
Wal Williams awarded OAM.
Wal (Walter) Williams, resident of RSL LifeCare’s ANZAC Village in Narrabeen, has been awarded an Order of Australia (OAM) for Services to the Veteran Community as part of the 2021 Queen Birthday Honours List.
Announcing the list, the Governor-General said: “On behalf of all Australians, congratulations to all recipients. Each of these individuals are unique and their story deserves to be shared widely and celebrated.” As a much loved and respected resident, we are absolutely delighted to see Walter honoured in this way.
Channel 7 News interviewed Wal on the Queens Birthday to hear his truly amazing story of service and survival.
Wal’s early years.
Now 98 years of age, Wal grew up in Northbridge, Sydney and attributes competitive swimming as a child to saving his life as he headed off to the front line.
Despite his father’s disapproval, a WW1 Gallipoli veteran himself, at 17 Wal gained his permission to join the Permanent Army – posted to RMC Duntroon. While transferring into the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) was not straight forward, young Wal was determined, and found his way into the 8th Infantry Battalion.
Sent to the front lines.
Wal trained with the AIF in Dubbo, sailing on the Aquatania into Singapore Harbour in December 1941. Pearl Harbour had just been attacked, and Wal was among reinforcements sent to Malaya to the 2/19th Battalion.
Taken prisoner during the fall of Singapore, Wal was interned at Changi Prison before being sent to work on the Burma Railway.
Still a Japanese prisoner of war (POW), Wal was then transported by rail into a camp in Thailand, and sent to Saigon to load rice onto ships. He and his mates were then shipped to Japan aboard the Rakuyo Maru on a working party, only to be torpedoed enroute by an American submarine.
Surviving the sinking of the ship, Wal and his two mates were picked up by a Japanese whaling boat, and eventually found themselves in a labour camp in Kawasaki.
There they were forced to work 10 days on with one day off, with a diet of boiled rice to sustain them. Sadly, both of his mates died of pneumonia within 24 hours of each other, just before the end of the war.
A miraculous story of survival.
Wal miraculously survived the US air raids that obliterated both residential and industrial areas in Japan, before the country surrendered. He arrived home to Sydney’s Rose Bay on his 23rd birthday. “It was like walking into a different world,” he recalls.
In the years following the war, Wal has been heavily involved in the Pittwater Sub-brand of the RSL, holding various positions including President from 1992 to 2002. He is now a life member of RSL Australia, NSW.
📷 Image of Wal Williams from The Telegraph.
Blog Posts

11 Nov 2023
Positive impact of Intergenerational Relationships
The power of intergenerational relationships has been demonstrated on ABC’s Old People’s Home for Teenagers, featuring residents from RSL...

11 Nov 2023
RSL LifeCare secures $1.7 million funding to establish Central Coast Veteran and Family Hub and $243,000 for a centre at Bardia Barracks
RSL LifeCare has received $1.7 million in funding from the Albanese Government’s Veteran Wellbeing Grants One-Off Program to establish...

11 Nov 2023
RSL LifeCare awarded $520,341 in government funding to enhance Veteran wellbeing services in Riverina
RSL LifeCare has secured $520,341 in funding from the Albanese Government’s Veterans Wellbeing Grants One-Off program that will be...

11 Nov 2023
RSL LifeCare hosts the inaugural Poppy Ball aboard HMAS Adelaide (III)
The inaugural Poppy Ball was held in Sydney on Saturday 11 November 2023 aboard the HMAS Adelaide (III). The...

9 Sep 2023
RSL LifeCare announces plans for new Veteran Wellbeing Centre in Dee Why
RSL LifeCare is set to extend its crucial service delivery for local veterans and their families with the opening...

9 Sep 2023
RSL LifeCare Nowra Community Unveils Visionary Expansion, Elevating Retirement Living to New Heights
RSL LifeCare has today announced Stage 2 release of its Dumaresq Retirement Village at RSL LifeCare Nowra Community. The...

8 Aug 2023
Federal Government grant awarded to RSL LifeCare
RSL LifeCare has been awarded a $50,000 grant by the Australian Government to support the development of a business...

8 Aug 2023
RSL LifeCare a finalist in Best Graduate Development Program – Australian HR Awards 2023
August 2023 – RSL LifeCare’s Graduate Registered Nurse Program has been announced as a finalist in the Australian HR...

8 Aug 2023
RSL LifeCare successfully moves to the second stage in becoming the provider for a Veterans’ and Families’ Hub in both the Tweed-North Coast region and Queanbeyan.
RSL LifeCare has welcomed the opportunity by the Federal Government to submit a business case to deliver a Veterans’...

3 Mar 2023
Message from our CEO celebrating International Women’s Day
Good morning everyone, Today, on International Women’s Day, we take the opportunity to celebrate the contribution made by the...

6 Jun 2022
Vale Walter Williams OAM
RSL LifeCare staff and residents alike have been deeply saddened to learn of the passing of long – time...

