Private J W A Boucher
| At Adelaide Railway Station there is on
display the Honour Rolls of employees of the South Australian Railways
who enlisted for military service during both World Wars. The Honour
Rolls do not indicate those who made the supreme sacrifice. The World
War 1 Honour Roll is not in alphabetical order but lists the names of
employees in order of enlistment or so railway folklore tells us. For Remembrance Day on 11th November 2005 a new roll was put up with an alphabetical listing with instructions on find individuals on the main World War I Honour Roll. There also is on display the photos and medals awarded for gallantry to three individuals who were employees of the South Australian Railways. These men were heroes who deserve to be remembered with honour. But what of the servicemen who made the supreme sacrifice in the service of their country so that we may live in freedom? Do they not also deserve equal recognition, for are they not also heroes? In the care of the Union there is photo of one such individual encased behind a glass frame, his story lost in time. His name was Joseph William Alexander Boucher. Following is his story or to date what we know of him. |
|
LEST WE FORGET |
| In Memory of Private JOSEPH WILLIAM ALEXANDER BOUCHER 208, 10th Bn., Australian Infantry, A.I.F. who died on 30 April 1915 Remembered with honour LONE PINE MEMORIAL
|
| Joseph William Alexander Boucher was born
at Wayville SA circa 1892 and resided at Richmond SA. He was employed by
the South Australian Railways as an Engine Cleaner. After the outbreak or World War 1 in 1914 he enlisted in the AIF at Morphettville on the 22nd August 1914 and was taken on strength with "A" Company of the 10th Battalion AIF and assigned the service number 208 with the rank of Private. The 10th Battalion was among the first infantry units raised for the AIF during the First World War. The battalion was recruited in South Australia, and together with the 9th, 11th and 12th Battalions, formed the 3rd Brigade of the First Division AIF. The battalion was raised within weeks of the declaration of war in August 1914 and embarked for overseas just two months later on the 20th October per A11 HMAT Ascanius. Departing from Outer Harbor with a brief stopover in Albany, Western Australia, the battalion sailed to Egypt, arriving there in early December 1914. The 3rd Brigade was the covering force for the ANZAC landing on 25 April 1915 and so was the first ashore at around 4:30 am. The 10th Battalion was heavily involved in establishing and defending the front line of the ANZAC position, and served there until the evacuation in December 1915. Private Boucher was amongst the first ashore in the landings at Gallipoli on the 25th April. He was wounded in action between the 25th and 29th of April most probably on the first day and was not found until the 29th April. He died from wounds received in action and died at sea aboard A47 HMAT Mashobra on the 30th April 1915. He is remembered with Honour with his name entered on the Lone Pine Memorial, memorial reference 32. The Lone Pine Memorial is at the east end of Lone Pine Cemetery. The LONE PINE MEMORIAL stands on the site of the fiercest fighting at Lone Pine and overlooks the whole front line of May 1915. It commemorates more than 4,900 Australian and New Zealand servicemen who died in the Anzac area. Others named on the memorial died at sea and were buried in Gallipoli waters. The memorial stands in LONE PINE CEMETERY. |
| Boucher, Joseph William Alexander | |
|---|---|
| Place of Birth: | Wayville, SA |
| Place of Residence: | Richmond, SA |
| Place of Enlistment: | Morphettville, SA |
| Enlisted: | 22/8/1914 |
| Taken on Strength: | 10th Bn. 28/9/1914 |
| What was his Calling: | Engine Cleaner, SAR |
| Parent: | J P Boucher (Father) |
| Address: | Nottingham Avenue, Richmond, SA |
| Next of Kin: | Boucher, Mary Ann |
| Service Number: | 208 |
| Rank: | Private [Pte] |
| Unit: | A Coy, 10th Bn AIF, 3rd Brigade, 1st Division |
| Conflict: | 1914-1918 |
| Mortally Wounded: | 25-29/4/1915 |
| Date of Death: | 30/04/1915 |
| Age at time of Death: | 23 |
| Place of Death: | At sea- A47 H.M.A.T. Mashobra |
| Cause of Death: | Died of wounds |
| Memorial Panel: | 58 |
| Cemetery or Memorial details: | 6. Lone Pine Memorial, Gallipoli |
| Source: | AWM145 Rollof Honour cards, 1914-1918 War, Army |
| Ship Name: | HMAT Ascanius |
| Ship Number: | A11 |
| Date of Embarkation: | 20/10/1914 |
| Place of Embarkation: | Adelaide |