John Patrick Whitaker

John Patrick Whitaker

Ancestry.com retrieved 10 Apr 2019
Personal Information
Date of Birth	17 Mar 1920
Place of Birth	Claremont, Western Australia
Death	15 Aug 2007, aged 87
Place of Death	Mosman Park, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	19 years, 11 months
Occupation	Labourer
Religion	Church of England
Address	Peet road, Roleystone, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Mother , Sarah Jane Whitaker
Military Information
Reg Number	WX3204
Date of Enlistment	22 May 1940
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	2/16th Australian Infantry Battalion
Post War Details
Fate	Returned to Australia
Medals	1939-45 Star Africa Star Pacific Star Defence Medal War Medal 1939-45 Australian Service Medal 1939-45

War Service

John enlisted in the 2/16th Australian Infantry Battalion on 22 May 1940 and soon after was granted 8 days LWOP, probably to help with seasonal work on the orchard. On 25 Jun 1940 he was charged with having been AWOL from midnight 22 June until 2:00am on the next day for which he was fned 5/- (50 cents). From 27 Sep until 4 Oct 1940 he was granted pre-embarkation leave before embarking 25 Oct 1940 aboard HMT Aquitania for overseas in Gauge Roads, Fremantle. They disembaked at Bombay in India on 4 Nov 1940 and boarded HMT Rajula on 10 Nov 1940 for El Kantara where they disembarked on 25 Nov 1940. On arrival they move dto Al Majal in Palestine to begin their training, before participating in defence of the Egyptian border with Libya and then in the invasion of Vichy Syria and Lebanon.

With Japan's entry into the war, on 29 Jan 1942 John and his unit embarked SS Île de France in Suez on 29 Jan 1942 for Bombay where they disembarked on 5 Feb 1942. On 11 Feb 1942 they boarded SS Kosciusko for Adelaide with a stop in Fremantle. There John was one of many who went ashore and was declared to have been AWOL from midnoght 17 March until 12:20pm on 23 Mar 1942. John was fined £5, and forfeited six days pay. On 29 Mar 1942 John boarded a train for Adelaide to rejoin the battalion. On 19 Jun 1942 John was appointed Lance Corporal.

On 6 Aug 1942 the battalion boarded SS James Fenimore Cooper in Brisbane for Port Moresby where they disembarked on 13 Aug 1942 and quickly moved to assist in the fighting then under way on the Kokoda Track. John was evacuated to the 2/9th Australian General Hospital on 28 Nov 1942, and they in turn embarked him on board HMT Duntroon in Port Moresby on 5 Dec 1942 with Tinea.

On 7 Dec 1942 John disembarked in Townsville and boarded the 1st Australian Ambulance Train for the 2/11th Australian General Hospital in Warwick, South Queensland, a 2 day journey. On 30 Dec 1942 John was released to the 102nd Australian Convalescent Depot before being transferred to the 7th Australian Infantry Training Battalion on 19 Jan 1943, on his way to 17th Australian Personnel Staging Camp at Ascot. They in turn transferred him to Western Command Recruit Reception & General Details Depot on 2 Feb 1943 where on 20 Feb 1943 he was admitted to 110th Australian Base Hospital at Hollywood with Malaria. On 13 Mar 1943 John was released to the Lady Mitchell Convalescent Home until 6 Apr 1943 when he was posted to Western Command Recruit Reception & General Details Depot. On 3 May 1943 he returned to the Queensland Line of Communication Recruit Reception & General Details Depot, remaining with them until he rejoined the battalion on 17 May 1943. From 13 to 27 Jun 1943, John was in the care of the 106th Australian Casualty Clearing Station being treated for Malaria, returning to his battalion on the 28th. His appointment to Lance Corporal dated 1 Jul 1943 was formalised during this time.

On 6 Aug 1943 the battalion boarded the HMT Taroona in Townsville for Port Moresby, disembarking there on 8 Aug 1943. However, on 10 Sep 1943 he was again in need of medical treatment, this time by the 2/5th Australian General Hospital for Diarrhoea. He was released to the 113th Australian Convalescent Depot on 9 Nov 1943, remaining with them until 27 Nov 1943, and by 30 Nov 1943 he had returned to his battalion. On 28 Jan 1944 John was admitted to the 2/5th Australian General Hospital for treatment for Dermatitis to his hands before returning to his battalion on 5 Feb 1944.

On 15 Feb 1944 he embarked on SS Canberra in Port Moresby forTownsville, disembarking there on 18 Feb 1944 and granted leave. Back in Western Australia, on 21 Mar 1944 John was admitted tothe 110th Australian Base Hospital suffering from a Malaria bout, and three days later he was transferred to the 118th Australian General Hospital until 10 Jun 1944 when he was released to Western Command Recruit Reception & General Details Depot where he faced a District Court Martial on a charge of being AWOL from 9:30pm on 28 June until 11:00pm on 4 June 1944. Found guilty he was fined £2 ($4), and forfeiture of 8 days pay. On 14 Jul 1944 John was admitted to the 110th Australian Base Hospital with Malaria leading to a medical classification of B1. On 22 Jul 1944 he was transferred to the Western Command Recruit Reception & General Details Depot for reallocation. However, rather than be re-allocated, John was discharged on 10 Aug 1944. John married Gwenyth Lorraine Margaret Lowick during 1944.

Post War

John and Gwen had two daughters, one being Lorrain Margaret (1949-2015) Electoral Roll entries: 1949 - 1980 at 17 Boreham street, Cottesloe, carpenter.