William Leslie Cucel

William Leslie Cucel

Personal Information
Date of Birth	4 Dec 1917
Place of Birth	Southern Cross, Western Australia
Death	22 Jan 1991,aged 73
Place of Death	Inglewood, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	24 years, 3 months
Description	5'8" (1.73m) tall ; ; medium complexion ; brown eyes ; black hair ; scar on right side of nose
Occupation	Leather worker
Religion	Church of England
Address	William street, Armadale, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Father , Mr. John Francis Cucel
Military Information
Reg Number	WX21454
Date of Enlistment	6 Apr 1942
Rank	Sapper
Unit/Formation	2/5th Australian Infantry Battalion
Post War Details
Fate	Remained in Australia
Medals	War Medal 1939-45 Australian Service Medal 1939-45

War Service

Bill enlisted at Claremont on 6 Apr 1942 and was sent to Northam for Recruit training, on the completion of which he was allocated on 15 Apr 1942 to the Reinforcements for the 2/4th Australian Machine Gun Battalion. However, on 3 Jul 1942 this changed to the 5th Australian Infantry Battalion (Victorian Scottish Regiment). On 3 Nov 1942 he was transferred to the 23rd Australian Employment Company, but on 22 Nov 1942 he rejoined the 5th Infantry Battalion and was granted 6 days leave. On 14 Aug 1943 he entrained for Victoria, arriving four days later. On 15 Sep 1943 he entrained in Melbourne for the Northern Territory, and arrived there on 26 Sep 1943.

On 19 Dec 1943 Bill was admitted to the 129th Australian General Hospital with diarrhoea, rejoining the battalion on 28 Dec 1943. Soon after, on 19 Jan 1944 Bill was seen by the 2nd Field Ambulance who had him admitted to the 109th Australian General Hospital with a lacerated elbow (see notes below). They in turn transferred him to the 108th Australian General Hospital on 8 Feb 1944, and four days later he was transferred to the 115th Australian General Hospital who placed him on a train for Perth where he detrained on 16 Feb 1944 and was admitted to the 110th Australian Base Hospital. On 9 Mar 1944 they transferred him to the 118th Australian General Hospital, by which time he was being treated for a compound fracture of the right elbow. On 4 May 1944 he was released to a convalescent home until 1 Jun 1944 when he was re-admitted to 118 Australian General Hospital. They released him to the 109th Australian Convalescent Depot on 21 Jun 1944.

On 24 Jul 1944 he was reassessed as 'B2' (right elbow) and sent to be re-allocated to a suitable unit. On 29 Aug 1944 he was transferred to Camp Staff Rottnest, remaining with them until 23 Nov 1944 when he was again in need of re-allotment, this time to 10th Australian Base Store Platoon RAE where he arrived on 6 Dec 1944. On 1 Jan 1945 Bill was granted Proficiency Pay, and on 28 Apr 1945 his NOK changed to his Wife, Myrtle Hazel Cucel, o=f 12 Canning Highway, South Perth. On 11 Sep 1945 Bill was transferred to 68th DCRE (Works), remaining with them until 7 Dec 1945 when he joined Western Command Recruit Reception & General Details Depot from where he was discharged on 14 Dec 1945

Post War

On 28 Apr 1945 Bill married Myrtle Hazel Howlett who served in the AWAS as a Sergeant (WF45293). Myrtle applied for bother her and Bill's medals in July 1991, and she died 28 Jul 2005 aged 92. Electoral Roll entries: 1954 - 1980 at 104 Tenth avenue, Inglewood, garage attendant

Notes

On 7 Mar 1944 an Injury Investigation into the accident on 19 Jan 1944 was conducted.it found:

• 1)Soldier sustained a compound comminuted fracture of the right elbow on night of 19 Jan 1944.
• 2)Injury occurred while soldier was riding in the back of an Army vehicle having his right elbow protruding over the side of the vehicle when said vehicle brushed against another vehicle travelling in the opposite direction, thsu striking soldier's elbow.
• 3)Soldier was on duty at the time of the accident.
• 4)It could not be said that any neglect, misconduct, carelessness or failure to obey any act, regulation of instruction on the part of the injured soldier caused or contributed tothe injury.

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