William Cremor Brigadier William Edward Cremor CBE ( 12 December 1897 – 11 April 1962 ) was an Australian army officer and school teacher . He served during the First and Second World War s , commanding a number of artillery units . Early life . Cremor was born at Sandringham in Melbourne to railway porter William Edward Cremor and Jane , " née " Phelan . His early education took place at Footscray State School up to 1911 when he began at St . Joseph ' s CBC North Melbourne , later St . Joseph ' s College Melbourne . During his first year there he achieved Dux of class and in subsequent years earned distinctions in Algebra , French and History . Early in 1914 he completed his examination to become a clerk in the Victorian Public Service and in 1915 was transferred to the Commonwealth Department of Trade and Customs . Military career . On 11 December 1917 Cremor enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force ( AIF ) and served briefly in France in late 1918 with the 3rd Field Artillery Brigade . He was discharged from the AIF on 8 November 1919 and obtained a commission in the Militia in November 1920 . He studied at the University of Melbourne , from which he would eventually receive a Bachelor of Arts in 1945 . Interwar period . In 1923 Cremor began working as an English teacher at Footscray Technical School , and in 1927 became secretary of the Victorian Teachers ' Union , rising to president in 1930 . He resigned from the union in 1934 and was appointed secretary of the Victorian Dried Fruits Board . He continued serving with the Militia and was promoted lieutenant colonel on 1 May 1936 , with command of the 10th Field Brigade of the Royal Australian Artillery . Second World War . In October 1939 Cremor rejoined the AIF and commanded the 2nd / 2nd Field Artillery Regiment in the Middle East from April 1940 . He was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1941 for his service in the Western Desert Campaign . His regiment served in Greece and Crete from March to May 1941 . During the latter stages of the Battle of Crete , Cremor was placed in command of an amalgamation of units , including his own , which was designated Cremor Force . His command was effectively fighting as infantry . Following the battle , he and his men embarked for Egypt . He returned to Australia in August 1942 , where he was given command of the 3rd Artillery Division and promoted temporary brigadier . He contested the seat of Fawkner at the 1943 federal election as an independent candidate , advocating a unified army . He would win 22 % of the vote . Cremor then served in the South West Pacific Area as commander of the Royal Australian Artillery , I Corps from October 1943 to May 1944 , followed by a six - month period in command of the Royal Australian Artillery , New Guinea Force . He then held the equivalent post in II Corps from October 1944 to April 1945 . On 12 April 1945 he was transferred to the Reserve of Officers and appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire for his services in the South - West Pacific . Later life . In 1945 Cremor became the University of Melbourne ' s guidance officer for ex - service students , and wrote a regular column in " The Argus " . In 1949 he was appointed to the Teachers ' Tribunal as government representative , and he edited the history of his regiment , " Action Front " , in 1961 . Cremor died at Heidelberg in 1962 and was cremated .