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 |
Description | 5' 7½" (1.72m) tall ; ; dark complexion ; brown eyes ; black hair |
Occupation | Truck driver |
Religion | Church of England |
Address | Buckingham road, Kelmscott, Western Australia |
Next of Kin | Wife , Mrs Dorothy Whittaker |
Military Information | |
Reg Number | W54897 & WX32005 |
Date of Enlistment | 20 Jul 1942 |
Rank | Private |
Unit/Formation | 5th Australian Ordnance Port Detachment |
Military Movement | |
1st Departure from Australia | |
Journey Dates | 10 May 1945 ‒ 26 May 1945 |
Transport Details | USAT Sea Barb Brisbane to Morotai |
Transfers | |
Journey Dates | 27 Aug 1945 ‒ 1 Sep 1945 |
Transport Details | SS Joseph Carrigan Morotai to Labuan |
Return to Australia | |
Journey Dates | 3 Nov 1945 |
Transport Details | LST 9 Labuan to Australia |
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 enlisted first in the CMF with Army Number W54897 on 20 Jul 1942, changing over to the 2nd AIF on 28 Sep 1942. Percy's records are not detailed.
The 5th Australian Ordnance Port Detachment 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. This timing matches Percy's records and as he was a cook it appears that he moved with the HQ element.
Morotai & Labuan 10 May - 21 Nov 1945
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