His total continuous service, 37 years and 4 months. He was promoted Bombardier in 1954, Sergeant in 1955, Warrant Officer Class Two in 1964 and Warrant Officer Class One in 1969 then received a Prescribed Service Officer commission in 1981.

Bill was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List in 1977 for Services to the Australian Army. During his CMF service Bill was a Gun Sergeant at the age of 19 years, in 1951.

After completing his recruit training, Bill was posted to the School of Artillery at North Head where he completed basic gunnery courses and promotion courses for Bombardier.

In 1953 Bill was posted as an Instructor, National Service to 12 National Service Battalion, Holsworthy followed by a posting to 16 National Service Battalion in South Australia in 1954. From 1955 until 1966, Bill spent time as a Gun Sergeant in A Field Battery and as a Tara Sergeant (Command Post Sergeant) in 102 Light Battery. During this time, he deployed to Malaya with A Field Battery in 1957 and 102 Battery in 1963.

Bill was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List in 1977 for Services to the Australian Army.

In 1966 Bill was selected to attend the Long Gunnery Staff Course (Locating) at the Royal School of Artillery, Larkhill in the UK. On return to Australia he was posted as a WO2 Assistant Instructor Gunnery (Locating) where he remained until 1969.

Promoted to Warrant Officer Class One in 1969 Bill was appointed Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) of 16th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment in South Australia.

Returning to North Head in 1973, Bill was appointed Master Gunner of the School of Artillery. In late 1974 he was appointed Command Sergeant Major of Field Force Command at Victoria Barracks in Sydney where he remained until 1978. He then returned to the School of Artillery as RSM until December 1980.