WOOLHOUSE, Vernon Victor Charles
| Service Numbers: | 2836, W26484 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 16 April 1941 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 5 Garrison Battalion (WA) |
| Born: | Greenough, Western Australia, 2 November 1896 |
| Home Town: | Grass Valley, Northam, Western Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Northam, Western Australia, 1 December 1961, aged 65 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Northam Cemetery Buried at Northam cemetery |
| Memorials: | Geraldton Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Honour Roll |
World War 1 Service
| 17 Jul 1916: | Embarked Private, 2836, 10th Light Horse Regiment, RMS Mongolia, Fremantle | |
|---|---|---|
| 17 Jul 1916: | Involvement Private, 2836, 10th Light Horse Regiment, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '3' embarkation_place: Fremantle embarkation_ship: RMS Mongolia embarkation_ship_number: '' public_note: '' |
World War 2 Service
| 16 Apr 1941: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, W26484 | |
|---|---|---|
| 23 Oct 1945: | Discharged Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, W26484, 5 Garrison Battalion (WA) |
Baby gift from Granddad
Our family is from Northam, Grass Valley, Western Australia. My father Desmond Woolhouse married Patricia Wastney in New Zealand. They moved back to Western Australia settling in Grass Valley.
I was first born in 1962 from three children. Brother Ricky 1963 & Sister Ngaire 1964.
My dad was truck driving and mum was at home looking after baby number 1. I was soon to be born, Grandfather surprised
mum and dad with a "new white cot" for me...my mum was so estatic..she loved him for his fabulous gift...thank you so much grand dad... that cot looked after your three grandchildren...💕💕💕😘 my mum told me you where a good decent man.
Love
Your Grand daughter
Stephanie Woolhouse
3 September 2025
Submitted 3 September 2025 by Stephanie Woolhouse
Biography contributed by Chris Horvath
Vernon was born at Greenough to parents George Woolhouse and Ann (nee Sims) Woolhouse and is one of 6 known siblings.
He would enlist on 28th February 1916 at Geraldton and go into the 10th A.L.H.R. before being transferred to the 3rd ANZAC Camel Battalion and in 1918 transfer into the new 15th A.L.H.R.
Vernon returned to Australian aboard the Dorset and disembarked on 5th June 1919 and discharged on 20th July 1919 in Perth.
He would marry at Northam in 1929 to Mavis nee Meeres.
Vernon would once more enlist in WW2 this time seeing home service with the 5th Garrison Battalion, service number W26485.
Vernon died age 65 years and his wife is also buried at same cemetery in Northam.
Biography contributed by Chris Buckley
Private Vernon Victor Charles Woolhouse (Service No:W26484) had served in WWI (Private; Service No:2836) with 10th and 15th Light Horse Regiments. Private Woolhouse then served in WWII with the ACMF - 5th and 10th Garrison (WA) Battalions - from 16 April 1941 to 23 October 1945.
Vernon was born in Greenough, Western Australia in 1896, youngest of seven children of George Woolhouse (b1859 in Northam, Western Australia) and Anne Sims (b1863 at Greenbushes, Western Australia). George and Anne married in 1885 in Greenough, and lived in Ashburton in the Pilbara and Onslow, where they raised their family and George was a Miner and Labourer. By 1910 they had settled at Crowther via Geraldton, where George was a Farmer until Anne's death in 1918. George remained in the Geraldton region, living at Rudd's Gully and Eradu where he worked as a Labourer and Farm Hand before retiring to Fremantle by the early 1930s.
Vernon worked as a Labourer and Farm Hand in the Geraldton region - Narngulu and Howatharra - and in 1929 in Northam married Mavis Meeres (b1911 in Northam, Western Australia). Vernon and Mavis settled in Northam, where they raised their family and Vernon was a Farm Hand. In 1938, Vernon and Mavis were living at Grass Valley via Northam, and Vernon was a Labour with the Water Supply Department. Vernon died in 1961 and Mavis in 2010.
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