COLES, Willie
| Service Number: | B3255 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 21 July 1941 |
| Last Rank: | Seaman |
| Last Unit: | Not yet discovered |
| Born: | Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia, 8 June 1922 |
| Home Town: | Toowoomba, Toowoomba, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Not yet discovered |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Indian Ocean, 4 March 1942, aged 19 years |
| Cemetery: |
Plymouth (Weston Mill) Cemetery Plymouth, Devon, England, United Kingdom Plymouth Naval Memorial, Plymouth, Devon, England, United Kingdom |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Kangaroo Point H.M.A.S. Moreton Honour Roll, Toowoomba Roll of Honour WW2, Toowoomba WW2 Roll of Honour Book, Toowoomba War Memorial (Mothers' Memorial) |
World War 2 Service
| 3 Sep 1939: | Involvement Ordinary Seaman, B3255 | |
|---|---|---|
| 21 Jul 1941: | Enlisted Royal Australian Navy, Seaman, B3255 |
Help us honour Willie Coles's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Chris Buckley
Willie was the youngest of five children of George Franice Coles (born 1885 in Brisbane, QLD) and Sarah Jane Steel (born 1888 in Toowoomba, QLD). George, a Labourer, and Sarah married in 1910 and moved to Toowoomba, QLD where George enlisted in the AIF in 1916 - he served only for three months, stating that he enlisted only because his two brothers criticised him for not enlisting, Sarah opposed his enlistment on the grounds that she was left in poverty, with poor health and two children to raise.
Willie's older brothers - John Lewis served as a Private (Service No: Q45922) with the AASC - and George Frederic served with the ACMF (Service No: Q271178). Brothers in Law - David William Nethercote (Service No: QX12787) and Michael Frawley (Service Nos:Q14699/Q104978/QX37306) - also served in WWII
Willie served on HAMS Cerberus, HMAS Penguin and HMAS Anking as an Ordinary Seaman in the RAN. He was on board the HMAS Anking in the Indian Ocean when it was sunk by Japanese cruisers.