King George V awards Attorney General William Joseph Denny the Military Cross for service during World War I

AS THE state’s Attorney General, William Joseph Denny was expected to uphold SA’s honour and the law, but went beyond the call of duty when he enlisted to fight in World War I.

30/01/15 - FOR ANZAC SERIES: Bill Denny's father, William, served during WWI. Nice portrait with photograph of his grandfather. Also need collect pictures of grandfather. Also pictured with William (Billy) Denny the Fifth, Bill's grandson, aged 4. Picture Dean Martin

AS THE state’s Attorney General, William Joseph Denny was expected to uphold South Australia’s honour and the law.

But Mr Denny, known as “Bill”, went beyond the call of duty when he enlisted to fight in World War I, aged 42.

His grandson, William Denny, 65, said the decision was in fitting with a man who always put others first.

“I am proud of what he achieved but I am stunned that he volunteered to serve on the Western Front and faced the horrors of war at such an age,” Mr Denny said.

Military records show the decorated soldier, who was Attorney General in three separate Labour governments, first served as a trooper during the war.

After being commissioned in 1916, he served in the 9th Light Horse Regiment as part of the First Australian Imperial Force.

He later joined the 5th Division Artillery and the 1st Division Artillery on the Western Front.

He was wounded while leading a convoy carrying water to forward areas near Ypres, western Belgium, which earned him the Military Cross.

King George V presented him with the honour at Buckingham Palace in September 1917 for “conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty”.

When he recovered, he served in the repatriation section of AIF Administrative Headquarters in London from January 1918, before being promoted to Captain in September that year.

He returned home the following year after being re-elected to Parliament in 1918 while still serving overseas.

William Denny outside Buckingham Palace. Picture: Supplied

On Anzac Day 1931, Mr Denny, a former weather clerk and newspaper editor who also served as an Adelaide City Councillor, unveiled the National War Memorial, on North Tce, in front of 75,000 people because the Premier of the time, Lionel Hill, was away in Victoria.

Mr Denny was an outspoken critic of conscription and, according to his grandson, once got into a heated argument with former Prime Minister William “Billy” Hughes about forcing people to go to war.

“He thought you should not have to be ordered to fight. I might disagree with you but I will defend your right not to serve, even if I will go myself,” said his grandson, a senior RSL official from Tranmere.

Mr Denny, a lawyer who attended Christian Brothers College, held the seats of West Adelaide then Adelaide for the United Labour Party — now the Australian Labor Party.

He first served in the South Australian House of Assembly from 1900 to 1905 and then from 1906 to 1933.

During his time away at war, he donated his parliamentary salary to charity.

In 1931, the entire Cabinet was expelled from the Labor Party for supporting the so-called “Premiers’ Plan”, which sought to impose austerity measures ahead of the Great Depression.

Mr Denny eventually lost his seat in 1933.

He served as Attorney-General under premiers John Verran, John Gunn and Mr Hill and held portfolios in areas including housing, irrigation and repatriation.

Until his death in 1946, aged 73, he rented a house in Norwood, with his wife of 26 years, Winefride, a singer.

“It was a reflection on who he was — he had no gold card or lucrative pension and he never owned a house, as he had a strong sense of social justice and putting others before himself,” said his grandson.

Three generations of the family served at war.

Mr Denny’s son, also William, was a fighter pilot in the South West Pacific during World War II, while his grandson, who was born three years after his death, served in Vietnam.

His son died in 1980, aged 58.

This story is part of Messenger’s 100 Years, 100 Days, 100 Stories project, which will profile 100 South Australian World War I heroes as the nation builds up to the centenary of the Allied landing on Gallipoli on April 25, 1915.

If you have the details and war record of a family member who served during World War I, let us know.

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