Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Trooper Willis's father, also William Nicholas Willis, was a NSW state parliamentarian and in 1890 a co-founder of "Truth", "the scurrilous newspaper" which "rapidly achieved circulation figures of over 30.000." "Willis was profitably involved in land transactions of a shady nature involving leases that required ministerial assent."
"A picaresque character, Willis was described in Melbourne Punch as a 'stout, florid man, whose vigour seems unabated by trouble, who challenges attention by his strong individualism, who talks in the racy vernacular of the street, and who may be relied upon to put up a good fight.'". He prudently removed himself to London about 1910, set up a publishing company and wrote books with salacious titles. "His son, who had served with the 6th Light Horse Regiment Australian Imperial Force, joined him in partnership after the war." (This information and the quotations are from Martha Rutledge writing in the Australian Dictionary of Biography Vol. 12 1891 - 1939).
In 1922 William Willis Senior left Pounds Sterling 8,296/0/11 to his son W. N. Willis Junior who, in turn, left in 1960 Pounds Sterling 33,916/17/10.