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William Frank’s family lived in the Millicent area before moving to Port Lincoln. William was the second son born to Emily May and Frank Clifford Barwick on the 24th March, 1919. Frank had gone to Millicent in 1907 as a member of a troupe of acrobats who were touring Australia in the interests of the Young Men's Christian Association. Frank’s short, muscular physique enabled him to develop into a talented gymnast and entertainer who continued to be in demand at public entertainment venues. He left the company and remained in Millicent for over four years, marrying Emily May, a Port Lincoln girl. He continued to perform publicly including travelling to Eyre Peninsula several times to feature as an acrobat, at a school concert at Marrat Bay and the Opening of the Denial Bay Institute in November 1912, then back at Millicent two years later for the Hibernian Society’s annual gathering, where he was regarded as an old favourite. William and older brother Charles Clifford were both born in Millicent.
Frank also worked in wheat and barley lumping, and for a time was employed at the Mount Burr forest. He also conducted a skating rink in the old drill hall, which was later converted to the bulk store for Eudunda Farmers' Co-operative Society. Leaving Millicent, Frank, Emily and the two boys returned to Emily’s home town of Port Lincoln in ’26. There Frank was employed working on the wharf where he was highly regarded for his work as president of the Port Lincoln branch of the Waterside Workers' Federation. Four sisters, Dorothy, Lorna, Betty and Barbara and another brother, George were added to the family.
Bill was a very competent student at Port Lincoln Primary, regularly being named as a top student in his year level. In those less politically correct times, Bill and his younger brother George attended the Church of St Nicolas fancy dress parade in August ’33 as ‘niggers’ then again experienced success two years later at the Seaman’s Mission Hall at Kirton Point where they dressed as ‘Bill and Jacky’. Their sister Barbara was also in the prize-winners dressed as a fairy.
Post school Bill became a labourer until the outbreak of WWII, when a huge campaign by the AIF rolled out in country areas with the aim of attracting fit young, single men to enlist. There was a rush of A.I.F. recruits to the depots opened at Cowell, Minnipa, Wudinna, Port Lincoln and Streaky Bay in June ‘40. All three of the Barwick brothers heeded the call. 21-year-old Bill was one of 26 locals who enlisted that month and 20 had enlisted the week before. Bill was officially accepted on the 2nd July 1940. He was allocated the number SX7547. Fellow Port Lincoln men, Roland Hood and close friend Stanley Scott also enlisted the same day becoming SX7548 and SX7536. Max Richardson, another friend from Elliston was also part of the group as SX7532 with all four being placed in the newly formed 2/48th Battalion. (22-year-old Stanley ‘Scotty’ died a year after he enlisted, killed in action in Libya on the 1st August ’41 and Max was later taken as prisoner, but remarkably, escaped across the Swiss Alps.)
Bill’s two brothers also enlisted six months later. Older brother 27-year-old Charles Clifford on 17th January ’41 as SX11145 was allocated to Bill’s 2/48th Battalion. George Bartlett joined the following week as SX28143 once he turned 21. He served in the Corps of Signals. George had previously been S16167. Both brothers, George and Charlie travelled to Adelaide on the ship ‘Minnipa’ on the 20th January ’41 with Bill following the next week. From the delightful Streaky Bay environment, Bill spent his early days in the close confines and cold of the Pavilions, now part of the Royal Adelaide Showgrounds. Then he and other new enlistees headed to Woodside for their preliminary training. This area was not a particularly popular winter camp, because of the severe cold and wet, however the enlistees generally enjoyed the life and looked forward to commencing the next phase of their training.
Back home on pre-embarkation leave, Bill’s parents Frank and Emily organised a social evening at their home for Bill and Stan Scott at the end of October. Music, singing, dancing and the inevitable dainty supper were highlights. Both of Bill’s brothers, George and Charles were also part of the celebrations.
Following leave, the 2/48th contingent embarked on the Stratheden for the Middle East, on the 7th November 1940, arriving on the 17th December 1940. Their 2/48th Battalion completed a few months training in Cyrenaica before moving to Tobruk at the start of April 1941 where the dust, flies, heat, minimal water supplies and constant bombardment were quite a challenge to these fresh new enlistees. They were to become the famed Rats of Tobruk, a title designed to be derogatory but one worn with pride.
In Dimra, Bill was charged with Conduct Prejudice of Good Order and was confined to barracks for five days – certainly not how he expected to ‘explore’ this new country.
Typical of country communities, local papers regularly published letters from those serving. The West Coast Recorder was particularly adept at sharing letters written home to family and friends. Max Richardson wrote from Palestine to his Port Lincoln based sister sharing that “All the things that I have seen on the trip over and around here have been an eye-opener to me. Our camping quarters are excellent and the meals are first-class. We (Bill Barwick and "Scotty") had four days' leave recently and went to a rodeo. We are keeping well. There is always plenty to do and plenty of things to see and enjoy when we have the time off.” Phillip Bascombe, SX11298 of the 2/8 Field Ambulance also reported meeting Port Lincoln men after church parade including Bill’s brother, Charlie Barwick SX11145 and Max from the 2/48th who were in adjoining tents. However daily routine was quite different to what was often written in letters back home.
