William Hamilton was born on February 21, 1894, at Ivanhoe in Melbourne. He served in World War I with 9th Lighthorse AIF, as a Lance Corporal No 419, in Egypt, Gallipoli and Palestine.

He enlisted on September 19, 1914, at Broadmeadows. He was discharged on November 21, 1918, being medically unfit, to his intended place of residence, Newbridge on Loddon.

Hamilton's World War I service history is as follows:

He embarked at Melbourne on board the ship Karroo on February 11, 1915, aged 21, en route to Egypt, landing there on March 15. He left for action on May 15 and received a gunshot wound to the abdomen on May 30 at Dardanelles in Gallipoli.

On August 28 he was transferred to Zeitoun in Egypt for light duties with 3rd Light Horse Regiment.

On May 26, 1917, he was transferred to 9th Light Horse Regiment at Moascar. On February 25, 1918, he was sent to rest camp at Port Said. On March 10 he returned to his unit. On May 4 he was appointed Lance Corporal. On June 22 he reverted at own request. On July 12 he embarked HT Pt Darwin at Suez for Australia.

Hamilton;a World War II service history is as follows:

He farmed at Shelbourne until World War II, when he enlisted again on August 5, 1941, and served as a private, V18174, in the role of a guard at the German prisoner of war camp "Dhuringile" Murchison until his discharge on October 19, 1945.

His wife Fanny and the family kept the farm working while he was away.

William Hamilton worked as a farm labourer on a station called "Lagoona" at Janiember (now Bears Lagoon) before and after he returned from WWI. When he was married in 1923 to Fanny Doody from Inglewood he was living at Newbridge.

In 1925, they moved to a "closer settlement " property (378 acres, one rood, 33 perches) at East Shelbourne. In 2004, the old red brick house they lived in and the old blacksmiths shed were still standing in Junor Road (the thatched roof sheds had gone).

Hamilton died in 1962, aged 67.

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