Selwyn William “Bill” Whimp
Trooper · NZ #63251 · T1 Patrol
| Rank | Trooper |
|---|---|
| Service number | NZ #63251 |
| Patrol | T1 Patrol |
| Known as | “Bill” |
| Died | 2006 |
| Record | https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/177835 |
What this roll records
HIS WHOLE SERVICE, IN ONE PARAGRAPH, AND THIS ROLL HELD ALMOST NONE OF IT. The Northern Advocate of 5 May 1945 announced his commission “while serving with the New Zealand Divisional Cavalry in Italy” and set out the road to it: born in Whangarei; educated at Onerahi Primary and Whangarei High School, where he played both cricket and Rugby; employed by a Whangarei business firm at the outbreak of war; joined the COASTAL DEFENCE FORCES early in 1940 and served in the forts at Auckland and Wellington; went to FANNING ISLAND on reaching the age of 21; returned to New Zealand in 1942 and left for the Middle East later that year. “For a period he was a member of the Long Range Desert Group.” Then El Alamein to Tunisia. THEN THE AEGEAN, AND THE ESCAPE. He was on an island in the Aegean when, just after Italy capitulated, the Germans took possession; WITH TEN OTHER ALLIED SOLDIERS HE SET OUT IN A SMALL BOAT FOR TURKEY, was picked up by an Allied warship and taken to Egypt. He rejoined the New Zealand Division, was posted to the Divisional Cavalry as a corporal, served in Italy, made sergeant, and was commissioned. THE NICKNAME “Bill”, already on this card, is confirmed in print. Source: “Commission Gained”, Northern Advocate, 5 May 1945, page 6, via Papers Past (National Library of New Zealand).
Cenotaph record linked. Source: Auckland War Memorial Museum Online Cenotaph.
Patrol T1 self-identified in his own hand at the Picton LRDG reunion, Apr 2001 (signed copy of 'Kiwi Scorpions'). His signed service number in the book differs from the Cenotaph-verified NZ #63251, which is retained (roll keeper's decision, 5 Aug 2026).
Aged 86 at death. Hardware salesman in civilian life. Embarked/served with 45th Battery, N.Z. Artillery. Source: Auckland War Memorial Museum Online Cenotaph.
Full name Selwyn William. Source: Auckland War Memorial Museum Online Cenotaph.
New Zealand (A) Squadron, LRDG — T1 Patrol at disbandment, 10 December 1943. Source: Brendan O’Carroll, ‘The Long Range Desert Group in the Aegean’ (Appendix IV, New Zealand (A) Squadron Disbandment Roll, 10 December 1943).
See him in the full roll →Where this comes from
- AKA added from the LRDG Preservation Society’s Troopers roll (missing information).
- Additional sources (AWMM Online Cenotaph). Nominal Roll 2NZEF No. 3, p.508; No. 9, p.422. Also cited: Allan Steel Cemetery Project (2020).
This page is part of the Long Range Desert Group roll of members at lrdgarchive.org. If you hold rights to anything on it and would like it credited differently, or taken down, please see Sources and Copyright. It will be dealt with promptly.
Not By Strength But By Guile