Walter Henry Funnell

Submitted by Mt Kembla Minin... on Tue, 06/10/2015 - 10:40

First Name:

Walter

Middle Name:

Henry

Last Name:

Funnell

Date of Birth:

Tuesday, July 11, 1893

Mother's Name:

Margaret Funnell (nee Jones)

Father's Name:

Henry Funnell

Date Enlisted:

Thursday, November 16, 1916

Rank at Enlistment:

Private

Rank at Discharge:

Private

Unit:

34th Battalion

Company:

Service:

Infantry

Awards:

British War Medal

Victory Medal

Date of Death:

Monday, October 1, 1917

Place of Death:

Zonnebeke, Belgium

Cause of Death:

Killed in action

Details:

Walter Funnell (Service No 3043) was born at Frogmore, near Boorowa, N.S.W. Walter attended Lithgow Public School, N.S.W., indicating that the family moved during Walter's childhood. In 1913, Walter married Annie May Avery.

When Walter enlisted, he was 22 years old and living at Thirroul, N.S.W. By now he and Annie had 3 children and Walter was working as a coalminer. He had also served for four years in the Cadets.

Walter embarked from Sydney on board HMAT A68 Anchises with 7th Reinforcements, 34th Battalion on 24th January 1917. The troops arrived in England on 27th March 1917, and after training Walter joined 3 Platoon, A Company, 34th Battalion, in France on 23rd August 1917.

On 1st October 1917, while engaged in the fighting for Passchendaele, in the vicinity of Zonnebeke, Belgium, Walter was in a trench when a shell burst overhead and he was hit in the left temple area and killed, as were 2 other soldiers.

Walter is buried in Tyne Cot Cemetery, Passchendaele, Flanders, Belgium. Plot XXXIV, Row A, Grave 9.

Sources:

NAA: B2455, FUNNELL W H