Captain William Richard Annear

- Rank
- Captain
- Service number
- Officer
- Unit
- 11 Battalion
- Cause of death
- Killed in Action
- Place of death
- Gallipoli, Turkey
- Date of death
- 25 April 1915
- Age
- 40
- Plaque number
- M248A
- Co-located plaques
- M248 - PTE Dudley Annear
- Dedicated by
- Great Niece on 16 August 2008
- More information
Biography presented during plaque dedication:
Captain William Richard Annear of 11 Battalion, known as Dick, was born in Ballarat in May 1875, the son of John and Annie Annear and brother to John, Lillian and Elizabeth.
He attended a state school in Ballarat and joined the school cadets when he was 12.
The family moved to Kalgoorlie and Dick learned the trade of printing and became a master printer. Later, he was in partnership in the printing business of Annear and Bird.
He was involved with the Goldfields Rifle Association and was secretary of the Goldfields Rifle Club.
In 1906, he was second lieutenant in 84 Goldfields Infantry Regiment and was promoted to captain in 1910.
At the outbreak of war he volunteered for the newly formed Australian Imperial Force and was commissioned a captain in 11 Battalion.
After training at Blackboy Hill he embarked at Fremantle in December 1914 on HMAT Ascanius for Egypt. After further training he embarked on HMT Suffolk at Alexandria in March 1915 for Gallipoli.
Captain William Richard Annear of 11 Battalion was killed in action at Gallipoli on the 25th April 1915. He was 40.
It is understood that he was the first Australian officer to die at Gallipoli.