John Whitelaw (general, born 1894)

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For other people named John Whitelaw, see John Whitelaw (disambiguation).

John Stewart Whitelaw
Royal Australian Artillery
(1955–61)

Second World War
, although he did not serve overseas in an operational role, in his capacity as a senior artillery officer Whitelaw had responsibility for all matters relating to the development of artillery in the Australian Army and in this role he championed the introduction of new technologies and weaponry into the corps and the development of Australian defence industries.

Following the end of hostilities Whitelaw served as general officer commanding of the Army's Western Command as well presiding over the war crimes tribunals held at Rabaul, New Guinea in 1947. He retired from the military in 1951 with a number of high honours, nevertheless he continued his links with the Army and in 1955 he accepted the ceremonial role of Colonel Commandant of the Royal Australian Artillery, a post he held until 1961. He died in 1964, aged 69.

Early life

Whitelaw was born on 26 August 1894 at

ironmonger Thomas Whitelaw and his wife Margaret (née Hunter). In his formative years he attended Wesley College before being accepted into the first intake of the newly established Royal Military College, Duntroon where he undertook training to be commissioned as an officer in the Australian Army.[1]

Military career

First World War

The outbreak of the

First World War interrupted Whitelaw's studies at the college before he could complete the full four-year course[2] as the Army decided to graduate the first class early so that they could be sent over to the Middle East with the Australian Imperial Force that was being raised for overseas service.[3] As a result, shortly after the declaration of war Whitelaw was commissioned as a lieutenant in the AIF and posted to the 7th Battalion,[1] a volunteer infantry unit being raised in Melbourne.[4]

After only a short period of training, Whitelaw departed Australia on the transport Hororata on 19 October 1914[5] along with the first contingent of Australians bound for Egypt,[4] arriving there in December 1914. On 25 April 1915 the battalion took part in the Landing at Anzac Cove as part of the second wave.[4] Whitelaw disembarked with the battalion's machine gun section,[5] but his time ashore was cut short when as he was evacuated later that day with a bullet wound to his foot.[1] He spent a number of months recuperating in Egypt and in the United Kingdom before being repatriated to Australia in November 1915[5] whereupon his service in the AIF ceased and he returned to the Permanent Force, assigned to an administrative and instructional role in the 3rd Military District (Victoria).[1][6]

In late 1917 Whitelaw had transferred to the Royal Australian Garrison Artillery, which had responsibility for all coastal artillery batteries around Australia. Undertaking various staff and regimental appointments he served in this capacity until the end of the war, seeing no further overseas service.[1]

Inter war years

In October 1920 Whitelaw was transferred to the

captain.[1] Following this he undertook further artillery officers' training at the School of Gunnery before taking a post there as an instructor in 1927. An appointment to the United Kingdom followed next, lasting from 1928 until early 1931 when he returned to Australia to take up the post of chief instructor at the School of Artillery, marching-in in January. In October he received news of his promotion to major.[1] In July 1937 he was promoted again, this time to lieutenant colonel following a stint on the general staff at Army Headquarters in Melbourne.[1]

Second World War

Whitelaw was promoted to

Commander of the Order of the British Empire.[8][9]

In April 1942 he was promoted to the rank of

General Officer Commanding Victoria Lines of Communication Area.[1]

Postwar career

In early 1946, after the end of hostilities, Whitelaw took over responsibility for

Companion of the Order of the Bath.[11]

Retirement

In his retirement Whitelaw undertook volunteer work with

Victoria. He was 69 years of age and left behind his wife, Esther, and their three sons.[1]

Family

On 27 December 1915 he married Esther August Norman at St Mark's, Camberwell, Victoria. They had three sons, Fred, John, and Norman, all of whom followed in their father's footsteps and pursued careers as artillery officers in the Australian Army.[1]

Price Stewart (Norman)

Major Price Stewart (Norman) Whitelaw, ED (born 1918),[12] served in the Second World War with the 2/2nd Field Regiment. He married in January 1943, and was President of the Royal Australian Artillery Association (Victoria) Inc. from 1984 to 1987.[13]

Frederick Thomas

Fred Whitelaw in Japan, 1951

Brigadier Frederick Thomas (Fred) Whitelaw, CBE,

Far East Land Forces, in November 1971 Brigadier Whitelaw became ANZUK commander in Singapore. On completion of his 2-year term, he returned to a staff appointment at Army Headquarters in Canberra.[19]

John

Major General

Deputy Chief of the General Staff.[20]


Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Hughes (2002), pp. 538–539.
  2. ^ Scott (1941), p. 193.
  3. ^ Scott (1941), p. 199.
  4. ^ a b c "7th Battalion". Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 13 February 2010.
  5. ^ a b c "John Stewart Whitelaw". The AIF Project, ADFA. Retrieved 30 June 2010.
  6. ^ "3rd Military District of the Australian Army in Australia in September 1939". www.ozatwar.com. Retrieved 30 June 2010.
  7. ^ Mellor (1958), pp. 430–432.
  8. ^ "New Year Honours:Military Awards Only". The Canberra Times. 1 January 1942. p. 2. Retrieved 30 June 2010.
  9. ^ "Whitelaw, John Stewart: CBE(M)". Commonwealth of Australia. Retrieved 30 June 2010.
  10. ^ "WW2 Nominal Roll: Whitelaw, John Stewart". Commonwealth of Australia. Retrieved 30 June 2010.
  11. ^ "Whitelaw, John Stewart: CB(M)". Commonwealth of Australia. Retrieved 30 June 2009.
  12. ^ Interview transcript, 18 April 1989, with Captain(?) P.S. Whitelaw, Australian War Memorial. Accessed 22 October 2011.
  13. ^ Presidents, Cascabel, April 2007, Royal Australian Artillery Association (Victoria) Inc. Retrieved 22 October 2011.
  14. ^ CBE, June 1970, Brigadier Frederick Thomas Whitelaw, Australian War Memorial
  15. ^ Letters to the Editor Archived 17 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine, from Brigadier F.T. Whitelaw, CBE, The Duntroon Society, Newsletter 2/1997, pg10.
    In the letter he refers to: "My late elder brother, Major P.S. Whitelaw was named after and in honour of Price Jacob Morgan – the budding artist."
  16. ^ "Frederick Thomas Whitelaw". World War 2 Nominal Roll. Australian Government. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
  17. ^ LtCol Whitelaw & family, 1952 Archived 10 July 2012 at archive.today, Australian War Memorial. Similar. Archived 8 July 2012 at archive.today
  18. ^ In 1961, as commander of the Royal Tasmania Regiment, Colonel F.T. Whitelaw authorised publication of a Souvenir of celebrations to commemorate the sesqui-centenary of the founding of Anglesea Barracks in 1811. http://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2051045
  19. ^ Brig Benson takes over as Anzuk commander, The Straits Times, 4 March 1973, pg.9. Retrieved 22 October 2011.
  20. ^ Arthur Burke (2010) Vale Major General John Whitelaw AO CBE (RL), Australian Artillery Association. Retrieved 22 October 2011.

References

Further reading

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