Daniel Malcolm Wann

Daniel Malcolm Wann

Courtesy Central West Libraries Orange, NSW
Linton Renolds photo May 2023
Personal Information
Date of Birth	c1886
Place of Birth	Orange, New South Wales
Death	13 Aug 1918
Place of Death	55th Casualty Clearing Station, Vecquemont, France
Age at Enlistment	29 years, 7 months
Description	5'9½" (1.77m) tall ; 170lbs 77.111 kg ; fresh complexion ; brown eyes ; brown hair
Occupation	Teamster
Religion	Presbyterian
Address	Popanyinning
Next of Kin	Wife , Mrs Evelyn Maud Wann
Military Information
Reg Number	7548
Date of Enlistment	4 Dec 1916
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	11th Battalion, 25th Reinforcement
Date of Embarkation	29 Jun 1917 ‒ 25 Aug 1917
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A30 Borda Fremantle to Plymouth
Fate	Wounded in action 11 Aug 1918 Died of Wounds 13 Aug 1918
Monument	Armadale War Memorial not currently listed Australian War memorial
Medals	British War Medal Victory Medal

Pre War

Born in Orange in 1886, Daniel was the second son of Charles snr and Mary Ann nee Plowman. By 1903 the family had moved to Armadale in Western Australia, where Charles snr worked as a sleeper cutter. In 1911 Daniel married Evelyn Maud Warren and settled at Bullsbrook, where Daniel worked as a teamster. The couples’ first child, Sydney Malcolm, was born in 1912, followed by Donald Charles in 1913, and Alice in 1916.

War Service

Although Daniel signed his enlistment papers in Perth on 11 November 1916, it was not until 4 Dec 1916 that he entered camp to begin his military service. Posted initially to a Depot Company, on 30 Jan 1917 his training had progressed to the point that he was allocated to the 25th reinforcement draft for the 11th Battalion. Following training he embarked with the draft in Fremantle, disembarking from HMAT A30 Borda in Plymouth on 25 Aug 1917. On arrival in England he was sent to the 3rd Training Battalion at Durrington to prepare for service in France and Belgium. On 7 Nov 1917 he was transferred to the 2nd Training Battalion at Sutton Veny, and on 8 Jan 1918 he embarked for France from Southampton.

On arrival in Le Havre he was sent to the Base Depot for a couple of days special trench training before he was sent forward to join his battalion. His records indicate that it was 11 days after leaving the base depot before he was taken on strength (22 Jan 1918) by the 11th Battalion, an unusually long period in transition. On 20 June 2018 Daniel reported ill and was admitted to the 3rd Field Ambulance suffering from influenza. Passed back the same day to the 18th Casualty Clearing Station, he was placed on Ambulance Train No. 32 for the 4th General Hospital in the Dannes Camiers area on the coast. On 23 Jun 1918, he was transferred to the 6th Convalescent Depot, and on recovering, he rejoined his unit near Ribemont on 6 Jul 1918, just in time to be part of the parade inspected by the King several days later. After a long, wet march in unpleasant conditions the troops lined both sides of the road to have a vehicle (King included?) sweep past them at speed. In late July the battalion moved from the Somme to Ypres. (The 1st Division was at the time allocated to the 2nd British Army and thus was not with the rest of the Australian troops serving as part of the 4th British Army.)

However, following pressure from General Monash the 1st Division was released from Belgium and they moved back to join the rest of the Australian units on the Somme just in time to participate in a battle that became known as Lihons. The 11th Battalion were required as part of the second phase of the Battle for Amiens, to attack and win ground then held by the Germans near the village of Lihons. With the Germans well dug in their machine guns took heavy toll of the 11th Battalion, causing very heavy casualties. Daniel was one of these, receiving a bullet wound to his spine. Treated first by the 5th Field Ambulance he was sent on to the 55th Casualty Clearing Station where he died from his wounds on 13 Aug 1918.

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  Daours Communal Cemetery Extension
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  CWGC
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A Memorial Notice appeared in the West Australian, 29 August 1918, page 1.

WANN - In loving memory of our beloved husband and dear daddy. Private D.M. Wann, who died of wounds on August 13 1918.

A light has from his household gone, A voice once loved is stilled; A place is vacant in his home, Which never can be filled.

Inserted by his sorrowing wife Maud, and children Sydney, Donald, and baby Alice.

Notes

Daniel’s brother, Charles Alexander Wann, also served on the Western Front, and he lost his life six weeks later, killed in action at St Quentin Canal on 30 September 1918.

External Links

• Orange NSW WW1 site