VALE – COMMANDER WG “Bill” RITCHIE AM RAN RTD

It is with much sadness that I advise the passing of Bill Ritchie last night, Monday 27 Nov, in Hollywood Hospital.  Bill was 97 years young and a stalwart of many Ex-Service Organisations and well known for not missing a function – always happy to respond positively to an invite.

Bill was actually christened as Bill but, when enlisting in the RAN in 1944, was told that the navy would not recognise the name Bill, so Bill became William.  His long service as a sailor and an officer in the RAN included active service in WWII, Korea, the Malaysian Emergency and Vietnam.  He was Officer of the Day in the carrier HMAS MELBOURNE on Christmas Day 1974 in the immediate aftermath of Cyclone Tracy.  What followed kept Bill a very busy man for some time.  His stories of that time, and others, are legendary.  He has written quite a tome on his naval career, maybe sometime in the future we may get to see and read it.

RIP Bill, you will be missed by many of your family and friends.

FUNERAL Details

10.00am Tuesday 12 December, Our Lady of Lourdes, 2 Townsend Road, Rockingham, WA, 6968

Bob Mummery