For Bill, the new year of ‘41 was marked by ill health, with several bouts of high fever (Pyrexia of Unknown Origin) followed by malaria and a run of hospitalisation. In another letter to his sister, Dorothy written in June from ‘somewhere in the Middle East’ he shared that “It has been pretty hot here during the last few days, with plenty of dust storms. One man from each section is allowed to go for a swim each day, so each of us gets a swim about every eight days. There have not been many planes over lately, as our air force seems to be getting the upper hand and our A.A. guns are becoming so accurate that some of the planes do not even stay to drop their bombs. They turn away with A.A. shells bursting all around them. All the lads are pleased about Russia entering the war. We believe she will give Germany a rough time for a while. We have been in action for the past month and mails are out of the question.”
On the 27th July, unexpected news of the death of 52-year-old Frank, Bill’s father, in an Adelaide Hospital was announced. He was a week away from celebrating his 53rd birthday but had been ill for a short time with heart problems.
The following day, The Advertiser carried the unwanted news that Bill had been wounded. ‘Private W. F. Barwick, 21, son of Mrs and the late Mr. P. C. Barwick formerly of Port Lincoln, has 'been wounded in action. He enlisted in June, 1940. and sailed for overseas last November.’ Bill had received multiple wounds in action including gunshots to his left leg, arm and right thigh. At a similar time, fellow 2/48th soldier, Bob Sunman SX8315 was also injured by shrapnel from a trench mortar. It was well known that the Germans were masters in their creative booby traps for the unwary. The Battalion had just taken over Post S9. Fellow soldier, Corporal Arvil Todd was in the machine gun pit and had just been relieved from his watch when a mortar broke through, severely and fatally injuring him. Bill was fortunate to survive but was hospitalised and received treatment for the remainder of the year. The news was shared through the Port Lincoln Times ‘WAR HEROES Pte W. Barwick's mother, last Friday, received advice that he had been wounded. She also received a cable from William himself saying that his wound was not serious.’ From the 2/48th Battalion, Pte. Arthur G. Gynell, SX6041, from Queenstown had been killed in action and wounded In Action were Pte. W. P. Barwick, SX7547, from Port Lincoln and Pte. Robert O. Sunman, SX6315, from Port Augusta. Thoughtfully, William cabled his mother to reassure her his wound was not serious. It was.
With all three sons serving overseas, Frank was buried in the Cheltenham Cemetery. An unexpected tribute to Frank appeared in the South Eastern Times which had also reported Frank’s death. A reader wrote "I read with sad regret the passing of John Jones and Frank Barwick, and my sympathy is with the families of these two men in their sad bereavement. It reminded me of the bygone barley boom days, when thousands of bags of barley were lumped into high stacks in the railway yards at Millicent in the hot summer sun. Jack Jones and Barwick were small men, but their staying powers as lumpers put them in the class of wonder-men. Many bigger and stronger men would start work with them, but would not finish with them. I was storeman and timekeeper for Dalgety & Co., Ltd., in those days, and learnt to know their good qualities.” This work ethic was also part of the boy’s upbringing.
Soon after his own wounding, Stan Scott ‘Scotty’, a close friend of Bill’s was killed in action in Libya on the 1st August ’41 aged just 22. The battalion was in the Salient under intense fire from long burst from Spandau with the front half obscured by dust and smoke. Scotty and fellow Private SX8869 William Dwyer were both killed that first day. So many of those on the West Coast continued to remember ‘Scotty’ in the ensuing years, including the Barwick family.
Advertiser Saturday 1 August 1942, SCOTT.—In memory of our pal "Scotty," killed at Tobruk on August 1, 1941. Things have changed in many ways, But one thing changes never; Memories of those happy days When we were lads together. —Ever remembered by his pals, George, Jack, Noel, and Bill (A.I.F. abroad). SCOTT.—In loving memory of Stan, killed in action on August 1, 1941. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember him. —Ever remembered by E. M. Barwick and girls.
Port Lincoln Times Thursday 1 August 1946, SCOTT. — In memory of our pal, 'Scotty,' killed at Tobruk on August 1, 1941. Things have changed in many ways, But one thing changes never: Memories of those happy days When we were lads together. — Ever remembered by the Barwick boys
Typically, news was shared back home through the West Coast Recorder when Leslie Hayes SX10659 with the 2/10th wrote home about the freezing temperatures in Syria. His letter was published in January ’42 sharing that “The poorer people must suffer severely from the cold. It is so bad, that to have a wash in the morning, we have to break up the ice and melt it over a fire. I have seen some of the children running barefooted in the snow and they have been blue with the cold.” He added that “Charlie Barwick is out for a rest, but I have not seen him. Bill (his brother) is doing all right now but is still on crutches.”
