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Bill Crowther, “One of the Pommies”

Born in Surbiton Surrey, England just after Christmas on the 27th December 1906, William was the son of Harry and Mary Emily (nee Grabham). The family moved to a new housing development area on Thetford Road, New Malden. William, or Bill as he became known, was just 12 when his father died. As a 17-year-old, Bill then travelled to Australia on the ‘Barrabool’ in 1924 at the same time younger boys were being offered a ‘better life’ in Australia as Barwell Boys, so named for the scheme Premier Henry Barwell instituted. His extended family remained in England. Initially Bill lived in the South East of SA where he worked at the Kybybolite Research Farm until 1926. It was here that he first met Mr Billinghurst who later was to become manager of the Minnipa Experimental Farm.  At Kybybolite Bill immediately became immersed in the community, playing cricket and also taking on the role of secretary for the Kybybolite Agricultural Bureau. In this role, he was involved in visiting days for farmers and coordinating transport for those travelling by train from Mount Gambier. The Bureau aimed to show farmers what could be done on their own farms with clover and top dressing.  Bill then moved to Minnipa in 1927 where he started work at the Minnipa Experimental Farm, established in 1915, and again became involved in the local community through the church and wider activities. He was an enthusiastic supporter in the opening year of the Minnipa Literary and Debating Society.

Typical of the supportive nature of country communities, the Church of England members at Minnipa, headed by Mrs Billinghurst organised a gift evening for young Roma Williams prior to her marriage to Bill. Roma was the third daughter in her family who were from the local ‘Poldinna Farm’. (Poldinna, an aboriginal name, loosely meaning water hole.) The Minnipa Hall was beautifully decorated for the large gathering of friends. The ladened table of beautiful gifts accompanied best wishes for the happiness of Roma and Bill in their future. Following the singing of ‘For She's a Jolly Good Fellow’, dancing preceded a dainty supper, then a return to dancing until midnight.

The next week, in the evening of October 11th 1934 Roma and Bill married in the Minnipa Hall. The ‘West Coast Sentinel’ described how the Hall was beautifully decorated ‘by the friends of the bride with pink and white streamers, asparagus fern and artificial and natural flowers. An arch was formed, from which hung a large wedding bell under which two pretty pink cushions were placed where the bridal couple knelt. The altar was decorated with roses and other flowers to tone, arranged most artistically.’ The Reception was also held in the Hall, and as was the custom at the time, a ‘sheaf of telegrams and cablegrams’ were read, then after the traditional toasts, Roma and Bill headed the dancing with the old-style Promenade Lancers. The two honeymooned at Port Lincoln. Bill’s employment with the Railways saw them then move to Ceduna where their first child, Mary Joan (Joan) was born in February, 1936 at the Ceduna-Thevenard Hospital.

The two were hard-working and generous in the time given to activities in Minnipa. Then in 1937 Bill was appointed secretary of the Minnipa Hall Committee, where ideas for fundraising included holding a combined athletic and horses in-action sports and establishing a Table Tennis Club. Roma became an active CWA (Country Women’s Association) with musical items, plus as a Member at Anglican Fetes where she coordinated the Drinks and Ice-cream Stall.

Bill and Roma welcomed their first son, James Henry (Jim) on the 24th August 1939, born at the Wudinna CEP Hospital.

War then intervened. Bill enlisted on the 24th June 1940, aged 33, having worked for the railways as a platelayer, laying rail lines and affixing these to the wooden sleepers. His early A.I.F. training was at Wayville, now the Royal Adelaide Show Grounds, in a drafty compound where he assumed the roles as Private Crowther, SX6675. Initially Bill was attached to the 4th Australian General Hospital. The very proactive Minnipa C.W.A. held their Arbor Day in August of the same year voting to plant trees in Clive Street as a tribute to the men who had enlisted from the district. Each tree was to be protected by a guard provided by the C.W.A., and would have a name plate attached. Mrs. W. O'Brien to plant the first tree as a tribute to her son, Pte. John Francis Patrick O'Brien, SX1603 who was the first Minnipa boy to offer his services, and was already with the A.I.F. in England. Bill’s tribute tree was planted by his father-in-law, Mr G. Williams.

Bill had pre-embarkation leave in November 1940 before heading overseas to the Middle East. He and other local men, Private A. Boss, of Nunjikompita and the Yendall brothers, of Denial Bay were entertained by their friends, with the local Minnipa Community again organised an evening in Bill’s honour. The West Coast Sentinel again reported that Bill’s many friends and supporters attended ‘to show their appreciation of the fine spirit that had prompted him to join up.’ Private Crowther was ceremoniously escorted to the stage, through a guard of honour formed by an almost complete complement of returned men of Minnipa district. The National Anthem was sung before Mr Bockelberg, the President of the Minnipa RSL, congratulated and praised Private Crowther for his fine spirit of loyalty. “England had never before found herself in such a precarious position, and it was only through the sacrifices of the men of the Empire that would retain for her the freedom and independence she had had and hoped in the future to continue to enjoy.”

