Photo of plaque M248A
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.

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