Bill Chaffey

Major William Adolphus Chaffey (18 February 1915 – 4 March 1987) was an Australian farmer, distinguished soldier and long serving member of the Parliament of New South Wales. Chaffey represented the electoral district of Tamworth from 1940 to 1973. He also served as the New South Wales Minister for Agriculture from 1965 to 1968. Chaffey succeeded his father, Frank in parliament after the latter's death, and together they served a combined fifty-nine years and nine months in the New South Wales parliament representing the New England region of New South Wales. Biography William Adolphus Chaffey was born in Tamworth, New South Wales on 18 February 1915 to Frank Augustus Chaffey, himself a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, and Amy McIlveen. He was educated at Tamworth Public School, The King's School, and Hawkesbury Agricultural College. He subsequently returned to the Tamworth district and began farming there before his election to parliament. On 16 December 1941, in his first term in parliament, he joined the Australian Imperial Force. He served in the 2/5th Independent Company, and was twice mentioned in despatches, as well as winning the United States' Bronze Star Medal. In 1948, he became a member of the Australian Citizens Military Forces, remaining there until 1961.