Studio portrait of 1236 Bombardier William Densley, 2nd Field Artillery Brigade from Railton, ...

Studio portrait of 1236 Bombardier William Densley, 2nd Field Artillery Brigade from Railton, Tasmania. A 25 year old labourer prior to enlisting on 17 August 1914, he embarked for overseas with the 1st Reinforcements from Melbourne aboard HMAT Borda (A30) on 22 December 1914. After serving at Gallipoli, he returned to Egypt and then proceeded to France in March 1916. He was awarded a Military Medal (MM) for bravery on the night of 25/26 October 1917 north east of Westhoek, Belgium where a shell had struck the gun pit and set the ammunition alight. He and his Sergeant immediately went in and put out the exploding ammunition and saved about 1,000 rounds and the gun from being destroyed. Later he was awarded a Bar to the MM when on 11 March 1918 south of Ypres, Belgium, under heavy shell fire, he put out a fire in a gun pit that had been hit by a shell. After being promoted to Corporal on 21 March 1918, he arrived in Australia on 23 November 1918 on 1914 leave and was discharged after the Armistice was signed. His brother, 82 Private Benjamin Densley, 2nd Field Ambulance died of wounds at Gallipoli.