That same month more detail was shared in the newspaper that “Signaller George Barwick's two brothers (Ptes. Bill and Charlie Barwick) are serving with the A.I.F. in the Middle East. According to the latest news, Bill is still in hospital recuperating from a wound in the leg at Tobruk last July. Charlie is in Palestine and now out of hospital where he was recuperating from ear trouble.”
By February ’42 Bill had time in the Australian Convalescent Depot. By April that year was less welcome news that the injury Bill had received in July the previous year was more serious that first shared and he was “Convalescing From Wounds Received Last July. Relatives of Pte. Bill Barwick have received word that he is still at a convalescent camp in the Middle East, recovering from wounds received last July. As far as they know, his brother (Pte. Charlie Barwick) is in Syria with "Lofty". Whait and "Ginger" Richardson.”
In August, Bill’s sister, Dorothy received a letter, written in June which the West Coast Recorder published. ‘From Pte. W. F. (Bill) Barwick,' with the A.I.F. somewhere in the Middle East, (Written on June 22):— It has been pretty hot here during the last few days, with plenty of dust storms. One man from each section is allowed to go for a swim each day, so each of us gets a swim about every eight days. There have not been many planes over lately, as our air force seems to be getting the upper hand and our A.A. guns are becoming so accurate that some of the planes do not even stay to drop their bombs. They turn away with A.A. shells bursting all around them. All the lads are pleased about Russia entering the war. We believe she will give Germany a rough time for a while. We have been in action for the past month and mails are out of the question.”
Probably still not a well man, Bill reacted by taking an unofficial day’s leave, for which he received a fine. His knee then developed a tear in June and was unfortunate to then receive a laceration to his scalp in August. Soon after, in the November newspaper, Raymond ‘Lofty’ Whait SX11158 also of the 2/48th reported that Byron Johnson SX12966 in the 2/8th Field Ambulance said that “Bill Barwick is with their unit now but Charlie is in Palestine.”
Finally, his stint in the Middle East concluded. He returned to Australia via Melbourne for some particularly well-earned leave. Back home, a tea and social evening was organised for many of the locals, including Charlie, Bill and ‘Lofty’ Whait from the 2/48th Battalion. Returned members of the RSL welcomed the returned young men, with Bill and Lofty responding. Other celebrations were also held where about 90 returned soldiers met at the Civic Shipper Room for a singsong evening organised by the RSL. Again, Bill and Lofty were amongst those responding to the good wishes expressed.
By August ’43 William was able to re-join his own battalion back in Queensland training to face a very different enemy in the tropical conditions of New Guinea, arriving at Milne Bay. However, he soon developed an extremely high fever and malaria resulting in another fortnight of hospitalisation. Conjunctivitis in his right eye followed. His stay was brief as he returned to Australia via Queensland arriving in March ’44. He was able to return to Port Lincoln with a huge contingent of other soldiers but was immediately hospitalised for ongoing treatment of malaria.
His reaction on re-joining his unit in September ’44 was to be charged with both ‘Conduct to the Prejudice of Good Order’ and ‘Disobeying a Lawful Command’, financially fined and Confined to Barracks for a total of 15 days, which appears harsh punishment for someone not in peak health.
Back with the 2/48th Battalion in January ’45 within a few months William’s knee reacted to the marching or carrying of heavy weights by the connective tissues around his Left knee causing it to becoming inflamed and quite painful. June and July were marked with a series of Bill being absent without leave for which he was fined several day’s pay. This may have been the impetus for his transfer to the Base Depot Store.
Another transfer to the sick list followed as did an assessment of his physical health because of the gunshot wound to his leg. This preceded his discharge in September ’45. Health-wise he had recurrent painful bone infection and fever (Osteomyelitis) in his left tibia and experienced the residual effects of gunshot wounds in his left arm and buttock as well as malaria.
As he recovered back in Port Lincoln, so did Bill’s sense of humour. He attended the ’47 Port Lincoln Movie Ball with over 1,000 others in the ballroom and dress circle to watch the event 'Impersonating Stars on Parade.' Bill won the most humorous gentleman section dressed as Dopey, from 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs'. The following year at ‘The Gums’ near Tulka for the Waterside Worker’s picnic, Bill showed he still had athletic speed, placing third in the single men’s race.
Aged 72, Bill died on the 17th October 1991. A plaque commemorating his service is in the R.S.L. section of the Happy Valley Cemetery at Port Lincoln in the RSL Section.
Researched and written by Kaye Lee, daughter of Bryan Holmes SX8133, 2/48th Battalion.