Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

William (Bill) Ernest Ellison was born in Glen Osmond South Australia on 2 December 1875, the fifth of eleven children of James Ellison and Georgina Sophia Townsend. His grandfather, Samuel Ellison, had arrived in the colony in 1840 and had established a dairy farm in the area known as Ellison’s Gully off Brownhill Creek. Bill’s father had been employed on the construction of the northern end of the Overland Telegraph during 1871-1872.

On 6 January 1902 Bill enlisted in D Squadron, Second Battalion, Australian Commonwealth Horse. The squadron had been formed in Adelaide for service in South Africa and recruited by notification in the press. Returned South African soldiers who were single and of good character were invited to join as well as several, like Bill, who had no previous military service.

On enlistment Bill was described as 26 years old, 5 feet 10 inches tall with blue eyes, fair hair, and fair complexion. His occupation at the time was said to be that of a gardener.

According to the official records of the Australian military contingents to the war in South Africa [1]:

“The squadron left Port Adelaide on 20th February, 1902, by the transport Manchester Merchant, comprising—5 officers and 116 other ranks, with 121 horses. Disembarked at Durban on 14th March, and proceeded by rail to Newcastle. Took part in operations round Newcastle and Botha's Post until 8th April ; then marched to Volksrust, and entrained to Klerksdorp. Participated in operations from Klerksdorp to Devondale Siding as part of De Lisle's Australian Brigade (which was portion of Lieutenant-General Sir Ian Hamilton's Mobile Force), in the last great drive of the war. Marched back to Klerksdorp, and were included with the 2nd Battalion in the complimentary General Order issued by the Commander-in-Chief, and also in the Orders by General Ian Hamilton, and Brigadier General Thornycroft. Marched to Elandsfontein and handed over horses, saddlery, &c.; entrained to Newcastle, and thence to Durban. Embarked in the transport Norfolk, 5th July ; called at Albany, and disembarked at Largs Bay, South Australia, 31st July. Disbanded, 14th August, 1902.”

After returning from South Africa Bill travelled to Western Australia with his two older brothers Fred (James Frederick) and Albert, and their younger brothers Gilbert and Frank, where they worked as contractors on government well projects. The two older brothers are credited with the construction of the Billum Billum or Monk’s Well at Dalwallinu, a town in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia, located 248 km from Perth via the Great Northern Highway. The well still exists covered now by a galvanised iron shed.

The electoral roll for 1912 for the Division of Swan shows:

Ellison, Albert, Nugadong, Gunyidi, farmer

Ellison, Frank, Nugadong, Gunyidi, contractor

Ellison, Frederick James, Merkanooka, Mingenew, miner

Ellison, William Ernest, Morowa, Mingenew, teamster

Ellison, Gilbert, Beverley, contractor

In September 1912 Bill Ellison travelled by train to Perth with another worker, Charles Henry Spargo. They took rooms in the Grand Central Coffee Palace on Wellington Street. Bill was seen around Perth, often in the company of Spargo and it was thought at the time that he spent a large amount of money betting at the races. He had always kept in contact with his family in Adelaide and with his brothers in Western Australia. On 24 October Bill received a message from his brother, Frank, that work was available at Nugadong, west of Gunyidi and he replied that he would be up in a few days. He was never heard from again. 

Spargo left Perth in January 1913 on board the steamer Western Australia arriving in Broome around the 22nd. Also on board was Gilbert Pickering Jones. When Jones’ remains were discovered in mangroves the following month investigations showed that Spargo had fraudulently withdrawn money from the man’s bank account in Derby. Spargo was charged with his murder and eventually executed in Fremantle Gaol in July of that year.

In April 1914 the charred remains of a man were discovered in bushland near Guildford east of Perth. The man had been shot, his body laid over logs and set on fire. A dentist identified a cast of the dead man’s jaw as fitting a plate made for a patient named Ellison but never collected. It was therefore assumed that the remains were those of Bill and that he had been murdered by Spargo but some doubt exists.

The remains were ultimately claimed by the Ellison family and buried at Karrakatta Cemetery on 6 December 1915 as those of William Ernest Ellison.

[1] Murray P.L., (1911). Official records of the Australian military contingents to the war in South Africa. Australian War Memorial. https://www.angloboerwar.com/images/pdf/Murray_SAus_2ach.pdf (www.angloboerwar.com)