Studio portrait of Lieutenant (Lt) William Charles Beresford (Bill) Stavely. Stavely was born in ...

Studio portrait of Lieutenant (Lt) William Charles Beresford (Bill) Stavely. Stavely was born in Wycheproof, Vic, in 1894 and worked for the local council at Avoca until his enlistment, on 11 February 1916 as a Private with the 59th Australian Infantry Battalion. He embarked from Melbourne on 1 August 1916 on board HMAT Orsova. He had previously tried to enlist on a total of four occasions but was rejected as he was under age. Allocated the service number 2253, he completed initial training at Broadmeadows and later on the Salisbury Plains in England, before his battalion moved to France. Stavely was promoted to the rank of Lance Corporal and then Corporal in March 1917 in France. He was promoted to Second Lieutenant in October 191. He was sent to Balliol College, Oxford where he underwent officer training. He was commissioned as a Lieutenant on 17 May 1918 and returned to his battalion in France. He took part in the Battle of Hamel, taking over command of a company when Lieutenant Facey was killed. Stavely was gassed in August 1918 and saw no further active service. He returned to Australia on 5 February 1919 on HMAT Aeaneas and was discharged 15 March 1919.