5 May 2022
Giving our nurses a voice to lead
Today, on International Nurses Day (IND) we shine a light on our nursing staff and their vital work. Our nurses...
4 Apr 2022
RSL LifeCare Veteran Services – one team supporting veterans and their families
The delivery of Veteran Services has been core to RSL LifeCare since its beginnings over 100 years ago. Now,...

3 Mar 2022
How the RSL Veterans’ Employment Program helps veterans find work
Transitioning to a different career is not always easy for veterans returning to civilian life. The RSL Veterans’ Employment...
11 Nov 2021
RSL LifeCare Annual Report 2021
I am pleased to advise that the 2021 RSL LifeCare Annual Report is now available. This annual report is...
10 Oct 2021
Rapid Antigen Test kits now available to Aged Care providers.
The Department of Health is offering Rapid Antigen Test kits to aged care providers across NSW in high-risk Local...

8 Aug 2021
Aged Care Employee Day is a day to thank everyone at RSL LifeCare.
7th August is Aged Care Employee Day. This is a day for us to thank every person who works...

7 Jul 2021
World War 2 code breaker Marion Painter features in Sky News documentary
ANZAC Village, Narrabeen resident Marion Painter has featured in Sky News documentary, The Alliance, about her time as a...

6 Jun 2021
Aged care workers should be vaccinated on site.
AGED care provider, RSL LifeCare, have applauded the Australian Government for their decision to mandate COVID-19 vaccinations for staff...

3 Mar 2016
Laughter is the best medicine
Laughter releases endorphins, giving us the ‘feel good factor’ Acts as aerobic exercise and is like ‘internal jogging’ Unleashes...

5 May 2016
A healthy diet for a healthy heart
Valentine’s Day saw people thinking of love and things of the heart and we thought it would be a...

10 Oct 2016
Pets and Positive Ageing
Animals play an important role in our lives. As Community Staff, we are blessed to see the bonds that...

More from the blog
Latest News
Joan’s Creative Pursuits: Knitting, Puzzles, and Cherished Moments at RSL LifeCare
Many residents at RSL LifeCare love to participate in a variety of hobbies that keep their minds and hearts engaged. One such resident is Joan Herringe from RSL LifeCare Connie Fall. One...
Read morePositive impact of Intergenerational Relationships
The power of intergenerational relationships has been demonstrated on ABC's Old People's Home for Teenagers, featuring residents from RSL LifeCare's Le Hamel Retirement Village and students...
Read moreRSL LifeCare secures $1.7 million funding to establish Central Coast Veteran and Family Hub and $243,000 for a centre at Bardia Barracks
RSL LifeCare has received $1.7 million in funding from the Albanese Government’s Veteran Wellbeing Grants One-Off Program to establish a veteran and family hub-like experience...
Read moreRSL LifeCare awarded $520,341 in government funding to enhance Veteran wellbeing services in Riverina
RSL LifeCare has secured $520,341 in funding from the Albanese Government’s Veterans Wellbeing Grants One-Off program that will be used to expand its services and...
Read moreGeorge Carpenter’s Inspiring Dedication to Preserving Military History
George Carpenter, an 87 year old resident of RSL ANZAC Village in Narrabeen, has been volunteering at the RSL LifeCare War Museum for three years...
Read moreRSL LifeCare Nowra Community Unveils Visionary Expansion, Elevating Retirement Living to New Heights
RSL LifeCare has today announced Stage 2 release of its Dumaresq Retirement Village at RSL LifeCare Nowra Community. The expansion brings an array of new...
Read moreFrom Stables to Retirement Living: Tim Cooke’s Life Journey
"My journey kicked off when I was just 14 years old. The year was 1963. I waved goodbye to school and hello to an apprenticeship...
Read moreJourney Through 102 Years: The Life of Helen Lea
"My name is Helen Lea, and I've been lucky enough to reach the grand age of 102. I've always felt pretty good for my age....
Read moreHonouring Malaya & Borneo Veterans: A Story of Sidney Peter Bryant
Today, on August 31, we commemorate Malaya & Borneo Veterans Day and take a moment to pay tribute to those who served in the Malayan...
Read moreFederal Government grant awarded to RSL LifeCare
RSL LifeCare has been awarded a $50,000 grant by the Australian Government to support the development of a business case to establish a Veterans’ and...
Read moreRSL LifeCare a finalist in Best Graduate Development Program – Australian HR Awards 2023
August 2023 – RSL LifeCare’s Graduate Registered Nurse Program has been announced as a finalist in the Australian HR Awards 2023, Best Graduate Development Program...
Read moreRSL LifeCare successfully moves to the second stage in becoming the provider for a Veterans’ and Families’ Hub in both the Tweed-North Coast region and Queanbeyan.
RSL LifeCare has welcomed the opportunity by the Federal Government to submit a business case to deliver a Veterans’ and Families’ Hub in these critical...
Read more