Carole Fife has provided the following:
William's enlistment papers into the Australian Army on 25th August 1915 show that although he was then living in West Maitland, New South Wales, he had been born in Bedlington in 1891. He gave as his next of kin his father John Roper who was living at 12, Telephone Row, Bedlington.
At the time of his enlistment William was 5'4” tall, weighed 138lb., had brown hair and brown eyes and was working as a miner.
William was lucky enough to miss the Gallipoli campaign, sailing from Sydney to Alexandria on H.M.A.T. 'RMS Osterley' on January 15th 1916. In Alexandria he joined the ANZACs who had served in Gallipoli and were now being sent to join the B.E.F. in France. They left Alexandria on 'RMS Transylvania' and arrived in Marseille on 4th April 1916 before being sent north for the Battle of the Somme. William was killed in action on 14th April 1917 while serving with 3rd Infantry Battalion A.I.F. His military file contains a letter from his sister Mrs D.H. Latt of 57 Mereweather Street, Mereweather, Newcastle, New South Wales stating that she believed that her brother had willed everything to their father John Roper, but as his only relative in Australia she asked if she could have some memento. She was sent a copy of his Death Certificate. William's effects were sent to John, who acknowledged their receipt on 20th July 1917. William's medals were sent to London to be forwarded to his father.
He is remembered in Bedlington on B15.09
