Olson grew up in Newcastle and attended Newcastle Boys' High School. He gained a cadetship in the Newcastle office of the Sydney Daily Telegraph. During World War II Olson served in New Guinea with the 'Small Ships' section of the AIF, enlisting 28 April 1943 and being discharged 22 February 1946. After the war he joined the Sydney Daily Mirror. Olson worked on all the Sydney newspapers and in 1964 was appointed editor at the Sydney bureau of the first national daily, the Australian. In 1966 he joined P & O as their Director of Information. He became a freelance journalist and publisher in 1970, specialising in shipping and transport.
(Source: Olson, William Lion of the China Sea A History of the Eastern and Australian Steamship Company Limited (1976) - 'About the Author')
