William Miller Jarvie was born in 1881 in Kilsyth, Scotland to James and Agnes Jarvie. Brother of Joseph, Robert and Jane, and step brother of Jeanie and Elizabeth, William resided at 17 Deacon’s Road, Kilsyth, according to the 1891 Scottish Census.
William was employed as a miner at St. Flannan’s Pit, Kilsyth, prior to enlisting with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders 4th Battalion Volunteers.
He emigrated to Australia on 26 November 1907, aboard the 'Moravian'. He settled at Brown Street, West Wallsend, NSW. He married Sarah Blanche Blackie in 1909 and their first son James was born the same year on 20 August at Newcastle, NSW. They had two other children, Mary, born 1911 and Thelma, born 1917.
William enlisted as a Private with the Australian Infantry 36th Battalion on 11 March 1916. He was noted as standing 5 feet 10 inches tall, weighing 12 stones, having a 39 inch chest when fully expanded, fair skin, brown eyes, brown hair and being of Presbyterian faith.
Private Jarvie left Sydney, NSW bound for Devonport, England and he arrived on 9 July 1916. He sailed for France on 29 November, arriving the following day. He was wounded in action on 3 October 1917, sustaining gun shot wounds to his chest. He lay for two days and two nights on the battlefield before he was recovered and brought back to the trenches. He was operated on eight times, undergoing a blood transfusion to keep him alive. He died on 20 March 1918 at Tooting Military Hospital in Church Lane, Tooting, England. His father had been summoned to see him, but William died before he arrived. William is buried in Brookwood Military Cemetery in Surrey, England in grave XI.A.15. He is commemorated on Kilsyth War Memorial, Scotland.