain of the shipwas reluctantto take Ulysses out of the Suez Canal because he felt the weight of the ship made it impossible to manoeuvre in the situation of a submarine attack.

The troops were transhipped to HM Transport B.1 Ansonia, then on to Valetta, Malta before disembarking at Marseilles, France on May 5, 1916. As a unit they entrained at Marseilles on May 7 and detrained on May 11 at Hazebrouck.

A ‘Mining Corps’ did not fit in the British Expeditionary Force, and the Corps was disbanded and three Australian Tunnelling Companies were formed.

The Technical Staff of the Corps Headquarters, plus some technically qualified men from the individual companies, was formed into the entirely new Australian Electrical and Mechanical Mining and Boring Company (AEMMBC), better known as the ‘Alphabetical Company’.

Four sections of the No. 3 Company were dispersed to various sectors for instructional training. The No. 3 Company was officially transferred to the 3rd Tunnelling Company in the field on December 18, 1916. Sapper Munday remained with Company Headquarters.

In the Unit Diary of the 3rd Tunnelling Company his name is listed with Headquarters as a Batman:

In an audit of the Company on May 30, 1917 he was noted to be with his Company.

His service continued without illness or injury and was issued with three Blue Chevrons to wear on his uniform for serving two years’ service abroad.

Mrs Clarice I. Munday wrote to Base Records on June 6, 1918 from 28 Cowle Street, West Perth to notify that her address had changed from care of Mrs Bamford, Coode Street, Maylands to care of Mrs Bulley, 28 Cowle Street, West Perth. This was acknowledged on June 12 by printed card.

He was listed to be with his Company in an audit held on April 26, 1918 and was paid in Boulogne on May 2, 1918 and in France on June 30, 1918.

He was with his company when Peace was declared and the Tunnelling Companies remained on the front as part of the Army of Occupation assisting with rehabilitation of their area by clearing roads and bridges and defusing booby traps left by the enemy.

Sapper Munday proceeded on leave from France on November 19 and rejoined his unit on December 5, 1918.

He went sick on January 9, 1919 to the 51st Casualty Clearing Station with polyuria (excessive volume on urination) and was discharged to duty on January 17, 1919.

A week later on January 25, 1919 he went to the same C.C.S. and admitted with scabies (a skin irritation caused by Itch Mite whose eggs are laid under the skin’s outer layer).

On February 2, 1919 was conveyed on Ambulance Train No.8 to the 14th General Hospital with boils and after six days there was transferred on February 19 to the 8th Stationary Hospital and diagnosed with dermatitis.

On March 10, 1919 was discharged to the Aust Infantry Base Depot and marched out to Company Headquarters on March 21 rejoining two days later.

Orders were received to report to the A.I.B.D. on March 27 to prepare for demobilisation and left for England on April 2 crossing the English Channel and marched into the No. 3 Group camp at Codford the next day.

After demobilisation, Sapper Munday embarked for Australia on June 1, 1919 on board H.T. Somali. Base Records advised his wife on June 24, 1919 that he was returning home. His name was listed among the returning soldiers in the:

The ship docked at Fremantle (5th Military District) on July 8, 1919. News of their arrival was published in the:

Military Discharge was issued in Perth on August 22, 1919 on termination of his period of enlistment.

The British War Medal (8175) and the Victory Medal (8138) were issued for serving his country to Sapper 1083 William George Munday, 3rd Tunnelling Company.

In 1922 they were registered at 30 Cowle Street, North Perth with his occupation as a labourer. They were at 118 Angrove Street, North Perth in 1925 and in 1936 and 1937 were at 23 Girton Street, North Perth. In 1943 home was 464 Charles Street, North Perth still working as a labourer.

The following was announced in the:

His wife died on January 20, 1947 aged 53 years. Family arrangements were placed in the:

In 1954 William was residing at 1 Thomas Street, Bellevue and retired.

William George Munday, late of Maida Vale passed away on March 11, 1959 aged 78 years. Interment took place in the Anglican portion of Karrakatta Cemetery within section WB in gravesite no. 411 with his wife.