Informal portrait of Albert Medal winner William Simpson (Bill) McAloney, standing in his back ...

Informal portrait of Albert Medal winner William Simpson (Bill) McAloney, standing in his back garden at his home in Sandringham, Vic. McAloney was born on 12 May 1910 in Adelaide, SA. He joined the RAAF on 1 July 1936 and served in New Guinea as an engineering officer during the Second World War with the service number 03600. On 31 August 1937, Aircraftman McAloney attempted to rescue an officer from the burning wreckage of an aircraft at Hamilton, Vic. The citation for his award of the Albert Medal reads: "Despite the fact that the aircraft was ablaze from nose to rudder, Aircraftman McAloney dashed into the flames and continued his efforts to rescue until pulled away in an unconscious condition, having received severe burns which necessitated his removal to hospital." The award was gazetted in the London Gazette on 18 February 1938. He served his last six years as Officer Commanding the Engineering Squadron, Aircraft Research and Development Unit at Laverton, Vic, with the rank of Wing Commander (Wing Cdr). He retired from the RAAF on 9 December 1966. He was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1966 New Years Honours List. On the 12 July 1972, McAloney and four other Australian Albert Medal recipients received their George Crosses (in exchange for their Albert Medals) from the Queen at Buckingham Palace. Wing Cdr McAloney died on 31 August 1995 aged 85 years. One of his sons John Douglas McAloney, 5th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (5RAR), was awarded the Military Cross in Vietnam 0n 1 August 1967 and had predeceased him in 1991.

• Informal portrait of Stanley Frederick Gibbs, of Hunters Hill, NSW. On 3 January 1927 Port ...
• Informal portrait of Errol John Emanuel, assistant commissioner of the Gazelle Peninsula in Papua ...
• Group portrait of old friends including Jack Chalmers (far right) wearing his George Cross and ...
• Informal portrait of Jack Chalmers wearing his George Cross and his Life Membership of Lifesaving ...