The Soldier's Details
- Surname:
- Cameron
- First Name:
- William
- Rank:
- Private
- Regimental #:
- WX20026
- Company:
- 'E' Company, Special Reserve Battalion, No. 1 Platoon
- Enlisted:
- 8.09.1941
- DOB:
- 8.07.1908
- Place of Birth:
- Invemess, Scotland
- Father's Name:
- Angus Cameron
- Mothers's Name:
- Christina Cameron
- Religion:
- Presbyterian
- Pre-war Occupation:
- Labourer
- Memorial:
- Epitaph, Singapore Memorial, Column 136, Age 33.
- Cause of Death:
- Killed in Action
- Place of Death:
- South‐West Bukit Timah
- Date of Death:
- 11.02.1942
General Description
Cameron enlisted AIF 8 Sep 1941. Towards end of Dec he was selected as one of 146 reinforcements for 2/4th MGB, 8th Division in Singapore. Half of the 146 reinforced the other platoons of 2/4th and half formed E Coy.
William Cameron and his wife Edith Eugenia were recorded living at Carnamah in 1936, where he was a farm-hand. It is believed he may have been working for Walter Bodycoat.
William and Edith Fiegert of Cunderdin married in 1935 Perth. The couple had two sons and a daughter. Tragically on 31 August 1945 William and Edith’s 5 year old daughter Elizabeth Ann died.
At this time Edith did not know her husband been KIA in February 1942. Elizabeth was buried at Cunderdin with her older sister Christina who died also aged 5 years on 17 May 1941.
Also buried at Cunderdin is William and Edith Cameron’s first daughter Christina, who died in March 1941 also aged 5 years.
Edith did not learn of William’s death until 1945. It is believed Edith remarried in 1949.
Cameron was with No. 1 Platoon under CO Lt Harry Green.
William arrived in Queensland 9 August 1926 aged 18 years on ‘Osterley‘.
He enlisted in September 1941 and within 4 months was sailing on the ‘Aquitania‘ heading to Singapore. He was a one of a large number of reinforcements for the 2/4th. A high percentage of these men were only barely trained, at least William Cameron had maturity in his favour.
‘E’ Company was to suffer exceptionally high losses during the fighting at Singapore and it was on 11th February at Bukit Timah that William was killed in action aged 33 years.
Please read further about ‘E’ Company.
Please read about Carnamah WW2 Memorial
