BUCKLEY, William Allan
| Service Number: | W34398 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | Not yet discovered |
| Born: | Denmark, Western Australia, 26 December 1911 |
| Home Town: | Not yet discovered |
| Schooling: | The University of Western Australia |
| Occupation: | Draftsman |
| Memorials: |
World War 2 Service
| Date unknown: | Involvement Sergeant, W34398 |
|---|
Help us honour William Allan Buckley's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Chris Buckley
William (Bill) Allan Buckley was the eldest of six children of Harold Vincent buckley and Elsie Manning. Born in Denmark, Western Australia on 26 December 1911, Bill attended Denmark and Katanning State Schools before completing his school education at Ivanhoe Grammar School in Melbourne. He completed his engineering studies at The University of Western Australia in 1934 and commenced work as a Draftsman with Main Roads WA that year.
Bill was a keen sportsman, and in 1935 was the WA State Pole Vault Champion. He and his parents and siblings moved to Gosnells in Western Australia in 1932, and Bill and his brothers also operated a small orchard.
Bill and two of his brothers served in the Australian Army in WWII - Bill in New Guinea where he was engaged with road and bridge building. Bil has left a legacy of more than 200 black and white photographs of his time in New Guinea - showing unloading of ships and Japanese PoWs, bombed hospiatl ships and bombing raids, camp life, village life and native New Guineans, training Native Troops, temporary Allied Cemetries, road and bridge building and daily life in camp.
Bill is described as 'having a quiet disposition' and as 'one of nature's gentlemen'. Following his retirement, Bill served as President of the Amaroo Nursing Home in Gosnells, Western Australia and the William Buckley Hostel (for aged care) was named after him.
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