Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Wilf was born at Tumby Bay on 14 Mar 22 (a Dr Wibberly baby) to Frank Brougham and Elsie Brougham (nee Olston). There were 3 children in the family, 2 boys and a girl. Unfortunately Wilf’s mother died in childbirth in 1923 and he was fostered with his uncle and aunty (Cliff and Millie Gale) and lived his early life with this couple.
He went to Lipson School, leaving in 1936 at the completion of Grade 7 and commenced work on his uncle’s farm which was located between Lipson and Ungarra. He remained in this employ until he joined the Army in 1942.
Wilf and Merv Carr travelled to Adelaide together and joined the Army at Warradale, where they undertook their initial training. They were allocated to 2/27 Battalion and sent to Woodside for further training. Wilf was then posted to the Atherton Tablelands for a period before being sent to New Guinea and Borneo.
In New Guinea he served at Shaggy Ridge, Ramu Valley and generally along the Kokoda Trail – it was during this latter time that he and 13 others were separated from their unit for 10 days during a Japanese offensive. They not only survived the rigors of the jungle, but managed to outwit the Japanese and find their way back to their unit lines. It is said that all of them were much thinner on their return. It was also in this area of operations that he was wounded in the leg and medically evacuated to Australia. They bred them tough in those days, because after convalescence he was returned to New Guinea to serve at Gona. In 1944/45 he served at Balikpapan (Borneo) and later in North East Borneo.
At the completion of the war all of the married men were returned home first. Being single, Wilf was in the last group to be returned to Australia in 1946. He was sent to Hampstead Barracks and discharged on 19 Dec of that year. He then returned to his uncle’s farm and resumed work there.
Wilf met the love of his life, Dorothy (Dot) Noske, at a dance at the Butler Hall in Apr 48. The courtship lasted for 3 years and they were married on 28 Mar 51. They had 3 children, 2 boys and a girl (Trevor, Des and Patricia).
After working on his uncle’s farm all this time he decided to lease the farm. He did this in partnership with Rex Baillie until 1965; he then purchased part of the farm. He must have been successful, for in 1966 he purchased a second farm at Kapinnie. He remained working both these farms, despite having being diagnosed with a heart condition, until 1977, when he sold the Kapinnie farm.
He and Dot moved into Tumby Bay in 1983 and four years later sold the farm at Lipson to their son, Des. Being a frustrated farmer he established a superb fruit and vegetable garden in their house in Tumby, whilst the flower garden was left to Dot to tend.
He enjoyed sport in his younger days and played both cricket and football for Lipson. He also held a number of posts in the local community, some being:
• Foundation member of the Tumby Bay Probus Club
• Steward at the Lipson show for 60 years. He was awarded life membership for this
• A staunch member of the Tumby Bay Anglican Church
• Warden and Secretary of the Lipson Anglican Church
His heart condition continued to deteriorate, and even after 3 by pass operations, in 2000 he could no longer tend his garden. Wilf passed away on 26 Mar 03. He is buried in the Lipson cemetery.