William Francis (Bill) HOSKING

HOSKING, William Francis

Service Numbers: 51332, 51332,, 51332
Enlisted: 26 February 1942
Last Rank: Corporal
Last Unit: Operational Base Units (RAAF)
Born: Maylands, Adelaide, South Australia, 15 July 1910
Home Town: Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Machine Presser (Dry Cleaning)
Died: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 8 April 2000, aged 89 years, cause of death not yet discovered
Cemetery: Not yet discovered
Memorials:
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World War 2 Service

26 Feb 1942: Involvement Corporal, 51332
26 Feb 1942: Enlisted Melbourne, VIC
26 Feb 1942: Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Corporal, 51332
13 Aug 1942: Embarked Royal Australian Air Force, Leading Aircraftman, 51332, No. 6 Squadron (RAAF), New Guinea - Horn Island, Port Moresby, Turnball and Goodenough Island (Milne Bay)
22 Nov 1943: Embarked Royal Australian Air Force, Leading Aircraftman, 51332,, No. 6 Squadron (RAAF), RTA
2 May 1945: Embarked Royal Australian Air Force, Corporal, 51332, Radar Stations (RAAF), embarked Brisbane for Morotai
12 Dec 1945: Embarked Royal Australian Air Force, Corporal, 51332, Operational Base Units (RAAF), embarked Labuan for RTA
25 Jan 1946: Discharged

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Biography contributed by Chris Buckley

Corporal William Francis Hosking (Service No:51332) enlisted in the RAAF at No 1 Recruiting Centre Melbourne on 26 February 1942 as an Aircraftman 1 - mustered as Guard. Leading Aircraftman Hosking served with No 6 Squadron at Richmond, and in New Guinea (Horn Island, Port Moresby, Turnbull and Goodenough Island) from 13 August 1942 to 22 November 1943. Promoted to Corporal in 1944, he served with 323 Radar Station at Castlereagh and in Borneo (Morotai and Labuan) from 2 May 1945 to 12 December 1945, and was attached to 84 Operational Base Unit (OBU) at Discharge on 25 January 1946.

Bill was born in Maylands, Adelaide, South Australia in 1910, third of five children of Peter Hosking (b1873 at Mt Egerton, Moorabool, Victoria) and Evelin Ward Lott (b1884 in Branxholme, Victoria). Peter (a Teleoperator) and Evelin married in 1905 in Melbourne, and lived in Sydney NSW and Adelaide SA before settling in Melbourne by 1917. Peter worked as a Mechanic in Melbourne.

Bill worked as a Sewing Machine Mechanic Melbourne where, in 1933, he married Janet Margaret Emily McDorvell (b1911 in Coburg, Victoria). Bill and Janet settled in Melbourne, where they raised their family and Bill was working as a Machine Presser for Nu Star Dry Cleaning Service when he enlisted in the RAAF in 1942. Following his Discharge, Bill and Janet remained in Melbourne, where they raised their family and Bill worked as a Machine Presser, Dry Cleaner and Manager. Janet died in 1996 and Bill in 2000.

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