William Sootheran Crosby

Wilfred was born on 24 May 1878 at Virginia, the son of William Crosby, a shopkeeper in Virginia.   Wilfred’s mother was Agnes Burgess.  William and Agnes were married on 28 November 1867 at the residence of Martin Burgess of Noarlunga.

William and Agnes had ten children;

              Eleanor               born 1868 at Two Wells

              Henry Burgess   born 1870 at Two Wells

              Robert Martin   born 1872 at Virginia

              Mabel Grace      born 1874 at Virginia

              Willelmina Alice born 1876 at Virginia

              Wilfred Sootheran born 1878 at Virginia

              Annie Virginia and Lillie born 1880 at Virginia

              Maude                born 1883 at Glenelg

              Agnes Millicent                born 1884 at New Glenelg

Only three of the children lived to adulthood, Eleanor, Henry and Wilfred.

Wilfred passed the University of Adelaide Preliminary Examination in 1893.

Wilfred enlisted on 2 September 1915, age 37 and was a Mercantile Manager working at James Wordle in Victoria Square.  His mother was listed as his next of kin and was living at Ramsgate Street, Glenelg.   He was appointed to the 8^th Reinforcements 27^th Battalion.  The 27th Battalion was an infantry battalion. During the conflict, the battalion saw action briefly at Gallipoli before later fighting on the Western Front between 1916 and 1918. The 27th Battalion was raised in South Australia in March 1915, from recruits previously earmarked for the 24th Battalion, a large number of whom hailed from the suburbs of Adelaide. The battalion left Australia in June, and, after two months spent training in Egypt, landed at Gallipoli on 12 September.

He attended the Non Commissioned Officers School on 1 October 1915 and was promoted to Lance Corporal on 21 April 1916.  He was transferred from 27^th Battalion to the 10^th Battalion at Serapeum.  He embarked from the Middle East at Alexandria on the “Sakonia” on the 27 March 1916.  He was promoted again to Sergeant on 13 June 1916 while in France.

In March 1916, sailed for France and the Western Front. From then until 1918, the battalion took part in bitter trench warfare. The battalion’s first major action in France was at Pozières in the Somme valley in July. After Pozières the battalion fought at Ypres in Flanders before returning to the Somme for winter. In 1917, the battalion returned to Belgium to take part in the major British offensive of that year - the Third Battle of Ypres.

Wilfred received a gunshot wound at Fleurbais to his right arm above the elbow.  He was invalided to England on the “Cambria” at Boulogne.  He was in the Brook War Hospital.  He had no operation but 14 days later had an extensive haemorrhage.  After this he could not use his biceps properly and could not extend his arm beyond 90 degrees.  As a result He was transferred to the Pay Corps.  He was also temporarily attached for Federal Election Duty.  It was decided that he was unfit for service and could be returned to Australia.  Wilfred however at first elected to stay.  He changed his mind however on receiving a cable from his brother saying that his sister was very ill.

He decided to return at his own expense and sailed on the passenger steamer “New York” from Liverpool to the U.S.A. on 10 November 1917.  He then resided in Los Angeles for a short time and from there sailed on the “Niagra” to Australia.  Wilfred is recorded as having enlisted in the USA Army on 12 September 1918.  He was payed 50 day’s pay for the trip by the army. 

Wilfred was given a pension of £1.14.6 per fortnight.  Wilfred’s brother Henry Burgess went overseas during WWI as a YMCA representative.

Wilfred died on 26 May 1959 aged 81 years at Glenelg and was buried at St. Jude’s Cemetery, Brighton with his parents and sister.  He is memorialised on the Glenelg Honour board displayed in the Glenelg Town Hall.