Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Private William Leslie Hughes (Service No:W74885) served in the ACMF with 11 North West Battalion VDC from 8 November 1942 to 29 December 1944.

Born in London, England in 1911, Bill was the second of five children of Roland William Hughes (b1889 in London, England) and Lydia Cotsford (b1890 in London, England). Roland (a Pawnbroker's Assistant) and Lydia married in London where they settled and raised their family. Roland was a Munitions Worker in London in 1917 when he enlisted in the British Army (Driver; Regimental No:292039) and an Art Metal Worker and Clock Mounter in 1927 when he and Lydia immigrated with their children. The family arrived in Fremantle WA on board the Orama and settled in Perth where Roland was a Labourer. In 1930 Roland and Lydia separated - and Divorced in 1952 - Lydia remained in WA and Roland went to NSW.

Bill was sixteen years of age when he arrived in Fremantle WA, and had been working as a Salesman in London. During the 1930s he worked as a Labourer around the Gascoyne Region of WA and was a Mechanic in Derby WA in 1940 when he enlisted in the ACMF. In 1942 in Perth WA, Bill married Lynette (Biddy) Veronica Haynes (b1917 in Perth, WA). Bill and Biddy lived in Derby, WA where Bill was a Mechanic until the late 1940s when they lived at Yeeda Station via Derby where Bill was the Station Manager. In the early 1960s, the couple moved to Ashburton Station via Onslow, WA where Bill was the Station Manager - Biddy left in the mid 1960's. In the 1970's Bill lived at Shark Bay, where he was a Fisherman. Bill died in 2004.