Hillberg, William Henry
2805 Private William Henry Hillberg - Australian Railway Operating Company
William was born on the 9th September 1899 to Oscar and Jane Hillberg in East Perth, being the eldest of twelve siblings. His father had been born in Latvia in 1874 and came to WA in the 1890's where he married Jane Morgan in 1898.
In William's early years, the family lived in Swan, Mundaring, Boyanup and then returned to Perth. By 1914 the family was living at 42 Hubble Street East Fremantle. (later renumbered to 22 Hubble Street).
During this time William had also served in the 86A Cadets of the Citizens Military Forces, and then continued this service with the 86th Regiment.
On the 29th march 1917 William was employed by WA Government Railways as a Railway Porter. He was based in Fremantle for the first year and was then switched to Geraldton to work as a railway cleaner in February 1918;
On the 8th April 1918 William enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. He was passed as fit by the medical examiner who recorded William's physical attributes as;
Height - 5 feet 8 inches tall;
Weight - 137lbs;
Chest Measurement - 35-37 inches;
Complexion - Dark;
Eyes - Blue;
Hair - Brown.
Upon his successful enlistment, William was set to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was assigned to the infantry training depot. He spent several weeks here and then in June 1918 was assigned to the Railway Corps reinforcements and was sent to Victoria to continue this training at Broadmeadows Camp.
On the 5th October 1918 William and his reinforcement group embarked from Port Melbourne aboard the transport ship Zealandic. The ship then set sail for England.
It was during their voyage that the Armistice was announced. The ship did not arrive in England until the 5th December 1918. William was disembarked and sent to the Australian Railway Corps Depot Camp at Longmoor. William served at the Railway Depot for the next few months but in February 1919 fell ill with influenza, and so was sent to hospital.
On the 13th March 1919 William was released from hospital and sent to No.1 Command Depot Camp at Sutton Veny. He spent a few weeks here and then on the 8th April 1919 was transferred to No.2 Command Depot Camp at Sutton Veny.
With the war over, there was no need for William to be sent to France and so he remained at Weymouth to be assigned a troopship home. On the 2nd July 1919 he boarded the troopship Karmala and set sail for Australia, reaching Fremantle on the 10th August 1919.
William was discharged from the AIF on the 22nd August 1919.
William then returned home to Hubble Street and resumed employment with WAGR and in 1920 was posted to Collie. He left WAGR the same year.
By the mid 1920's William was living at 16 Glyde Street East Fremantle. (later renumbered to 4 Glyde St)
In 1925 he married Claribel Marion Every and in the early 1930's moved 122 Mandurah Road South Fremantle. He was now working for the Rockingham Road Board.
In 1930 William joined the Commonwealth Military Forces, serving with the 44th Battalion however he only served through to 1931.
By 1936 William and Claribel had moved to 25 Norfolk St Fremantle, however they were only there for a few years before moving to Frederick Street Hamilton Hill. During this time William was employed as a cement worker.
In 1939 William enlisted for service in World War Two. He was assigned to the home forces with the service number W243088. He would serve with the Military police during 1939/40.
On the 20th May 1940 William enlisted for overseas service in World War Two. He lowered his age by six years, stating that he was born in 1905, and was accepted for service. He was given the regimental number WX2964. William was assigned to the 2/2nd Field Park Company Engineers. He departed from Fremantle in September 1940 and served in the Middle East during 1940/41. However it appears that active service caught up with him and he fell ill. In April 1941 William was returned home to WA.
However on his return home William still wanted to serve in some capacity and enlisted for Home Service (W59150) and was assigned to the 55th Anti Aircraft Company and the 29th Garrison Battalion through 1941/42.
He then left the Army as he had now enlisted for service in the Royal Australian Navy. William was now given the regimental number F/V/115. He would be based at HMAS Leeuwin in East Fremantle in 1942 and saw service off the WA Coast on a Minesweeper. However he was discharged in January 1943 as medically unfit for further service.
He then returned home in 1943 to Frederick St Hamilton Hill. William now resumed his employment as a cement worker.
His mother had died in East Fremantle in 1940 though father would live a long life, dying in 1979 aged 105.
Through the 1960's and 70's William was living in Como and South Perth before returning to live near Fremantle at Spearwood.
William Hillberg died on the 23rd October 1986 aged 87. He was cremated at Fremantle Cemetery.