Major William Warner JULIUS [739]

   Cause of his death was killed in action in Malaya.

  General Notes:

William Warner Julius
Birth Date: 17 Jan 1909
Birth Place: Grafton New South Wales
Year Range: 1939 - 1948
Enlistment Place: Darwin Nt
Service Number: DX141
Next of Kin: A Johnson
Series Description: B883: Army, 2nd Al F

William was educated at Grafton High School before going to Duntroon Military College where he graduated and became a professional soldier ; he was killed in Malaya in the Battle of Muar River, 18th January 1942.

1933 Electoral Roll Warringah Mosman: William was recorded as a military officer, of Georges Heights
Ancestry

1937 Electoral Roll Glenmore East Sydney: William was recorded as a military officer, of Victoria Barracks
Ancestry

PERSONAL
Capt. Warner Julius, only son of the late Mr. C. F. Julius, has been killed in action in Malaya. The late Mr. C. F. Julius was a brother of Mr. F. H. Julius, of Cudgen.
Ref: Tweed Daily (Murwillumbah, NSW) Sat 7 Feb 1942

Army Record: Royal Australian Artillery. No. DX141. A.I.F. 2/15 Fd. Regiment Died 23 Jan 1942. Awarded posthumously 1939-45 War Medal and Star. Sp. Mem. 19. D. 10. Kranji War Cemetery.

William Warner Julius
Age: 33
Birth Date: abt 1909
Death Date: 23 Jan 1942
Cemetery: Kranji War Cemetery
Burial Country: Singapore
Regimental Number: DX 141
Region or Memorial: Singapore
Father: Charles Fox Julius
Mother: Matilda Jane Julius

In Singapore there is a plot marked out and a headstone bearing his name and unit, and a plaque in the Canberra War Memorial. He lost a leg in an enemy bomb attack and the unit taking him to hospital was ambushed and wiped out. The Japanese than drove tanks to and fro over the bodies grinding them into the sand.

EXCERPTS FROM "THE NAKED ISLAND" by Russell Braddon
[A book about Japanese Prisoners-of-War]
"Then the Battery Commander, Major JULIUS - a dark, stocky, bad-tempered man respectfully known [for he was a brilliant soldier] as the Black Bastard - read out as order from Australian Command, which stated that the Japanese had been fortunate enough so far in their campaign, not to have encountered Australian troops. Julius finished reading the order, his voice flat, his eyebrows raised cynically, then asked ; were there any questions. . . . . .
Two things quickly became evident in the few days before the enemy arrived on the far side of the river. The first was that our guns, under the inspired direction of Major Julius, were going to wreck a great deal of havoc ; the second was that the majority of brand new rifles issued to the 45th Indian Brigade were going to wreak no havoc at all.
Julius came up, brows black and bad tempered as ever, and surveyed us - scowling. Good position, he said. Move your water bottle into the shade though - you'll need every drop before we're finished. Then he stumped off, halted and turned around again. By the way, he added, there's a message just come through from Base that tomorrow we'll get full aerial support. They say the sky'll be black with our planes. Pass it on. I've got to go to a Brigade conference. For a second he stood staring through us with that same cynical lift of the eyebrow as when he had read the Australian "Drive them out of Malay" order - as well he might. We had been given this same message every day for a week. So far we had seen no Allied planes at all. Abruptly he turned away and made off down to a bungalow on the edge of the padang, where the Brigade officers were to meet.
In the murderous scene of the wrecked and smouldering bungalow, Julius was one of the few who still alive ; and he obviously would not have for long if he did not swiftly reach a casualty station of some kind ; we had no casualty clearing station. Dozens of men volunteered to try and get him back. After an ominous day's silence from our Rear headquarters and B Echelon, it was obvious that the road back was no longer in our hands, but there were still those who were only too ready to attempt the run to get this one extraordinary man back where his life might be saved.
Eventually, with Julius protesting in his customary violent language, his driver, his Ack and an armoured car set out to run the gauntlet. Half an hour later a bloodied figure staggered into the perimeter. It appeared that 800 yards down the road their paths had been blocked by fallen trees and their vehicles shot to ribbons by machine guns placed on both banks. This was the only survivor. Quickly the report spread that the Black Bastard was dead: and every where the atmosphere taunted by the knowledge that our best soldier had not survived and that we were now surrounded - expressions became grimmer".

WILLIAM WARNER JULIUS late of the AIF formerly of West Ryde In the State of New South Wales Professional Soldier died on the 23rd January 1942 Administration with the Will annexed was granted to the Public Trustee on the 24th February 1943

  Research Notes:

Image courtesy Wood Family Tree Ancestry - 2020

William married Kathleen Mary WRIGHT [5210] [MRIN: 1782] in 1940.