Private William Joseph Wearne
- Rank
- Private
- Service number
- WX2415
- Unit
- 2/31 Battalion
- Cause of death
- Killed in Action
- Place of death
- Khirbe, Lebanon
- Date of death
- 11 June 1941
- Age
- 30
- Plaque number
- L394A
- Co-located plaques
- L394 - LAC Reginald McGuiness
- Dedicated by
- Great Granddaughter on 18 February 2017
- More information
Biography presented during plaque dedication:
Private William Joseph Wearne of 2/31 Battalion was born in Geraldton in April 1911 to John Henry and Caroline Wearne. He had two brothers and six sisters.
He married Ellen Alberta Maddison in Perth 1933 and they had one son.
William worked as a hairdresser before joining the second Australian Imperial Force, in Northam April 1940.
The 2/31 Infantry Battalion was one of three formed in the United Kingdom in June 1940 to create 25 Infantry Brigade.
The battalion's personnel were drawn from throughout the Australian forces that had arrived in Britain earlier in the month. Man-power shortages meant the battalion included only three rifle companies instead of four.
In January 1941, with the threat of invasion of England reduced, it was decided to send the 2nd AIF units in England to the Middle East.
The battalion arrived in Egypt in March 1941. They then moved to Palestine where they undertook further training and received a draft of reinforcements from Australia, which enabled it to raise a fourth rifle company in order to bring it up to establishment.
Having been transferred to 7 Division, the battalion took up defensive positions around Mersa Matruh before taking part in the Syrian Lebanon campaign, during which it took part in several battles.
The first of these came in June, when the commanding officer submitted a plan for an attack on Khirbe under a heavy artillery barrage with the advancing infantry behind it.
Private William Joseph Wearne, service number WX2415 was killed in action during the battle of Khirbe on 11 June 1941. He was 30 years of age.
He is interred at Damascus Commonwealth War Cemetery, Damascus Syria.
His plaque is placed alongside relative Leading Aircraftman Reginald McGuiness who was killed on service in December 1945.