William Edward R Greathead was born in 1895 in Drummoyne, New South Wales, Australia. He was the fourth son of Robert J Greathead and Ruth Darwin Rowley.

He enlisted as Private 2269 in 5th Battalion, 6th Reinforcement of the Australian Infantry on 21 August 1914. He was 19 years 6 months old and five foot ten inches tall. He weighed nine stones ten pounds, with reddish complexion, blueish eyes and fair hair. He worked as a tailor’s presser.

He died on 18 August 1916 in Picardie, France, aged 23 years on the Western front in WW1. He was buried in Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, Somme, Picardie, France. Villers-Bretonneux is a village about 15 kilometers east of Amiens. The Memorial stands on the high ground (“Hill 104”) behind the Villiers-Bretonneux Militery Cemetery, Fouilloy on the east side of the road to Fouilloy.

He was awarded the Star medal No 349, Victory medal No 1188 and British War Medal No 1185.

William appears on panel 43 of the Roll of Honour Australian War Memorial.