Outdoor portrait of two brothers, 5788 Private (Pte) William Thomas Wiggins on the left and 5787 ...

Outdoor portrait of two brothers, 5788 Private (Pte) William Thomas Wiggins on the left and 5787 Pte Richard Samuel Wiggins on the right, both of the 12th Battalion from Dunally, Tasmania. Both brothers were woodcutters prior to enlisting together on 23 March 1916. William was 27 years old and Richard was 19 when they enlisted. They both embarked for overseas with the 18th Reinforcements from Hobart on 8 May 1916 aboard HMAT Seang Choon. Shortly after arriving in Egypt, Richard was taken ill and admitted to the No 2 Australian Stationary Hospital in Tel-El-Kebir where he died from pneumonia on 5 July 1916. He is buried in the Tel-El-Kebir War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt. Meanwhile, William underwent further training in Egypt and England before arriving in France in October 1916. He was wounded in action on 5 May 1917 and evacuated to England for medical treatment. After rejoining the 12th Battalion on 29 August 1917, he was awarded the Military Medal for conspicuous gallantry as a stretcher bearer in the attack on Polygon Wood, Belgium on the night of 20/21 September 1917. He was again wounded in action on 1 November 1917 and evacuated to England for medical treatment. After rejoining the 12th Battalion on 25 April 1918, he was later attached to the Provost Corps on 21 November 1918 and was promoted to Extra Regimental Second Corporal on 10 February 1919. William was married in England on 16 August 1919 and returned to Australia with his wife on 10 June 1920.