ColonelWilliam Thomas ReayCBEVD (10 November 1858 – 11 November 1929) was an Australian journalist,newspaper editor, and politician, as well as a police and army officer.

The son of an Englishsailmaker, Edward William Reay and his Irish wife, Johanna Brennen, Reay was born inBalmain, Sydney, but grew up inWilliamstown,Melbourne. He ran away to sea when he was thirteen, but left his ship atDunedin,New Zealand, and worked as a clerk for a while before working his way home. He then attendedKing's College, Melbourne and joined theVictoria Sugar Company atYarraville, where he worked for nine years.

In June 1883 he bought theColeraine Albion, followed by thePort Melbourne Standard. From 1887 to 1890 he was editor of theHamilton Spectator, and from 1891 he was leader-writer and assistant editor of the MelbourneDaily Telegraph. When it closed in 1892 he moved to theMelbourne Weekly Times and then toThe Herald as literary editor and later associate editor.

In 1886, he obtained a commission in theVictorian Mounted Rifles and commanded adetachment of them at theQueen's diamond jubilee in London in 1897. In October 1899 he accompanied the first Australian contingent to theSouth African War, serving under Lieutenant-General Rundle in the area of theOrange River, and was awarded the South African Medal atJasfontein after visiting the grave of a fellow Australian correspondentWilliam Lambie inBoer-held territory.

Reay also wrote articles as awar correspondent forThe Herald and theSouth Australian Register until he returned ill after the capture ofBloemfontein. From Australia he publishedAustralians in War (1900), which was widely distributed to Victorian soldiers. He retired from the Mounted Rifles in 1903 with the rank oflieutenant-colonel, although, perhaps with an eye towards the likelihood of further hostilities, he wrote a report on the training of volunteers based on the Swiss system.

In 1900, on his third attempt, he was elected to theVictorian Legislative Assembly as the member forEast Bourke Boroughs, describing himself asradical and often voting withLabor.

He also resumed his newspaper career, becomingThe Herald's managing editor in 1904. In 1911 he moved to London asThe Herald's representative and stayed in England until his death. In theFirst World War he joined theMetropolitan Special Constabulary, becoming aDivisional Commander and in 1915Inspector-General of Divisions. For this work he was appointedOfficer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1917 and promoted to Commander (CBE) in the 1920 civilian war honours.

Reay married Lucinda Braithwaite Broadbent on 10 April 1882 at Hotham Hill, Melbourne, and had five daughters, two of whom were nurses; one was awarded theRoyal Red Cross and the other worked for the hospital voluntary service. Reay died at theMemorial Hospital, Woolwich, London, a day after his 71st birthday, and was cremated atWest Norwood Cemetery, where his remains were scattered.

• Australian Dictionary of Biography
• Obituary,The Times, 14 November 1929
• Lord Kitchener's Dispatches,London Gazette, 15 November 1901