William John Parkhill

William John Parkhill was born on 18th January 1883 in Wandiligong, Victoria, to John Parkhill and Isabella Mary, nee Moon. 

On the 24th April 1916, he enlisted at Melbourne, Victoria. At the time, he was a single, 33-year-old plumber from Corryong, Victoria. He was allocated Regimental Number 5397 and placed in the 14th Reinforcements for the 21st Battalion. William John gave his next of kin as father, John Parkhill. After initial training, he embarked on HMAT A32 Themistocles at Melbourne, Victoria, on 28th July 1916.

The troopship arrived at Plymouth, England, on 11th September 1916. William was placed in the 6th Training Battalion. The “new” recruits underwent a structured training regime to prepare them for the Western Front. William hadn’t been at the front for long when he was wounded in the foot. 

By 20th January 1917, he was back in England as his wound had turned septic. William did not rejoin his unit until 17th June. He missed out on the fighting at Bullecourt but participated in the 3-kilometre advance by the 6th Brigade in October. In 1918, the battalion participated in the battles of Hamel, Amiens, and Mont St Quentin.  It flights it’s last battle at Montbrehain on the 5th October. The next day, it became the last Australian battalion to withdraw from active operations on the Western Front. 

On the 13th October 1918, the battalion was disbanded. William was transferred to the 24th Battalion.

On 20th May 1919, he returned to Australia aboard HMAT A71 Nestor, with the rank of Private. He was discharged on 16th August 1919, being awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal for his service during the war.

After returning from the war, William continued his job as a plumber, this time around Bethanga, Victoria. He married May McFarlane Fletcher on the 24th April 1922 in  Albury, NSW. The couple, with their first child, John, in tow, moved to Gippsland, where William gained employment with the State Electricity Commission of Victoria. The couple would add five more children to the family.

William passed away on the 5th April 1946 at Morwell Bridge, Victoria and was buried in Yallourn Cemetery, Victoria. The 6th April 1946 edition of The Age reported on his death.

“Plumber Killed At Yallourn

YALLOURN, Friday.- Mr. William John Parkhill, 63 years, of Morwell Bridge, died in Yallourn Hospital this morning, following an accident at the briquette works earlier this week.

He was on a scaffold doing plumbing work, when a passing coal truck door swept away the staging. He suffered head and pelvis fractures.”