The Soldier's Details

Above:  Bomber & Joyce Wyllie

Ron grew up at Burracoppin – the youngest of five children born to farmers Thomas and Mary Wylie. For reasons unknown, Ron was given the nickname ‘Bomber’ which remained with him throughout his life.

As a young man ‘Bomber’ ventured to Kalgoorlie taking up his first short-lived job clearing land.  His accommodation was an open bower shed – dingoes howling at night terrified the young man living alone.  His supplies included a lb butter, loaf bread and tea.

He moved into Kalgoorlie to find work and met his future wife Joyce Campbell.

‘Bomber’ moved to Subiaco and joined his two best mates.  He stole a chook from a backyard, dressed it and a ran a chook raffle in a pub.  Discreetly accompanied by his two mates, Bomber ran the raffle which one of his mates always won.  They repeated the same ruse at the next pub with the same chook.

He enlisted into AIF on 9th May 1941 with his two mates and  joined 2/4th’s ‘C’ Company 12 Platoon as a reinforcement.

As a POW in Singapore, Bomber sought to use his chicken thieving skills, often risking his life.  He soon became known as a larrikin.

He was selected with ‘D’ Force Thailand V Battalion to work on the Burma-Thai Railway.  V Battalion endured terrible loss of lives.

Please read further.

At the end of war, he was recovered from Ubon,Thailand.

Please read about Ubon.

As a POW Wyllie suffered 29 malaria attacks, had dengue fever and shingles.

Bomber died 14/08/1980 at Royal Perth Hospital aged 94 years.