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William, affectionately known as ‘Ron’ was born in the eastern suburb town of Payneham on the 18th July 1915 to Mary Hannah and John Norman Broad (Jack) Tremaine. He was the younger of two boys and had an older sister, Edna and brother, John Wakelin (Jack). (The family spelt their surname both with and without an ‘E’ on the end. Their father’s headstone at the Payneham Cemetery has the spelling ‘Tremaine’ as did family wedding announcements. However, when the two brothers enlisted Jack spelt his name this way but Ron signed on as ‘Tremain’.)
The children attended the nearby local Wellington Road School, which was re-named Trinity Gardens School in ’65. Post school, Ron was employed as a tramways conductor. Living in an adjoining street to First Avenue where the Tremains lived, was Joyce Franklin in Luhrs Street. She was to later strongly feature in Ron’s life.
21-year-old Ron and Joyce Frankin announced their engagement in February ’37. Just three months later, Ron’s father died suddenly in May and was buried in the local Payneham Cemetery. In their close-knit community a local commenting that “I heard yesterday from Harry Dean nice things about the late Jack Tremaine, of Payneham. “Jack.'' he said, “will be missed in local sporting circles. He was a tower of strength to the Oval Improvement Committee, and the poor of Payneham have lost a good friend. His funeral the other day was the largest I have seen at Payneham.” It was a fitting, very apt tribute.
Ron and Joyce continued with their wedding plans, announcing that ‘FRANKLIN—TREMAINE. — The marriage of Joyce, younger daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A. Franklin, of South Payneham, to Ron, younger son of Mrs. and the late Mr. Tremaine, of Payneham, will be solemnised at Chalmers Church, North terrace, on the 11th of December, at 7 p.m. No reception.’ Distressingly, their first child, a daughter was stillborn in April ’39. However, a precious son arrived in July ’40.
With WWII continuing to influence countries around the world, the need for volunteers increased. Consequently, Ron’s 31-year-old brother, Jack enlisted on the 15th July ’40, becoming SX8906. He served with the 2/9th Australian General Hospital in the Middle East, New Guinea and Morotai, rising to the rank of Warrant Officer Class 2. Ron followed the following year, enlisting on the 16th December as SX15505. He was immediately allocated to the 2/48th Battalion Reinforcements, but was then allocated to the 2/10th Battalion to be involved in a variety of Courses over the ensuing months. By July Ron was promoted to Acting Corporal.
He arrived in the Middle East in October ‘42and by the end of the year had returned to the 2/48th Battalion. His time in the Middle East was brief as the Battalion was preparing to return to Australia at the commencement of February the following year, arriving via Melbourne. Ron then spent time with the Signals School over June ’43, before sailing for Milne Bay in August. Almost inevitably, he contracted malaria, which he carried back to Townsville in March the following year. He was unfortunate to fracture his right little finger, but continued to attend Regimental Training School.
Just prior to his Number 7 Platoon leaving for New Guinea, a portrait was taken of the A Company 2/48th Battalion on the Atherton Tablelands at Queensland in March ’45.
Throughout the war, ‘Diver’ Derrick maintained quite a detailed diary. On the 19th May ’45 he was commanding Ron’s Platoon and recorded that the men patrolled the Freda feature where they met a Japanese patrol and sadly lost highly respected Corporal ‘Curly’ Ryan before withdrawing to Agnes. He added ‘L/Cpl Tremain who arrived back on the 17th has taken over 1 sec.’ Ron had been attending a regimental Training School where he earned praise for his cheerful manner and that he was the ‘keen and quiet type.’
Just four days later, Ron was wounded in action, eventually losing the little finger on his left hand the same day ‘Diver’ died of his wounds. Ron’s injury was caused by a grenade. That day the men were under fire from a bunker on Knoll 3, which killed two and wounded ten. Derrick died of his wounds the following day. In his book Tobruk to Tarakan, John Glenn described the attack on Knoll 2 which was being blasted with napalm, firebombs and high explosives by our planes. “Under cover of this fire 16 Platoon of D Company traversed some extremely rugged country where a razor-back ridge made it impossible to deploy more than two men forward in the approach to Track Junction Knoll. Both this platoon and 17 Platoon, who had edged themselves forward, came under fire from the objective, and a section leader was killed.
