William Carrick

CARRICK, William- – – – SPC 1906-1909

DoB:- – 1892, Hawthorn, VIC

Father:- – William Carrick

Mother:– – Annie Julia, nee Roach

William Carrick was a boarder from Melbourne. In 1909 he sat the Junior Public Exam and passed in the following subjects; History (Distinction), English, Latin, Algebra, Geometry, and Geography.

Service No:– 843

Rank:- – Private, later Lance Corporal, later Corporal, later Sergeant

Unit:– – D Company, 24th Battalion

William Carrick enlisted on 27 March 1915 at 22 years of age, in Melbourne. He was a clerk, who lived in the Melbourne suburb of Malvern East. He was five feet eight inches tall, of medium complexion with grey eyes and dark brown hair. Private Carrick embarked from Australia on 8 May 1915 on the Euripides.

He landed at Gallipoli with the 24th Battalion in September 1915. He was a member of the last battalion which evacuated the Peninsula in December of that year. Almost immediately upon leaving Gallipoli, he was sent to hospital sick with tonsillitis. He was admitted to the No 1 Canadian Stationary Hospital on the Greek island of Mudros. Upon leaving hospital he rejoined his unit in France.

In March 1917, Lance Corporal Carrick was wounded in action, and was transferred to Grantham in England where he recuperated from his injuries and undertook further training. He then rejoined his unit in France.

In August 1918, he was recommended by Major General Charles Rosenthal, Commander Second Australian Division for the award of Military Medal, for —

-‘-¦conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty at Framerville, near Amiens on the 9th August 1918.

When the Infantry had gone beyond their objective and exposed their flank, Sgt Carrick, quickly realising the danger, moved the guns to the left flank under heavy machine gun fire and broke up a large party of the enemy who were trying to force their way into our flank. He saved this situation and, by silencing one enemy machine gun and keeping the sniping down, he enabled the Infantry to withdraw to the correct line with few casualties, himself remaining in -‘No-Man’s-Land’ until the line had been consolidated.’

– -‘AWARDED THE MILITARY MEDAL

His Majesty the King has been graciously pleased to approve of the award of a Military Medal for bravery in the field -¦’

The award was bestowed on Sergeant Carrick in September 1919, after he had returned to Australia. He disembarked from the Ypiringa on 5 July 1919, and he was officially demobilised from the AIF on 3 September 1919.

William Carrick died in 1976 at the age of 84. The College could find no record of his being married.