Pte Lewis embarked 24 Sep 1914 Brisbane on HMAT Omrah with H Company of the 9th Battalion for the Middle East. He served with the ANZAC forces at Gallipoli where he was wounded on 28 Apr 1915. He also suffered a gunshot wound to the right shoulder at Gaba Tepe on 31 May 1915 and was transferred to hospital at Mudros and thence to Malta. On 16 Jul 1915 he arrived at Mastappa Camp from Malta. He embarked on 17 Aug 1915 on the Nile for the Dardenelles and rejoined his ANZAC Unit. On 11 Sep 1915 he was again admitted to hospital, transferrred to Mudros, Malta and Portsmouth, England. From England on 4 Mar 1916 he rejoined his battalion at Serapheum, proceeded to Alexandria and disembarked at Marseilles on 3 Apr 1916.

In France on 24 Nov 1916 he was appointed Lance Corporal and promoted to Temporary/Acting Corporal on 3 Mar 1917 and Corporal on 24 Mar 1917. Throughout the war on the battlefields of France he was wounded in action on his face, right eye, chest and right leg severely. He suffered from severe shell burns, dysentry, colitis, trench fever, pharyngitia and gas poisoning on two occasions in Apr 1918. He was admitted to field hospitals and transferred to England several times but was repeatedly returned to the field. After proceeding once more to France a subsequent cause of hospitalisation in Bath, England on 20 Aug 1918 was debility. Upon discharge on 28 Oct 1918 he was granted 75 days furlough with pay. No doubt to be with his wife.
Did she nurse him in the Australian military hospital at Hurdcott in Wiltshire in the second half of 1917? This was a Group Clearing Hospital or Convalescent Hospital for soldiers who were classified as patients who would take at least six months to be fit to return to active service.
Did they meet when he was stationed at the Depot in Weymouth, Dorset? This accommodated ANZAC casualties who were not expected to be fit for duty within six months and therefore most of the Diggers repatriated as a result of wounds or sickness passed through Weymouth. It was here that the record of Cpl Lewis states that he was present in May and July with stints at Hurdcott in July and September.

In Oct and Nov 1917 he rejoined the 9th Battalion in France and on 15 Dec 1917 his record states that he attended an Army School after which he was again fighting in France.

An entry on the Index Card of Cpl Lewis on 21 Jul 1917 (date difficult to read) indicates the change in Next Of Kin from his father William Lewis to his wife Mrs Fanny Lewis c/o 19 Sidmouth Street, Reading, Berkshire, England. A previous address for her was 11 West Street Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. Cpl Lewis registered a notification of alteration to his NOK dated 31 Dec 1917. This was possibly the change of address of his wife.

Cpl William Thomas LEWIS returned to Australia 9 Jul 1919 on HMAT Prinz Ludwig accompanied by his wife. They disembarked 7 Sep 1919, thence by rail to 1st Military District headquartered in Brisbane, Queensland. Discharged 26 Feb 1920.

A certificate dated 4 Mar 1920 of particulars regarding his medical incapacity was sent to Cpl TW Lewis at 33 Elphin Street, Newport, Victoria. This was in response to a request dated 22 Sep 1919 from Cpl Lewis at the same address for a statement with the number of times he was in hospital, the length of time there and the cause while on active service so that he could get his sick pay from the Friendly Society to which he belonged. The delay was atrributed to obtaining documents from abroad.

In a letter dated 23 Oct 1921 from Glenorchy, Victoria, TW Lewis (Late 963 Cpl Lewis, TW, 9th Battalion AIF) made an application for his general service medal and victory medal. A year later, on 3 Nov 1922, a Captain in Melbourne recommended that the medals be transmitted to him from Headquarters, 1st District Base, to his residence at Glenorchy. The medals had been forwarded to Headquarters in Brisbane because Cpl TW Lewis had returned to the 1st Military District on his return to Australia. More than one letter to his previous NOK, father Mr W Lewis, 12 Oakbank Street, Newport, had been returned marked 'not known at this address'. It was suggested that a notice be placed in the press asking for Mr W Lewis as NOK to contact Victoria Barracks, Melbourne.