William’s occupation and marital status on enlistment was detailed as a labourer, who was single.
- Date of Birth – 1891, Dover, Kent, England.
- Parents – William Henry May (1862-1934), Crampton Tower, Broad Stairs, Kent, England, and Anne Inge (1859-1906).
- Enlisted – 15 February 1915 at Keswick, South Australia. Unit embarked from Adelaide, South Australia on board HMAT A2 Geelong on 31 May 1915.1University of NSW AIF project https://aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=192165. Accessed 4 August 2024. William enlisted with the rank of Sergeant, as he had prior service, having served for four and a half years in the 1st Battalion of the Rifle Brigade in the United Kingdom.
- Regimental Number – 1452National Archives of Australia. https://www.naa.gov.au/. NAA: B2455, May William Henry, Item ID – 8039753. Accessed 4 August 2024.
- Aged at embarkation – 253Australian War Memorial https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R2012531. Accessed 4 August 2024. Military service – 27th Battalion, A Company. Rank – Sergeant, reverting to Private, at his own request and following illness of pleurisy (a severe form of pneumonia) in April 1916.4Virtual War Memorial Australia, https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/369342. Accessed 4 August 2024. William served at Gallipoli and was awarded the 1914/15 Star, British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
- Returned to Australia on 10 March 1918, as medically unfit, due to defective vison.
- Died – 31 March 19605NSW Birth Death and Marriages, https://familyhistory.bdm.nsw.gov.au/ Death 12811/1960, Goulburn, Parents William Henry May and Anne. Accessed 4 August 2024.
- Buried – Tarago, NSW.6Find a Grave.com. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/198782052/william-henry-may. Accessed 4 August 2024.
In August 1919, the Braidwood Dispatch7Braidwood Dispatch and Mining Journal (NSW : 1888-1889; 1895; 1897-1954), Friday 29 August 1919, p 2. reported ‘The welcome home to the Araluen soldier boys on Tuesday night last in the Federal Hall was a brilliant success … evidence in itself that Araluen is proud of its khaki heroes, and knows how to ‘spar up’ when a warrior comes home … The soldiers present were: Sergt. C.[G] J. Batty, Gunner A. Collins, and Ptes. W. Harman and J. J. Hush. The mothers present (Mrs. Hughes and Mrs. Collins) occupied seats on the platform beside their soldier sons. Apologies having been read from Messrs. W. H. May (postmaster) and G. Mundy (returned soldier) … About 3 a.m. the last of the dancers streamed from the hall, and thus ended one of the most successful welcome home functions ever held at Araluen.’8Roslyn Maddrell, Braidwood. Letters from the Front, Hypercet Printing, Goulburn. 2004. p 113.
William Henry May, as a returned soldier, was appointed as postmaster to the Araluen Post office in Redbank, taking his position in August 1919, following 12 months as a temporary postman in Parkes, NSW.9National Archives of Australia. https://www.naa.gov.au/. NAA: SP32/1, Araluen [Redbank] Post Office file [Box 14], p 28, Item ID – 433094, Accessed 4 August 2024 and Western Champion (Parkes, NSW : 1898-1934), Thursday 17 July 1919, p 12. ‘The Hon. Austin Chapman has been informed by the Deputy Postmaster-General that Mr. W. H. May has been placed in charge of the allowance post office at Araluen, the appointment to take place from the 30th inst. The hours of attendance have been fixed as at 9 a.m. to noon and 3 p.m to 6 p.m. Monday to Saturday, which, it is considered, will meet public requirements.’10Braidwood Dispatch and Mining Journal (NSW : 1888-1889; 1895; 1897-1954), Friday 1 August 1919, p 2.
William May married Mary Josephine Carroll (1905-1963) on 1 October 1923, at St Patrick’s Catholic Church, Araluen. William and Mary had nine children—Bernard; Maxwell; John; Patrick; Maureen; Lawrence; Margaret; Dorothy and Judy. Mary Josephine Carroll was the daughter of Patrick Carroll and Ellen Gibbons, and the granddaughter of Peter Gibbons, the licensee of the Araluen Arms Hotel from 1891 until 1902.
In March 1922, the Braidwood Dispatch11Braidwood Dispatch and Mining Journal (NSW : 1888-1889; 1895; 1897-1954), Friday 10 March 1922, p 2. noted ‘Araluen’s popular postmaster, Mr. May, a returned soldier, is a versatile musician of no mean merit. During Show and Race week he helped the Braidwood Band with his clarinet in a highly capable manner. In addition he can play any brass instrument, and is a fine violinist.’
Following a for sale advertisement in March 1926, for a ‘a snug MIXED BUSINESS [with] good stock’ by M.A. Norman in the Sydney Morning Herald 12Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842-1954), Saturday 20 March 1926, p 7., Public Notices were placed in December 192613Braidwood Dispatch and Mining Journal (NSW : 1888-1889; 1895; 1897-1954), Friday 10 December 1926, p 3. notifying of the change of ownership for the Araluen business from M.A. Norman to Mrs Mary J. May, effective from 1 January 1927. William and Mary moved to Tarago about 1938, where William was the Postmaster.
William’s obituary was published in the Queanbeyan Age14Queanbeyan Age (NSW : 1927-1971), Tuesday 12 April 1960, p 3. in April 1960. ‘The death occurred at St. John of God Hospital, on Thursday, March 31, [1960] of William Henry May, of Tarago. He was 69 years of age. The late Mr May, who was born at Dover, County of Kent, England, had been Postmaster at Tarago for 22 years. He had been with the P.M.G., Department for 30 years and during that period had resided in Araluen for a time. The deceased was an accomplished musician and has played in dance bands for many years. He served in the 27th Battalion A.l.F. at Gallipoli and Flanders. He is survived by his widow, Mrs Mary May, of Tarago, sons Bernard (Bungendore); Maxwell (Canberra); John (Sydney); Patrick (Albury); Lawrence (Goulburn); daughters, Maureen (Mrs D. Wharton, (Goulburn)); Margaret (Tarago); Dorothy (Goulburn); Judith (Tarago), also three brothers and three sisters.’
In June 1963, the Queanbeyan Age15Queanbeyan Age (NSW : 1927-1971), Tuesday 25 June 1963, p 2. reported ‘The death occurred in the Canberra Community Hospital on Friday last, of Mrs. Mary May, of Robinson Street, Goulburn, and former postmistress at Tarago. The late Mrs. May, together with her late husband, were well known in the district for their musical ability. Aged 58 years, Mrs. May is survived by nine children and their families, Bernard (Bungendore); Maxwell (Canberra); John (Sydney); Patrick (Albury); Maureen, Lawrence, Margaret, Dorothy and Judy, all of Goulburn.’