William D’Arcy

D’ARCY, William- – – – – SPC 1905-1909

DoB:– – 4 June 1893, Ballarat, VIC

Father:- – Joseph D’Arcy, a house painter

Mother:- – Mary, nee Murphy

William D’Arcy was the brother of Joseph Simon D’Arcy (SPC 1908) who also enlisted for WWI service (Service No 3269).

Service No:– 59962

Rank:– – Private, later 2nd Corporal

Unit:- – 56th Battalion

William D’Arcy enlisted on 16 May 1918, one month short of his 25th birthday. He was five feet eight inches tall, with a fair complexion, blue eyes and brown hair. He was a single man, and his occupation was a clerk. At the time of his enlistment he was living at the People’s Palace in Pitt Street, Sydney, NSW.

On 30 July 1918, Private D’Arcy embarked from Sydney on board the Gaika. The ship stopped at Cape Town where D’Arcy was charged with the offence of -‘breaking ship’. He was awarded 21 days detention and had to forfeit 21 days’ pay. He resumed his journey and disembarked at London on 13 October.

He was not long in England before he was admitted to Fovant Military Hospital with influenza in late October 1918. He was discharged from hospital on 6 November and proceeded to the Training Depot. On 2 December he was transferred from the 56th Battalion to Administration Headquarters, in preparation for his return to Australia.

On 23 August 1919 he boarded the Anchises in London and arrived in Melbourne on 8 October.

In 1922 William D’Arcy married Flora Jane Mackay, and after a few years living in Melbourne, they moved with their five children to Koo Wee Rup in Gippsland as farmers, and later, from 1949 until William’s death, they farmed in the Bacchus Marsh district.

William died on 9 August 1987, aged 94 years, after succumbing to a stroke. He was buried at the Maddingley Cemetery Bacchus Marsh, Victoria.