Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

William Thomas Bear

HMAS Australia

William Thomas Bear was born in Allandale, Victoria on 23 November 1892, the son of Frederick Bear and Charlotte Barbara Dorsey. At some time between 1906 and 1913, the family moved to Minnivale, a small farming community northeast of Northam, Western Australia.

On 12 April 1913, William enlisted in the Royal Australian Navy. From that date his service record shows him serving aboard HMAS Cerberus until 20 May. In 1913 the old ironclad Monitor class ship was used as a guard ship in Williamstown. From 21 May until 15 November 1913, William served aboard the Challenger class cruiser, HMAS Encounter where he trained as a stoker. On 16 November 1913 William was transferred to HMAS Melbourne however his service record remarks:

"Run 16.11.13. Melbourne"

It's assumed that this statement means that he absconded at that time and he is shown as again being on the strength of HMAS Cerberus from 1 February 1914 to 26 February 1914. On 27 February William was transferred to HMAS Australia, an Indefatigable-class battlecruiser commissioned as the flagship of the fledgling Royal Australian Navy earlier that year. [3] William's service record again remarks:

"Deserted 2.5.14"

A warrant was issued for his arrest with a reward of £3 will to be paid for his apprehension. [4] William's service record shows him as "Recovered" and back aboard HMAS Australia from 3 to 9 June 1914 where he probably faced charges. On 10 June he is shown aboard HMAS Penguin, a demasted 1876 sloop used in Sydney Harbour for the detention of miscreants like William.

On 27 July 1914, while William was in detention, HMAS Australia and other units of the fleet were on a training cruise in Queensland waters when Australia was recalled to Sydney to take on coal and stores. [5] William's service record notes that he was discharged from detention on 1 August 1914 due to "service required".

War was declared on Germany on 5 August 1914. HMAS Australia had left Sydney the night before, and was heading north to rendezvous with other RAN vessels south of German New Guinea. On 12 September 1914 HMAS Australia led the ships of the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force into Rabaul Harbour tasked with destroying the German wireless communications station at Bitapaka to disrupt the operation of the East Asiatic Squadron. [5]

Once the threat of a German naval attack had been removed by the destruction of the East Asia Squadron, HMAS Australia was free for deployment elsewhere. Initially, the battlecruiser was to serve as the flagship of the West Indies Squadron, with the task of pursuing and destroying any German vessels that evaded North Sea blockades. HMAS Australia was ordered to sail to Jamaica via the Panama Canal, but as it was closed to heavy shipping, she was forced to sail down the coast of South America and pass through the Strait of Magellan during 31 December 1914 and 1 January 1915. HMAS Australia is the only ship of the RAN to cross from the Pacific to the Atlantic by sailing under South America. [5]

HMAS Australia arrived in the Firth of Forth in February 1915 and took up its position as the flagship of the 2nd Battlecruiser Squadron (2nd BCS) of the Battlecruiser Fleet, part of the British Grand Fleet, on 22 February. The squadron's duties consisted primarily of patrols and exercises, until the end of the war.

William Bear left HMAS Australia on 4 December 1918, three weeks after the end of the war. His record shows that he was transferred to the "London Depot", which is assumed to refer to the RAN London Depot at Chatham Barracks. He is shown again on the strength of HMAS Cerberus from 9 January 1919 to 24 April 1919 at which time he was discharged from the Navy.

William returned to Western Australia and took up the life of a farmer at Bencubbin. He returned to England the following year aboard the Ormonde arriving in London on 23 February 1920. [6] He married Marguerite Cicely Dilley (Daisy) at Hampstead, Middlesex in March 1920. [7]

The couple made their home in Bencubbin although Daisy is known to have returned to England at least twice. Once in 1927 [8] [9] and again in 1933 [10]. Daisy returned to Australia on 18 August 1933 bringing with her the couple's only child, Elizabeth aged 7 months. [11].

William died on 30 Jan 1948 at Minnivale, Western Australia and is buried in the Minivale Cemetery. [12][13]