PRESTON, Hubert William
| Service Number: | N74012 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 2 October 1940 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | Not yet discovered |
| Born: | Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia, 18 January 1917 |
| Home Town: | Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Katoomba, New South Wales, Australia, cause of death not yet discovered, date not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: |
World War 2 Service
| 2 Oct 1940: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, N74012 | |
|---|---|---|
| 26 Feb 1941: | Discharged Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, N74012 |
Help us honour Hubert William Preston's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Allison Ballard
Herbert was the second son of Peter Christopher (Christy) Preston (1881-1958), a mine deputy, of 29 Urunga Parade, Wollongong, NSW, and Ruth May Preston (nee Dally).
His parents, Peter and Ruth married in Wollongong in 1910 (NSW BDM 14088/1910). Ruth (born 1892) died at Lewisham Hospital on 13 June 1943 at age 50. Peter, son of Henry Preston and Christina, died in the District of Wollongong on 27 June 1958 (NSW BDM 15308/1958).
Herbert had three siblings, Gladys M (born 10 May 1912), Allan C (born 1914) and John Wesley (born 1920, died 2008).
On 26 May 1936, at age 19, Herbert, then an apprentice in the moulding shop at the Port Kembla Steelworks, was reported missing. He left his home to go to night school and was not heard from after that.[1]
Herbert enlisted for war service at Fort Scratchley, Newcastle, NSW, on 2 October 1940. At the time he was a labourer and living at Backham Avenue, Darlinghurst, NSW. After his discharge in early 1941, Herbert continued to work as a labourer.
Herbert married Daisy Mary Phillips (Siggins) in Newtown, Sydney, in 1947 (NSW BDM 4663/1947). Daisy had been married previously and had a son of that marriage. Herbert and Daisy had two sons, Peter and Russell. Peter Alan served for the Australian Army in the Vietnam War from 1967-1968 (Service No: 254736)
After Daisy and Herbert separated in the early 1960s, Peter and Russell were brought up by their paternal aunt, Gladys WORLAND and their uncle Joseph Stephen Gordon Worland (1897-1984), who were married in Canterbury, NSW in 1935 (NSWBDM 12502/1935). Before she married, in 1931, Gladys was a permanent staff member of the Sydney GPO. Gladys and Joseph had a son Daryl Peter Gordon who died aged 6 in Wollongong District Hospital (1936-1942). Gladys died on 11 July 2001 aged 89 and is buried in Wollongong Cemetery.[2]
Herbert (or William) died in or about 1973 in the district of Katoomba, NSW (NSW BDM 63377/1973).
[1] https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/247039931?searchTerm=william%20herbert%20preston
[2] Find A Grave.