Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Alexander Wilkie HENDRY born 21/6/1921 Dorchestor, England immigrated to Australia with his family in February 1925 on the SS THEMISTOCLES. His parents were William Wilkie HENDRY and Edith OGILVY.

Wilkie HENDRY enlisted initially on 5/12/1940, at Willaura, his birth date may have been slightly modified, but he was living at Woodhouse, Dunkeld as a station hand where his parents lived and worked. This was for the CMF V22080 where he remained until 24/7/1942, then he was transferred to the AIF VX88232.
He was initially at Colac 15/12/1941 when he enlisted and was with the 4th Light Horse (which would become 4th Motor Regt when it was motorised with the change in transport needs) By 8/8/1942 he was promoted to Cpl at Rowville Military Camp, Vic. He was then sent to Western Australia on 10/10/1942 via the train network and arrived on 19/10/1942. to W.A. Lines of Communication Area.

During World War II, the 2nd Division undertook defensive duties on the east coast until mid-1942, then they were sent to Western Australia.
Wilkie reverts to rank of Trooper at his own request on 24/1/1943 He was taken on strength by the HQ of the 2nd Division in W.A.27/11/1943 and placed in Trade Group Driver/Mechanic TG Grade 3 from 21/1/1944. By 9/5/1944 he was on the move again and on the train to NSW.
During his service he suffered diarrhoea, hepatitis, haemoptysis, a lacerated thumb injury & plantar warts.

The next stop is a Bonegilla in north east Victoria on 11/8/1944 where he joins the 1st Australian Army Service Corps Training Battalion training units, which were centralised there, and that is where he remained until he marched out on 24/11/1944. By 2/12/1944 Wilkie was taken on Strength from 1st Australian Army Service Corps Training Battalion in Queensland. This indicated that he was being prepared to go overseas and by 8/4/1945 he was heading to Townsville and embarked on the “General Bulner” and disembarked at Morotai, Dutch New Guinea on 16/4/1945. During this time from 21/5/1945-29/11/1945, he was assigned to RAA 9 Aust Div, 2/12 Aust Field Regt, 23 PL 2/1 Guard Regt (2/1 Headquarters Guard Battalion) before Embarking on HMAS Inverell and heading home to Victoria. Wilkie was discharged on 20/12/1945 at Royal Park, Parkville Melbourne.

Wilkie returned to Dunkeld and is listed as a driver and contractor. He married Joan Olive GORDON at St Patricks Church in Dunkeld on June 4th 1949. Joan is listed as a postal assistant on records so she had presumably worked in the post office as so many women did during the war.

The Terrinallum South Soldier Settlement was advertised in early 1956 as 6 holdings varying in area between 575 and 735 acres. It was approximately 3757 acres of land bought from Keith Calvert of Terrinallum South Estate and was positioned on either side East & West of Mount Emu Creek.
Wilkie & Joan HENDRY were on the West side of the creek, where two blocks were positioned next to the Barnie Bolac SS Estate. They established the block adding fencing, dams, bores, hut and home in those early years. And they farmed there for 20 or so years, having many good years but some which were excessively wet & cold, a severe drought in the 1970s along with the threat of bushfires which had occurred in the area.

They had a family, their son later took on the farm and reared his family there. Their daughter trained and worked as a teacher. Wilkie and Joan moved to a property closer to Camperdown for several years and Wilkie passed away in Camperdown in 1991. Joan in Donvale, Melbourne in 2009.