William Henry Cossey (abt. 1891 - 1944)

Born about 1891 in Elsternwick, Victoria, Australia

Ancestors

Died 10 Apr 1944 at about age 53 in Perth, Western Australia, Australia

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Biography

William Cossey is an Anzac who served in World War One.

William Henry Cossey was born about 1891.^[1] He was the son of James Cossey and Lena Werner.

William Cossey enlisted in the 1st A. I. F. on 23 November 1914 at Liverpool, New South Wales and was allocated the service number 1521/1530. He was allocated to the 3rd reinforcements 1st Battalion on 5 February 1915.

He left Australia on the Seangchoon on 11 February 1915. On 7 May 1915 he joined the 1st Battalion at Gallipoli and was wounded with a gun shot wound to the head on 24 July 1915 and rejoined the Battalion on 26 July 1915.

On 6 August 1915 he was wounded a second time with a shell wound to the forearm. He was transferred to the No. 3, Auxiliary Hospital on Peliopolis. Whilst there he contracted Typhus on 18 September 1915 and then Enteric Fever at Port Said on 26 September 1915. William was transferred back to Australia on "Karoola" from Suez on 4 November 1915.

After recuperation in Australia Private William Cossey, acting Corporal, embarked at Sydney onboard the "Kyarra"on 5 June 1916. He acted as a trainer in England until he transferred back to the 1st Battalion A Company with 18th reinforcements on 22 November 1917. He served in France until the 20 April 1918 when he was evacuated to England due to trench feet.

William returned to Australia on 2 January 1919 on the "Berrima".

It is not known if William ever married or had children but it seems unlikely as there was no mention of it on his death notice and his sister applied for his war medals (see below).

William Cossey died on 10 April 1944 at Subiaco, Western Australia^[2] and was buried at the Karrakatta Cemetery^[3].

Death notice for William Cossey

Application for Medals

On 6 June 1967 William's sister, Lucy Leffler nee Cossey, wrote to Central Army Records Office making application for two medals in the name of her brothers William Cossey and Albert Cossey. In the letter she states "Before they joined up they lived with us at Beaconsfield Parade Albert Park , with my husband and two children their father having been dead for years and my mother had gone to Western Australia to live. They joined up in Sydney." ^[4]

Sources

1. ↑ Vic BDM 12021/1891, Name Wm Hy Cossey, Birth Date Abt 1891, Birth Place Elsternwick, Victoria Registration Year 1891, Registration Place Victoria, Australia, Father Jas Cossey, Mother Eleana Werner, Registration Number 12021
2. ↑ Western Australian Government, Births, Deaths and Marriages, Online Index Search Tool, https://www.wa.gov.au/organisation/department-of-justice/online-index-search-tool

   Surname COSSEY

   Given Names William

   Sex M

   Age 49

   Father James COSSEY

   Mother Leila WERNER

   Place of Death Subiaco

   Year of Death 1944

   Registration District Perth

   Registration Number 100732

   Registration Year 1944

3. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/213659041/william-cossey: accessed 16 December 2022), memorial page for William Cossey (1895–10 Apr 1944), Find a Grave Memorial ID 213659041, citing Karrakatta Cemetery and Crematorium, Karrakatta, Nedlands City, Western Australia, Australia; Maintained by ! woowoo (contributor 49949980).
4. ↑ National Archives of Australia B2455, COSSEY W, Cossey William : SERN 1521/1530 : POB Brighton VIC : POE Liverpool NSW : NOK M Coragill Mrs