William Frederick Hilder

William Frederick Hilder was born in Petersham NSW, the son of Alexander Hilder and Charlotte Elizabeth Hilder (ne Reynolds).

William enlisted in the Australian Army on the 24th of October 1916 at the age of 28. His service number was 6312. Before his enlistment, his occupation was listed as 'farm labourer' and his religion as Methodist.

He was sent to the First World War on 11 November 1916 on the HMAT Suevic with the rank of Private as a member of 17 Infantry Battalion of the Second Division, which was sent to reinforce troops moving from Turkey to the Western front. In 1917 the 17th Battalion was involved in most of the major battles as the German Army was forced back towards the Hindenburg Line, seeing action at Bullecourt in May, Menin Road in September and Poelcappelle in October. The 17th Battalion served in World War I until it was disbanded in April 1919, and was involved in the final Allied offensive against the Germans.

William returned to Australia on the 18th of July 1919.

He married Thyra May Marshall in 1920, when he was 32 and she was 20. At the time of his marriage he was a brick maker and lived in North Sydney. The couple had six children - two daughters and four sons.

William died in Newtown in 1969 at the age of 81.