STUCKEY, William Eric
| Service Numbers: | S21344, SX28147, SX28147 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 17 September 1941, Taken on strength of the 27th (Scottish) Battalion |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 27 Infantry Battalion AMF |
| Born: | Wallaroo, South Australia, 12 January 1922 |
| Home Town: | Black Forest, Unley, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Wallaroo School, South Australia |
| Occupation: | Butcher |
| Died: | Heart attack, Adelaide, South Australia, 26 June 2007, aged 85 years |
| Cemetery: |
Centennial Park Cemetery, South Australia |
| Memorials: |
World War 2 Service
| 19 Jan 1941: | Involvement Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, S21344, 27 Infantry Battalion AMF, Enlistment/Embarkation WW2, Conscripted as an 'Eligible Male' into the Militia. Prior to the entry of Japan into the War, conscription took effect on an individual's 19th birthday. Not necessarily called up for training /duty at that time. Based on capacity of training camps. | |
|---|---|---|
| 17 Sep 1941: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, S21344, 27th Infantry Battalion, Taken on strength of the 27th (Scottish) Battalion | |
| 15 Dec 1942: | Involvement Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, S21344, 27 Infantry Battalion AMF, Australia's Front Line (incl Darwin Defenders), The 27th Battalion was deployed to Darwin | |
| 15 Jan 1943: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, SX28147, 27 Infantry Battalion AMF, Adelaide River, Northern Territory | |
| 25 May 1944: | Involvement Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, 27 Infantry Battalion AMF, New Guinea - Huon Peninsula / Markham and Ramu Valley /Finisterre Ranges Campaigns | |
| 6 Apr 1945: | Involvement Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, SX28147, 27 Infantry Battalion AMF, Bougainville | |
| 7 Jan 1946: | Discharged Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, SX28147 , 27 Infantry Battalion AMF |
from his niece in family history
War Service record for World War 2: Private, William Eric Stuckey, SX28147, Service Australian Army, Date of Birth 12 January 1922, Place of Birth Wallaroo, SA, Date of Enlistment 15 January 1943, Locality on Enlistment Black Forest, SA, Place of Enlistment Adelaide River, NT, Next of Kin Stuckey, Dorothy, Date of Discharge 7 January 1946, Posting at Discharge 27 Australian Infantry Battalion, Additional Service Numbers S21344.
Memories by Marcelle.
Eric married Dorothy Ada Fullwood, known as Doss at the Methodist Church, Colonial Light Gardens on 1st September 1945. He was a butcher by trade. He had his own butcher shop and after selling that he worked mostly at large supermarkets still as a butcher. He then went into the second-hand trade and owned various shops buying and selling. One of which was on Marion road near Daws Road and I went there with Mum and Dad in the 1980's. His son Trevor joined him, going to auctions and house sales bidding for goods. They moved to Premises on South road Edwardstown and were there for many years. Trevor eventually sold the business in approx 2002 and 5 years later had a heart attack and died. Eric died 4 months later. I believe that much of Eric's behaviour to Mum and family is related to his War service. The extremities they suffered was not spoken about when the servicemen came back from the war. I remember him as having a great sense of humour but also at times emotionally depressed.
Submitted 27 April 2015 by Marcelle Edwards
Biography
William Eric Stuckey (1922-1987)
William Eric Stuckey, known as Eric, was born in Wallaroo on SA's York Peninsula on 12 January 1922.
He trained and qualified as a Butcher and his vocation shaped his employment in the Army when he was conscripted, as an 'eligible male' in 1941. Like most young men during WW2 he was drafted in the first instance into the Militia, or Citizens Military Forces (CMF). This is indicated by his initial service number prefixed with the letter 'S' which denotes a militia number, and the S indicates he was enlisted in South Australia. He was identified early on for employment in the Australian Army Catering Corps, and subsequently attached to the 27th Infantry Battalion as a cook.
His unit was engaged in Homeland Protection tasks, the significance of which ramped up when Japan entered the War in December 1941. The 27th Battalion was sent north to Darwin on the 14th December just a week after Pearl Harbour. This was to place them in the front line when, on the 19th February 1942, a Japanese Carrier Group despatched a large fleet of aircraft to bomb Austalia's northern most city. It was to be the largest and most devastating of what turned into a succession of raids over the next 18 months.
Eric remained in the NT until January 1943 when the 27th Batatlion was gazetted as an AIF unit for service in New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. Eric was 'discharged' and re-enlisted on the same day at Adelaide River, south of Darwin.
The Battalion returned to South Australia in April 1943 and personnel including Eric undertook courses and other training, preparing for another deployment.
This came to fruition in May of 1944 when the Battalion entrained for Cairns and then embarked for New Guinea, where they served between 27 May 1944 and 22 December 1944, before the unit returned to Australia.
The 27th Battalion reverted to Homeland Defence duties and training, after leave and post deployment administration. Next the Battalion embarked for Bougainville, arriving on 11 March 1945. They remained there until 16 December 1945 before being reptriated back to Australia an demobilisation
Eric was discharged on 7 January 1946, with a total of 1546 days service 499 of which were outside Australia.
Compiled by Steve Larkins 14 Aug 24 ex Service records
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