The Advertiser announced in a late May edition that ‘Mrs. Tremain. of South Payneham, has received advice that her husband, L-Cpl. W. B. (Ron) Tremain, has been wounded in action on Tarakan while serving in the 9th Division.’ The Chronicle in July included a list of those from the 2/48th who were involved. Killed In Action. — SX18O85 L-Cpl. Linus. J. Corcoran, Millicent. Died Of Wounds.— SX7964 Lt. Thomas C. Derrick. VC. DCM, Berri; SX17803 Pte. William (Jack) Giddings, Naracoorte. Dangerously Wounded. — SX30687 Pte Steven R. Buck Seaton Park; SX15368 L-Cpl. John K. Walsh, Spalding. Wounded In Action.— SX7670 Pte. Colin R. Aplin, Mornington SX15415 Cpl. Lindsay G. Bradford, Rose Park; SX19253 Pte. Geoffrey F. Chapman, Unley Park; SX7642 Pte. Donald J. Kerin, Burra; SX15505 L-Cpl. William B. Tremain, Payneham and SX7691 Cpl. Keith Turnbull, Bowden.
Ron was treated at Tarakan and Morotai before returning to Australia where he was eventually discharged on the 9th November ’45. His older brother Jack was discharged on the 7th January the following year.
Despite being back home and enjoying peace post-war, Ron was extremely fortunate to escape serious injury at the start of November ‘46. By this time he was working as a motor man driving trams on the tracks which extensively covered the metropolitan areas of Adelaide. Unfortunately, an overloaded truck collided with the tram. The Advertiser described the incident in full detail.
‘Five passengers and the conductor on a city-bound drop-centre type tram-car were hurt when it collided head-on with a motor truck about 50 yards south of the intersection of Unley road and Cross road, Unley. at 11.25a.m. yesterday.’ The most severe were treated in hospital while ambulances attended to the less severe at the site. The report continued ‘The driver of the truck. Mr. P. I J. Denver, carrier, of Woodville Park, was leading another of his vehicles, both of which were heavily loaded with cut mallee, in a southerly direction along Unley road. Eyewitnesses said that he swerved to avoid two vehicles ranked side by side outside Kemp's Nurseries on the corner of the intersection. Apparently noticing the oncoming tram, he accelerated but was unable to prevent a head-on collision. The tram was slowing down at the compulsory stop on the corner when the collision occurred. Wood was hurled through the windows of the front saloon of the tram, smashing several that were closed and flying through those on the opposite side. Several passengers were struck by the pieces of wood, and others were missed by inches:
‘Tram Damaged - About six feet of the right side of the tram was ripped away and the seat was smashed. One piece of metal from the exterior of the tram was hurled about 20 feet over the fence of Kemp's Nursery. The off side of the truck was badly damaged, the sideboard of the tray being dragged from its position. Wood was scattered over the roadway and footpath for about 100 yards, and workmen were more than an hour clearing it away. The motorman, William Byron Tremain, of First avenue. South Payneham had a lucky escape. Seeing that the collision was unavoidable, he leapt to the left of the cabin and was uninjured. Passengers were transferred to another tram and the service was resumed after being delayed for 30 minutes. The damaged tram was driven under its own power to the Hackney Depot.’
Ron’s mother had lived to see both sons return home from war. Aged 67, she died suddenly in March ’48.
Aged 93, Ron died on the 14th December 2008. His service is remembered at the Garden of Remembrance in Centennial Park. His remains were cremated at the Enfield Memorial Park and the ashes were returned to his family. (His brother John’s service is also remembered, in the Queensland Garden of Remembrance.)
Researched and written by Kaye Lee, daughter of Bryan Holmes SX8133, 2/48th Battalion.