Praise from Mr H Broad (uncle of Gordon Broad, who had also enlisted) mentioned Bill’s enthusiasm and untiring efforts in all matters pertaining to the interests of the town and district through his role on the Minnipa Hall Committee. Tributes and praise from the District Council Representative, Mr Black referred to "Bill" as "one of the Pommies, and by that he considered one could not be paid a higher compliment, for no word of praise was too high for the part the Pommies of today were playing in the present war. It was the efforts of such men that had kept open the Seven Seas. The part they had played in the air, on the sea and in the evacuation of Dunkirk would make some of the finest pages in history”. Mr. Black also paid a high tribute to Bill for the active interest he had always displayed in the affairs of the town. He felt sure the tenacity of purpose that had marked Bill’s successful efforts in the past would continue throughout his military career. Similarly, the Reverend Morris expressed his regret at losing both a friend and church member but that Bill would be in the daily prayers of the congregation.

Representing the RSL, Angus Cochrane described the position Bill was in as being fit and of an age to have a front-line view of the war, where those who had fought in WWI now had to be satisfied with a back line position, but those who had returned “were behind the-men of the 2nd. A.I.F. to the last man.” He also praised those wives and mothers who had to make the sacrifice of their men’s absence but worked to support the war effort. Bill was then presented with a parcel of comforts from the C.W.A. and the assurance that “when the seas divided him from his home and loved ones there was a band of women ready and willing to help brighten the lives of those who were left behind.” The Minnipa community then presented Private Crowther with a zipp leather shaving outfit.

In what the West Coast Sentinel described as ‘his usual frank and unassuming manner’, Bill responded with sincere thanks for his gifts and the generous remarks made by each speaker. Roma was presented with a posy of flowers before dancing, items by the Minnipa Choir and a Scottish reel dance preceded a typical country supper.

 Roma and their young daughter, Joan accompanied Bill by motorbus to Adelaide for his embarkation. His first published letter was, ironically, written from London to his mother:

“Here we all are in England and not in Palestine as we all thought. I for one am well satisfied as this is a wonderful country. The scenery is beautiful beyond words, and one cannot spend enough time viewing it. It is summer of course, over here, but the grass is as green as it is in Australia in the best of winters."

"We have had no trouble to date, but have heard Fritz going over and his bombs exploding occasionally. He claims he will invade England tomorrow, so perhaps we will have something to shoot at now. His parachute troops will curse the minute they jump from their planes. Our aircraft are constantly over us and all day and night long the atmosphere is filled with the thunderous drone of planes. There is no doubt about 'Aussie' being a long way from the war. This part of the globe is full of it.

"Things are very sudden on the purse over here. Tobacco is 3/2 a tin, matches 1 ½ d. and 2d. per box, and the exchange on our pay is 4/- in the £1. I believe they are trying to get us full value, so let us hope they succeed.” Despite getting lost, Bill managed to visit the historic beauty of Westminster Abbey and where, over centuries, coronations of British Kings occurred. He also visited the waxworks where he several times mistook the figures for attendants. He also described the trip over, via Capetown and Freetown, but with the latter, shore leave was not allowed as fever was rife. He labelled the Port as "the white man's grave," adding that “most of us were not disappointed” to go on shore.

His letters home were joyfully received including one where he stated that he and others were "top-hole." Having been in the Army for just over a year, Bill was promoted to Lance Corporal in July ’41. By September of that year, Bill wrote home that he was working at the hospital at Tobruk and was well. As so many locals had wanted to write to the men overseas, Bill’s address was included in the local paper, reading sufficiently nebulously as SX6675, L. Cpl. W. H. Crowther, A.I.F. Abroad.

Finally, back in Australia, in ’43, news that some of the local Minnipa men would have home leave, the local Minnipa community were looking forward to seeing Bill, Jimmy Dean and Bryan Homes. Following his return, Roma then accompanied Bill to Adelaide in August to have a few more days with him before Bill returned to his unit. In his absence, Roma continued her involvement with the C.W.A., including making a similar presentation to Sgt Cliff Nicholls (two years after his enlistment) as that given to Bill. Their young daughter, Joan was also, quite often the presenter of a posy of thanks at many other C.W.A. occasions. She was also active in supporting her church, organising an antique afternoon where treasures included a gold chain, a guinea, tiny pocket knife and a beautiful floral teapot were displayed. By 1948 Roma was President of the C.W.A., overseeing the 17th birthday of the Minnipa group for which she iced a celebratory cake. At the commencement of the following year, Roma presided at a C.W.A. meeting where tree planting on Arbor Day to beautify Minnipa was discussed.

Bill finally returned home on the 17th May 1945.  He had earned the 1939/45 Star, the African Star, Defence Medal and War Medals as well as the Returned from Active Service Badge.

He and Roma then welcomed their second daughter and third child, Brenda, in 1946 at the Wudinna B.C.A hospital then a New Year’s gift for 1950 with the arrival of Marie Ann also at the Wudinna B.C.A. Hospital, who then completed the family. Bill inevitably resumed his role of supporting the community that had supported him and his family during the war years. For the church fund raising in 1950, Roma was coordinator of a cheap-jack stall and Bill on the very popular ice cream stall.

In an horrific accident, Brenda was tragically killed in an accident at her Primary School in 1958.

Aged 55 Bill died at Port Lincoln on the 23rd August, 1962. He is remembered both at his home town of Minnipa and also the Port Lincoln Happy Valley Cemetery. Roma died on December29th 2000 aged 88 at her daughter, Joan’s home.

Written with detail from Mark and Lyn Hamilton, (grand-daughter of William) and researched by Kaye Lee, daughter of Bryan Holmes SX8133, 2/48th Battalion.