Parents: Thomas and Margaret COTTER, 37 Mangie Street, Abbotsford, Victoria
Regimental number 4462
Place of birth Cairns Queensland
Other Names William Clarke
School State School, Cairns, Queensland
Religion Church of England
Occupation Sawmiller
Marital status Single
Age at embarkation 22
Next of kin Mother, Mrs M Cotter, PO, Mildura, Victoria
Enlistment date 10 September 1915
Rank on enlistment Private
Unit name 7th Battalion, 14th Reinforcement
Unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A32 Themistocles on 28 January 1916
Rank from Nominal Roll Private
Unit from Nominal Roll 59th Battalion
Fate Killed in Action 19 July 1916
Place of death or wounding Fleurbaix, France (Battle of Fromelles)
Age at death 23
Age at death from cemetery records 23
Place of burial No known grave
Commemoration details V.C. Corner (Panel No 7), Australian Cemetery Memorial, Fromelles, France
Panel number, Roll of Honour,
Australian War Memorial 167
Miscellaneous information from
War service: Egypt, Western Front
Embarked Melbourne, 28 January 1916; disembarked Suez, 28 February 1916.
Transferred to 57th Bn from 2nd Training Bn, Zeitoun, 29 March 1916; taken on strength of 57th Bn, Ferry Post, 1 April 1916.
Transferred to 59th Bn, 3 April 1916; taken on strength of 59th Bn, 3 April 1916.
Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 18 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 29 June 1916.
Posted missing, 19 July 1916.
Court of Enquiry, held in the field, 29 August 1917, pronounced fate as 'Killed in Action, 19 July 1916'.
Note on B.103, 'presume buried in No Man's Land approx at 5J9043 to 5K0251 Sheet Hazebrouck 5a'.
Statement, 3268 Pte T.W. BULLING, 59th Bn, 27 October 1919: 'I was about 20 yards from Cotter when he was shot. We had just crossed the creek in front of Fleurbaix when a sniper's bullet hit him in the chest. He was killed outright. I saw him fall. I can give no news as to his burial.' It was just about midnight when he was killed.'

Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal