The Soldier's Details

Clothier enlisted with AIF 15 Jan 1941, later joined 2/4th’s Headquarters Company, No. 1 Platoon as a signaller under Commanding Officer Lt. Frank Curnow (who was KIA 12 Feb at Hill 200).

Bill Clothier was selected with ‘A’ Force Burma Green Force No. 3 Battalion to work on the Burma end of the railway.

Please read further about Green Force No. 3 Battalion

When the railway was completed all POWs were brought from Burma to Thailand, Bill Clothier and most of this Battation arrived at Tamarkan.  From here he was sent to Linson Wood Camp woodchopping then to Banderra to repair bridge at Chao Puraya River damaged by Allied bombing.

On 4 Sept 1945 Bill marched into Bangkok from Banderra from where he was flown to Singapore before heading home to WA.

Bill’s parents were both born in South Australia.   Joseph Thomas Clothier married Sep 1891 Port Broughton, South Australia to Mary Anne (Esther) Loveridge.    The family moved from South Australia to WA with their then three children and settled around Mt Barker region where they had another 7 children including William (Bill) who was the fifth born son and the third youngest child.  In 1910 the year Bill was born Thomas and Mary Anne ‘Esther’ Clothier were residing 37 Camp, (Albany) where Thomas was employed at a fettler.

In 1926 Electoral Roll, Thomas was at Mt Barker, farming and his wife Esther was residing 37 Camp.

In 1937 the couple were both at Mt Barker.  Thomas died in 1937 aged 70 years.

Bill Clothier’s grandfather John Clothier d. 1909 S.A. and grandmother Elizabeth Jane (nee Wood) had 11 children in South Australia. At least three sons moved to WA.

Joseph Thomas’ younger brother George William Clothier moved to Kellerberrin where he farmed and had a family, including  son Thomas Hastings known as ‘Hay’ who died as a POW Thailand.    Hay was mate to Les Riches of 2/4th.  Please see below

1892 Joseph James

1893 Annie M Hambley – 11 Children

1896 Maude

1898 Herbert Henry – Named as Bill’s NOK on enlistment

1901 Roy Edward

1905 Alexander Frederick

1910 William Ernst

1911 Francis Leslie (Les)

1912 Eric Thomas

Bill’s older sister Ann born in1893 South Australia, married in 1911 to Sidney Ernest Hambley.  Ann and Sidney are the parents of Ernst Edgar Hambley WX4991 and Albert James Hambley WX10745 of the 2/4th.

Bill Clothier and Albert James Hambley enlisted on the same date 15 January 1941, joining Headquarters Coy as Signallers.

Bill married in 1932, however the couple divorced.  His former wife later married in 1941 to Gilbert Hambley, his nephew (son of his older sister Ann) and brother of Albert and Ernst Hambley.  It is not known whether Bill remarried.

He died 5 August 1989 having returned to live in the region of Mt Barker where he lived prior to enlistment.  He was buried at Karrakatta Cemetery.

 

Below:  Bill and his brother Eric played football for local Mt Barker team.

Bill married in 1932 to Nellie Dalton.

 

Below:  Headstone for Bill’s father Joseph Thomas and Esther Clothier.

 

Below:  First cousin of Bill Clothier is Thomas Hasting Clothier known as Hay who died as POW in Thailand.