Bill is the third generation to serve

Louisa Rust

Mt Warrigal ex-serviceman Bill Craft added another chapter to his family’s military history last week when he was presented with the Australian Defence Medal.

A national serviceman, Mr Craft followed the military tradition of his grandfather and father, who served in WWI and WWII respectively.

Mr Craft was one of eight residents awarded the medal by member for Throsby Jennie George at a ceremony at Dapto RSL Sub-Branch Memorial Hall.

The medal was established in 2006 to recognise Australian Defence Force (ADF) regular and reserve personnel who have demonstrated their service to the nation by serving for four years or their initial enlistment period since the end of WWII.

Other local men to receive the award at the ceremony were Michael Galligan, Rodney Grant, Maxwell Knight, Allan Sargeson, Robert Crooks and Neil O’Brien.

Over a million Australian national servicemen and volunteers are eligible for the medal.

Mr Craft grew up in Wagga Wagga before being posted to Holsworthy in Sydney in 1955 as part of his compulsory national service, where he underwent basic training “I was a country boy coming to Sydney, so I went out to see what the town was like,” he said.

He later returned to Wagga Wagga where he served with the ADF in the mechanical and electrical engineering department.

In the sixties, Mr Craft moved to Cringila to work at Australian Iron and Steel at Port Kembla (now BHP), later moving to Mt Warrigal.