Bill’s story of service

William (Bill) Osborne of McCracken Views Residential Care is a World War II veteran with many stories to tell. 

At the age of 105, Bill (pictured left) has achieved a lot through his service and beyond. 

For Anzac Day Bill has agreed to share some of his life’s story. 

The beginning

I was born in Ilford, Essex, England on 8th April 1920. My parents had met and married in India and as was custom at the time, English wives living in India would return to England so their baby would be born there. A few months after I was born, mother returned with me to Calcutta.

In 1924 the family left India and went back to England. Due to the conditions prevailing at that time, particularly the economic situation, my mother and father decided to emigrate to New Zealand and start a new life.

We settled in Auckland and Dad became a life assurance salesman. During the next several years, as Dad received promotion, we moved around the North Island and I went to different schools. In 1925 my sister Barbara was born and in 1929 my brother Douglas.

In 1937 every town in New Zealand had to raise a military unit as war with Germany seemed inevitable. Napier was allocated a Field Ambulance unit with my friends and I joined and in which I served for two years.

War arrives 

In 1939 my father was offered the position of Manager of the APA Life Assurance Company in South Australia. He accepted and we arrived in August and settled in Adelaide. A month after we arrived World War 2 was declared and I immediately enlisted in the Australian Imperial Forces, 6th Division and in view of my New Zealand army service I requested a medical unit.

As the age limit for overseas service was 20, with my parent’s permission I put my age up so all my army records show I was born in 1919! I was the one hundred and twenty-sixth person to enlist in South Australia.

After initial basic training at Woodside Army Camp I was posted to the 2/2nd Australian General Hospital which was being formed in Melbourne. Early in 1940 the unit was sent to Puckapunyal Camp and from there on April 15th we sailed on the SS Strathaird in the first convoy to leave from Melbourne and disembarked at El Kantara in Egypt on the Suez Canal. We then traveled up to Gaza in Palestine.

I was sent to a Regimental Aid Post in the Coldstream Guards camp and later to a British Army hospital in Nazareth. While there I became ill and had a spell as a patient. During this time our hospital was being built and set up in El Kantara near a crossing on the Suez Canal and the unit eventually assembled there and started receiving casualties from the Libyan campaign. I was selected to work in the Blood Bank and Transfusion Centre and learnt to take blood from donors and to give transfusions to patients. I also assisted in the operating theatres when they were very busy - as they often were. As the supplies of intravenous glucose saline were in short supply I made and sterilised a great many bottles, many of which were used in the desert campaigns. At this timeI was promoted to Lance Corporal.

In 1942, after Japan entered the war, the 6th Division was recalled to Australia.

My father was a Naval Reserve Officer in Intelligence and Transport, and therefore knew my unit was returning. I was very surprised when, as the ship sailed up the channel, I was called to the bridge - and there was Dad to greet me!!

The unit was billeted in Adelaide for a while, then moved to Canberra, then to Watten in Queensland and later our hospital was established at Rocky Creek on the Atherton Tablelands above Cairns. I was then very busy with my work in the blood bank and operating theatres as we received very many casualties from the New Guinea and Island campaigns.

When I heard Mobile Pathology Units were being formed to go north to the Pacific Islands, I approached a medical officer friend who was able to pull a few strings and I was sent to Heidleberg Military Hospital in Melbourne to gain experience in pathological techniques to enable me to join a unit in the Islands. Before I could go north, the pacific war ended and I was asked if I would join a unit that was being formed to go to Singapore to relieve the men who had been in the Changi Prisoner of War camp for over three years.

Our arrival was very traumatic as we were the first Australians to enter Changi after the cessation of hostilities and meeting the prisoners was very emotional. We had brought food and a range of medical supplies and although the doctors did everything they could, some of the men were so weak that when they knew they were safe they relaxed somewhat, and in doing so many died.

After three months all the prisoners had been repatriated and we returned to Australia. On the 7th of December 1945 I was discharged after six years and two months service.

After the war 

When I returned home after the war Dad proposed me as a member of the South Australian Cricket Association and I have spent very many pleasant hours at the Adelaide Oval watching interstate and international cricket matches.

In 1954 I graduated from the University of Adelaide with a Bachelor of Science degree and was a member of a group that was doing research into the sheep industry with a view to improving the quantity and quality of the wool produced.

In 1961 my sister introduced me to a nursing friend and on the 18th August 1962 I married Jean and commenced a very happy and wonderful period of my life. Jean had been a Flight Sergeant in the Women’s Australian Auxiliary Air Force (Communications Section). Jean and I had 44 wonderful years together and I miss her very much.

In 1966 I was proposed into the Grand Lodge of Antient Free and Accepted Freemasons and joined Mostyn Lodge Number 18 in the South Australian Constitution. In 1980 I became Master of this Lodge and in 1982 I was elected Treasurer, a position I held for 18 years. 

In 1980, on my 60th birthday, I retired as an Experimental Officer Grade 4.

The Probus movement came to Australia in 1981 and in 1982 I was a foundation member of the Brownhill Creek Probus Club.

In 2000 Grand Lodge conferred on me the honorary rank of Past Grand Standard Bearer in recognition of my service to Freemasonry.

 In 2012, on my 92nd birthday, I retired as a volunteer at the Cancer Council and was presented with a framed certificate acknowledging my 30 years service. I also attended a luncheon and received an award in recognition of 65 years as a member of the South Australia Cricket Association. 

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Bill moved into McCracken Views Residential Care after a fall at home a few years ago. 

He recently celebrated his 105th birthday and is beloved by the McCracken Views community. 

On behalf of Southern Cross Care, we would like to thank Bill for his service and also acknowledge all others who have served in the armed forces.