John Sherlock Willaton was born 1.8.1897 in Sebastopol near Ballarat. In 1916 aged 18 years 8 months he enlisted in the 1st AIF and embarked overseas with the blessing of his employer even though he had not completed his apprenticeship. He was wounded in action with a bullet wound to the right foot. His family moved from Ballarat to Sunshine in 1917 and when he was discharged in 1918 he joined the Sunshine Harvester Works as a Fitter and Turner. He was promoted to Sub Foreman of the Bolt Shop toolroom where one of his main responsibilities was training apprentices and he remained in that position until his retirement on the 4.8.1961.Contains original signatures of 112 workmates at Massey-Ferguson (Australia) Ltd of John S. Willaton. It is an original document and the only copy in existence.Farewell signatures of 112 workmates on the retirement on 4-8-1961 of JOHN S. WILLATON from Massey-Ferguson (Australia) Ltd, after working more than 43 years. The document contains 3 pages of signatures bound in a fawn coloured cardboard folder. The 3 pages are bound to the folder with a black ribbon tape and the folder has a green coloured tape on the back edge.112 signatures of John S. Willaton's workmates.willaton john s., farewell card, retirement, massey ferguson, h. v. mckay, workmate signatures, mckay

A photograph of a timber honor board with gold text indicating the names of the from the Rubicon Street Sunday School who enlisted for service during World War One. rubicon street sunday school honor roll, rubicon street methodist sunday school, a. aird, j. aird, g. barnett, a. black, h. braidie, a. bridson, s. bridson, w. bridson, h. brittain, w. brittain, s. caddy, w. clarke, e. collins, f. dignam, n. flockhart, f. graham, c. gunn, w. gunn, l. hearn, w. hicks, p. holloway, r. holloway, arnold holst, f. giffen holst, john holst, e. hooker, j. humphreys, p. james, a. jarvis, g. jarvis, w. jenkins (2), a. jolly, c. jolly, g. jolly, j. kauffman, o. kauffman, p. jenkins - o. jennings, g. lawry, f. mayall, d. mcgrath, j. mckenzie, w. oakes, p. renfree, e. rickard, h. robertson, f. robinson, l. rowe, t. rowe, w. rowe, c. rowsell, l. rowsell, r. rosewall, h. rumler, c. sheers, s. sheers, j. smallman, o. smallman, a. smith, c. smith, h. smith, n. smith, h. straight, h. stanley, r. stanley, w. thompson (2), a. vale, s. vial, j. wearmouth, j. willaton, t. wills, h. williams, h.s. williams, m. williams, d. drummond, h. drummond, j. drummond, r. proctor, p. patten, h. pengelly, world war one, honur board

Date is approximate. His full name was William John Willaton - Service Number - VX68674 : Date of birth - 20 Mar 1909 : Place of birth - SURREY HILLS VIC : Place of enlistment - CAULFIELD VIC : Next of Kin - MURIEL WILLATON He was the son of Herbert Charles Leopold Willaton and Lily Jenkins and had a sister Lille Louise (Lil) who taught callisthenics and dance in Surrey Hills. Photo references also in this collection. Bill married Muriel Pearl Blake in 1935 and they lived at 18 Grovedale Road. He died Heidelberg in 1972. Bill was a driver (carter) for C E Gray & Son, bakers of Canterbury during the 1930's also recorded in this collection.Black and white photo of Bill Willaton in army uniform including a slouch hat. He is standing with his arms behind his back in front of a fairly young deciduous tree beyond which is a boundary fence and a timber building with a tiled roof. A child's pedal-car can be seen adjacent to the house of the garden. world war, 1939-1945, uniforms, william john willaton, bill willaton,