Have You a Tiger In Your Family?

Rank : Corporal

Army Number : 14421867

Unit : Royal 1st Bn

Biography :

'Bill' Applin joined the British Army in 1938. He saw action at Dunkirk and North Africa before volunteering for Airborne training. He saw action in Sicily and in 2nd Para Bn at Arnhem where he was taken prisoner at the bridge. After the war he joined The Royal Warwickshire Regiment in 1950 and was posted to 1st Bn The Royal Leicestershire Regiment in Hong Kong, where as a LCpl he was a member of the 1st Bn Boxing Team in 1951. He was awarded the M.M. for his actions as a Section Commander in D Coy, 1st R Leicesters, in Korea on 5.11.1951 (L.G. 28.12.1951), and he was wounded during this action. He is shown here being presented with his MM by Maj-Gen Cassels in Korea on 22.6.1952. In 1952 he returned to 1st R Warwick, and in 1954 paid a return visit to Korea, the story for which was published in The Green Tiger at https://royalleicestershireregiment.past-view.com/archive/journals/green-tiger-1950-1959/1954/232417-greentiger-1954-042jpg?q=Applin Bill Applin left the Army in 1958 and moved into the Insurance Industry, from there to work as a draughtsman for Avon Rubber Company. In 1963 he returned to the land of his birth with his English wife and three children. He worked for the West Australian Railways in Morawa. He attended Curtin University and completed a Bachelor of Arts Degree (BA), majoring in Australian Literature. He died in 2007, aged 84.

OBITUARY - CORPORAL ARTHUR GEORGE (BILL) APPLIN MM

'Bill Applin was born in Western Australia in 1922. He travelled to England in 1938 to join the British Army and enlisted under age. He saw action at Dunkirk and North Africa before volunteering for Airborne training. He saw action in Sicily where he was buried by gunfire, the trauma of this was to stay with him in flashbacks for the rest of his life. His final action in WWII was with 2nd Airborne at Arnhem and he was taken prisoner at the bridge.

At the end of hostilities he had various adventures both in and out of uniform before joining Midland Brigade and the Royal Warwicks at Warwick in 1950 and then transferring to the Tigers and onward to D Company of the 1st Battalion in Hong Kong. A peaceful year of hard training saw the Battalion en-route to Korea in October 1951.

The Tigers' first action was on the 5th November. Bill Applin was a section leader in the attack on point 217. On reaching within twenty yards of the top of the hill, the platoons were held up by accurate fire, he climbed up on his own and threw his grenades into the enemy bunker. Nine days afterwards when on night patrol, he went forard to within ten yards of an enemy post. He was fired on and returned the fire, where upon the men of his patrol attacked. But Applin was there before them, throwing most of his sixteen grenades he carried into the enemy slits and causing many enemy casualties.

During this action Cpl Applin was badly wounded whilst displaying the greatest courage in the assualt. For this and his outstanding efforts during the attack on the 5th November he was given an immediate award of the Military Medal on 29th November. The first of a number of decorations to be awarded to the Battalion in Korea.

Bill Applin left the Army in 1958 and moved into the Insurance Industry, from there to work as a draughtsman for Avon Rubber Company, and in 1963 returned to Australia with his English wife and three children. He worked for the West Australian Railways in Morawa. It was while he was there the local school principal became aware of his musical talents and employed him to work with the school band. From there he attended Secondary Teachers College and began teaching the Manual Arts (wood and metal work and technical drawing) in the Secondary School.

He attended Curtin University and completed a Bachelor of Arts Degree, majoring in Australian Literature. He was offered work lecturing in Australian poetry and drama. He eventually retired at the age of 78. But he continued his pursuit of knowledge and attended the University of the Third Age and continued his love of music, playing in various bands including the Army Reserve Band.

Bill Applin died on December 7th 2007 two months before his 85th birthday. A great friend and comrade who will be remembered by all those who served with him. He is survived by his widow Jan and four children of his first Marriage.'

This page was last edited on 22.9.2019.

Date of Birth : Feb 1923

Place of Birth : Western Australia

Date of Death : 7.12.2007

Place of Death : Gooseberry Hill, Perth, Western Australia

Civil Occupation : Insurance - draughtsman - West Australia Railways - School teacher - Lecturer - Musician

Period of Service : 1938-1958

Conflicts : WW2, Korean War

Places Served : England, France, Algeria, Tunisia, Sicily, The Netherlands, Germany, Hong Kong, Korea