Born in Ballarat, William Albert McCleave was a single 27 year old commercial traveller at the time of his enlistment in Adelaide, South Australia, on the 25th of September 1915. His unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A32 Themistocles on the 28th of January 1916.
On the 1st of November 1915, he was appointed Gunner.
William was wounded in action on the 18th of July 1917, but he remained at duty.
He was wounded in action again on the 8th of August 1917, and on the 11th of August was transferred to England and admitted to the King George Military Hospital in London, England with gunshot wounds to his head, face, left arm, and legs.
William was awarded the Military Medal on the 28th of September 1917.
He returned to Australia on the 27th of December 1917, and was discharged as medically unfit on the 14th of January 1918 due to deafness.

Tree No. 1914