Fromelles Missing - UK lads in the AIF

[Ruskie]

OK - so William Wass was in Sydney in 1914. (enlisted there perhaps?) - sounds like he might have come to Australia alone.

Can you find him Moi?

I sent an email to the Wass researcher in WA. If I don't get a response I will try the other researcher.

[Ruskie]

Annie, I will send via PM the email address of the guy searching for Robert Scott.

[majm]

Ruskie,  

WASS, William

His AIF papers are (like all WW1 AIF Diggers) online at naa.gov.au  free to everyone to read.  his papers show he enlisted at Randwick, which is in Sydney.  Now I know that I will try the electoral roll, at least that may give us an idea of anyone else with that surname at that address.

Also I note that he left a will, and that the correct UK address is noted on those papers as  GERMAN WASS of Moor End Farm Chellaston DERBY for anyone doing the UK census end

Hope to have something more concrete to help with shortly!

Just Moi

[sparrett]

Hi all,
Re. William Wass.
I read his papers as his next of kin being his mother whose name was Germaine Wass.  She was his mother, and lived in Derby UK.
He was a single man at the time of his death.

Sue

[spof]

I've just had a thought....

The embarkation rolls will show the man's address at enlistment which should help with electoral roll research

http://www.awm.gov.au/research/people/nominal_rolls/first_world_war_embarkation/

I have to go to work now but will have a look tonight.

Glen

[majm]

Ah,

Ta Sue and Glen,

The enlistment addresses info gives William Wass, Sig. Corporal aged 31, Fitter, Single, C of E, enlisted 17 August 1914  Second street, Pelaw Main, NSW  and his n o k was a G Wass, Father, Anderston near Derby, England.

I' ll try to figure out "Pelaw Main, NSW" cause the Randwick Electoral Roll had nothing that I could see, and a quick phone call from me to a cousin reminded me that Randwick was where many men marched hundreds of miles from across the countryside to enlist at that depot, basically the first depot set up to handle enlistments.

Just Moi

[majm]

William Wass

Found Pelaw Main, its a colliery near Newcastle NSW, several rolls and many polling stations, but I will get to every one - sitting in an armchair makes me realise these lads deserve more at least our rootschatters efforts to know that their remains have been identified. 

Just Moi

[sparrett]

Hi
William WASS seems to have arrived in Ausralia in 1912 from London.  Right birth date listed.

Yes, Germain does appear to be father..[though mother is also listed , unnamed as NOK!]

Sue

[majm]

William WASS

He was aged 30 years 10 months on enlistment in Aug 1914.  I guess that's why I cannot find him on NSW electoral roll for 1903, for you had to be 21 to enroll.

As a thought, at least for this lad, is it worthwhile contacting the local Newcastle Labor Council as he was at Pelaw Main, a colliery, and that would have been a "closed shop" ie all would have been union members.  If the Union Movement could get behind the hunt - not for descendants of William Wass in NSW, but behind the general thrust to recognise each and every one at that site at Fromelles, perhaps hands across generations will achieve far more than these lads would have anticipated when they enlisted.

I don't know how or who to contact to get any media coverage on this, but I am sure someone here at rootschat will know.

Just Moi.
I will try now for John TOOLE.