Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Son of William and Alice Macaulay; husband of Janet Isabella Macaulay, of Myrtleford, Victoria.

PTE. W. A. MACAULAY DIES
WHILE P.O.W.
After months of anxious waiting for word concerning her prisoner of war husband, Mrs W.A. Macaulay, of Myrtle Street, Myrtleford, received the distressing news on Wednesday evening last, of the death on April 29 last, while a prisoner of war in Japanese hands, of Private W. A. (“Alf”) Macaulay. The whole district was greatly shocked, and immediately messages of sympathy came from all sides.
Pte. Macaulay was 17 years of age, and was a member of the 22nd Brigade Ordnance Field Group, and left Australia, for Singapore on 2nd November, 1941. He was taken prisoner at the fall of Singapore, and was last heard of in Borneo. Some weeks ago, Mrs Macaulay received a card from her husband, but it was, unfortunately, not an apparent late one.
Born at Buffalo River, the late Mr Alf Macaulay was a son of Mr. and Mrs. W. Macaulay, who in their advanced years, now reside at Balaclava. He resided at Buffalo River, Gapsted  and Myrtleford, and was one of the most popular and well known identities of this district where he  carried on farming pursuits until he felt the call to serve his King and Country  at the time when things looked black.
He was an enthusiastic public citizen, and a good all-round sports man. He excelled at football and cricket, and was an axeman who competed with some success. He was a good  footballer, playing with Buffalo River and Ovens in particular; while at cricket, he was associated with Gapsted and Buffalo River Clubs, and later was a keen player with the  Myrtleford Old Timers. In all these spheres, Alf was as genial on the sporting arena as he was in every-day life, and as such, he was held in high esteem.
His other activities included an official of the Myrtleford Sports Club, a member of the Myrtleford Progress Association, Swimming Club, the Racecourse Reserve Committee, and the Myrtleford Central School committee. No matter what activity he took up, he was a keen enthusiast, and always did more than his share of work. Yes, Alf’s popular figure will  be sadly missed in the life of Myrtleford.
Left to mourn their loss, under such distressing circumstances, are his wife, three young daughters (Margaret, Alison and Ruth) and son (Donald), mother and father (Balaclava).  brothers (Rupert, Kotta; Hector, Melbourne; Fred, Drouin), and sisters, Ann (Mrs Harry Rippon, Edithvale), Alice Mrs. Cameron, Dandenong; Vir, Mrs, Patton): May and Jen  (Melbourne): to all of whom hearttfelt sympathy is extended. The town flags, and the school flag were down at half-mast as a token of respect.
The war has thus taken toll of an other of our esteemed citizens.

"Greater love hath no man than this . . ."