Percy Whittaker
From Our Contribution
Personal Information | |
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Date of Birth | 29 Mar 1910 |
Place of Birth | Wolverley, Kitterminster, Worcestershire, England |
Death | 7 Sep 1999, aged 89 |
Place of Death | Armadale, Western Australia |
Age at Enlistment | 32 years, 6 months |
Occupation | Labourer |
Next of Kin | Wife , Mrs Dorothy Whittaker |
Military Information | |
Reg Number | WX32005 |
Date of Enlistment | 28 Sep 1942 |
Rank | Private |
Unit/Formation | 5th Australian Ordnance Port Detachment |
Post War Details | |
Fate | Returned to Australia |
Medals |
1939-45 Star Pacific Star War Medal 1939-45 Australian Service Medal 1939-45 |
Pre War
On 24 May 1923, 13 years old Percy boarded the SS Ballarat in London with his older brother Thomas (a farmer) for Fremantle. In 1930 he married Dorothy Florence (Dolly) Simmons (1911 - 1985) in Kelmscott. They had two sons, Leonard John Whittaker (1931–2006), and David Ian Whittaker (1937–1984).
Electoral Roll entries: 1936 - 1943 in Buckingham road, Kelmscott, labourer.
War Service
Percy's records are not yet available. However, given his last unit we can make an informed guess about the last part of his service.
The 5th Australian Ordnance Port Detachment was formed at Gaythorne, Queensland during August 1944 with an officer and 43 men as part of 1 Australian Corps. The unit was divided into four detachments and it left for Morotai, arriving during May 1945. Here the detachments staged for the landings at Tarakan (May) Labuan (June), and Balikpapan (July). The headquarters element remained on Morotai from May until August when it moved to Labuan in British North Borneo.
Percy was discharged on 5 Dec 1945.
Post War
Electoral Roll entries: 1954 - 1958 Buckingham road, Kelmscott, labourer; 1968 Albany highway, Armadale, machine driver; 1972 at 22 Lillian avenue, Kelmscott, machine driver; 1977 - 1980 at 3077 Albany highway, Kelmscott retired.
Notes