William John Wills William John Wills i(A54288 works by)
Born: Established: 5 Jan 1834 Devon (County),
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England,
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United Kingdom (UK),
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Western Europe, Europe,
; Died: Ceased: 29 Jun 1861 Cooper Creek SA / Qld, North East South Australia, Far North South Australia, South Australia,
Gender: Male
Arrived in Australia: 1853
Heritage: English
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1 2 y separately published work icon Starvation in a Land of Plenty : Wills' Diary of the Fateful Burke and Wills Expedition William John Wills , Michael Cathcart , Canberra : National Library of Australia , 2013 8091332 2013 single work diary

'When Robert O’Hara Burke and William John Wills set out on their fateful journey with the Victorian Exploring Expedition, Wills brought with him a diary in which to record his experiences. His entries would go on to help historians understand the circumstances that led to the tragic end of the expedition. Today, the diary is held by the National Library of Australia and forms the foundation of Starvation in a Land of Plenty.

'Between 23 April and 28 June 1861, Wills documented the torments and disappointments that led to his and Burke’s destruction. Surprising to many, though, Wills was not the second-in-command but, rather, the party’s ‘surveyor, astronomical and meteorological observer’. His resulting misfortune and the words he left behind have transformed the young English surveyor into both an Australian martyr and hero. Combined with images from the Library’s collection, this poignant and telling publication draws on Wills’ at times matter-of-fact account of his fatal weeks, revealing him to have been a man of great dignity and bravery. ' (Publication summary)

2 y separately published work icon A Successful Exploration through the Interior of Australia, from Melbourne to the Gulf of Carpentaria : From the Journals and Letters of William John Wills William John Wills , London : Richard Bentley , 1863 23306511 1863 selected work diary correspondence travel
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