Liley, William

William Frank Liley, known as Bill, was born in Nelson on 14 March 1915.

He was the second child and only son of Frank James Liley (1880-1961) and Dorothea Margareta Louisa Liley (nee Bosselman) (1882-1960), who was of German heritage.

The family moved to New Plymouth when Bill was a baby and he attended Central and Vogeltown Schools then New Plymouth Boys’ High. A keen athlete and singer, part of St Mary’s Church choir, he was also a member of the Taranaki Alpine Club.

Bill had been working as a cashier for Cock & Company for eight years when the Second World War broke out and volunteered straight away, heading off to training camp at Burnham in September 1939.

He had been a member of the Taranaki Regiment territorial force before the war, achieving the rank of Platoon Sergeant, and so was made a Second Lieutenant in the 27th Machine Gun Battalion, eventually earning promotion to Captain in 1942.

Bill was awarded the Military Cross in April 1941 for gallantry during the Greek Campaign but did not receive it until 1944. He and nine other Taranaki men (and one woman) attended a public investiture ceremony held at the Wellington Town Hall on 2 August 1944 where Governor General Sir Cyril Newall did the honours on behalf of the King. Bill’s actions are described in the third chapter of Robin Kay’s official history of the 27 (Machine Gun) Battalion during the war, published in 1958 and featuring reminiscences of the Lieutenant’s “commendable courage and coolness”.  

Bill married Norma Elizabeth Treeby (1915-2007) on 18 December 1939 at St Mary’s Church – their nuptials made the news as theirs was the first “military wedding” in New Plymouth of the Second World War. Norma served as secretary of the 27^th Machine Gun Club, which was set up in 1940 for relatives of men in the Battalion, while Bill was away, organising knitting, gifts and other comforts to be sent to him and others serving overseas.

The couple went on have three children, Judy, Peter and Alison, and Bill worked as an importer and accountant after the war.

Bill Liley died of cancer at his home in New Plymouth on 4 August 1991 and is buried at Awanui Cemetery.