William Henry Wenn (1890-1917)
William Henry Wenn was born to parents James Rossmore Wenn (1864-1915) and Selina Wenn nee Buswell (1864-1930) in Bunbury in 1890 (reference). To his friends, family and the Bunbury community, William was known as Crimmie/ Crimmy (reference; reference). He was the second oldest of eight surviving children. His siblings were Ernest George (1888-1913), Douglas James (1892-), Clarence Ross (1894-), Frederick Allan (1900-), May, Victoria Clarice (1902-) and Brenda Pearl (1903-) (reference). He had three other siblings who lived between six months and four years: Herbert Ross (1887-1887, died at nine months old), Leslie Roy (1899-1899, died at six months old) and Evaline Maud (1897-1901) (reference).
As a child, William was educated at the Bunbury State School (reference).
William played in the Bunbury football team in 1906 and the Lumpers football team in 1909 and 1910 (reference; reference; reference). In 1906 he played against Collie, where both teams were drenched in the rain (reference). He featured in the newspapers when he played the 1909 season, with games in Dardanup and Bunbury (reference; reference; reference; reference; reference). By 1911 the Bunbury Herald boasted William to be one of the best forwards in the local association, calling him naturally smart and very accurate (reference). Also, that year he was knocked out during a game and incapacitated from play (reference). He recovered to play at the Donnybrook game, and the Bunbury Herald said: “Crimmy Wenn played his usual handy game. He is a difficult mark to watch.” (reference). In 1912 at the West Perth versus Wanderers Junior Football game, William played alongside his brother Clarence and won (reference). He continued to play football in 1913 (reference). He could have also played cricket in the football off season (reference).
In 1911 William’s grandparents on his father’s side, James Frederick Wenn and Ellen Jarvis, celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in which William along with the rest of his family were said to have attended the celebration at the couples longtime Bunbury residence, Belgrave Cottage on Constitution Road (reference). His grandparents were married on 12 January 1861 by Reverend Joseph Johnston at the Congregational Church in Fremantle (reference). His grandfather, James, was from Belgravia, London, and his grandmother was the daughter of James Jarvis of Fremantle (reference).
William’s father passed away in November 1915 at 51 years old, and he was buried in the Old Cemetery Bunbury on 25 November (reference; reference; reference). When James died, his boys Clarence and Douglas had already signed up for the war effort (reference). So while passing away at only 51 was tragic, he was spared the anxiety and worry his wife went through for his three boys in constant danger fighting for Australia.
William enlisted into the Australian Infantry Force on 18 October 1916 at Bunbury (reference; reference; reference). Before enlisting, he worked as a fireman in Bunbury (reference). He was described as being 5 feet 6 ½ inches tall, weighing 147 pounds, fair-skinned, grey eyes, brown hair and a member of the Church of England (reference). He went through his preliminary training at Blackboy Hill Camp in Perth before sailing for England on 23 December 1916 on the Berrima from Fremantle to complete his training (reference; reference). He was given his service number, 6399, the rank of Private and assigned to the 50th Australian Infantry Battalion (reference).
In March 1917, Selina, William’s mother, received a wire to her Eliot Street house in Bunbury reporting that William was admitted to Fargo Hospital with pleurisy on 24 February 1917 (reference; reference; reference; reference). He came down with pleurisy while training at the 7th Training Battalion, Rollestone in England (reference). This was not the first time he had been unwell in the army. He first attended a medical hospital at sea in January 1917 and was sick again in June when he had scabies and was admitted into the 39th General Hospital at Havre (reference; reference; reference). William recovered after two weeks in hospital and was transferred back to the 50th Battalion on the Western Front at Belgium (reference).
Private Tom John of Symmonds Street Bunbury wrote his impressions of France, which was published in the Bunbury Herald (reference). His letter recalls how he ‘met a lot of old Bunbury boys the night before we moved into the line at Ypres (reference).’ A few days after he saw William for the last time, the Battle of Polygon Wood, Belgium began, the battle where William was killed in action on 18 October 1917 (reference; reference). He was killed instantly from the concussion of a shell at only 26 years old (reference).
The last entry in his military record is his burial after being killed in action (reference). William’s identity disk, cards, photos, and wallet were collected off his body and sent back to his mother (reference; reference). She was also given his war medals (reference). Before his death, William had written a will, bequeathing all his belongings to his mother (reference).
On Tuesday 13 November 1917 in the West Australian, William’s family submitted an entry in memory of William under the Killed in Action section of the paper: “WENN.—In loving memory of Private W. H. (Crimmie) Wenn, killed in action on 18 October 1917, somewhere in France, aged 28 years, dearly beloved eldest son of Mrs. S. Wenn, Bunbury, and brother of Allan, Vic., Brenda, and Mrs. S. Waldock, of 147 Bulwer-street, Perth; and Privates Clarence and Dug (on active service). Deeply mourned—Inserted by his loving mother, sisters and brothers (reference; reference).”
Not long after his mother Selina received the news of his death, she also found out that another one of her sons, Clarence, from the machine gun section, had been wounded for the second time and was in the hospital with gunshot wounds in his left side (reference). Clarence never recovered enough to return to active duty, so was shipped home (reference).
After William died, the Bunbury Herald announced his death and extended their sympathy to the family: “Gone West - Another of our Bunbury lads, William Henry Wenn, has paid the great price. We extend our sympathy to the bereaved family (reference).”
His family continued to remember his ultimate sacrifice. A year later, they posted an In Memoriam under the Anzac Heros section of The West Australian (reference):
“WENN.- Sacred to the memory of our dear son and brother, Private William Henry Wenn (Crimmie), killed in action in France, 18 October 1917.”
“Dearly loved- deeply mourned. Inserted by his loving mother, brothers, and sisters, Dug and Clare (returned), Allen, Civ and Brenda and May, Bunbury.”
“WENN.- In ever loving memory of our dear brother and uncle. William (Crimmie), killed in action. Ever remembered. Inserted by his loving sister. May and brother-in-law S Waldock and nieces Leah and Phyllis and nephews Harry, Syd and Clare.”
It appears that his sister, Brenda, tried to claim his war pension by saying she was his daughter instead of his sister (reference).
William will be remembered for his service to Australia and his great sacrifice of dying on the Western Front precisely one year after enlisting at Bunbury. William Henry Wenn’s name is located on the Roll of Honour on panel 151 at the Australian War Memorial (reference). His mother, Selina, sent in his information to the Australian War Memorial to be commemorated on the Roll of Honour (reference). He is commemorated on the Ypres Menin Gate Memorial in Belgium on panel 7-17-23-25-27-29-31 (reference). Locally, his name is on the Bunbury War Memorial (reference).