Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Bio by Dan Jones "They Served." 

WHITTY, Francis Edward. Late VX26060 Private, Australian HQ Guard Battalion, and V16683 Private 12 Garrison Battalion.

Francis Edward "Frank" Whitty was born on the 15 July 1901 in Knowsley, Victoria, to Mary Ann Doyle (1860-1938) and William Whitty, a labourer. The second youngest of six children, the family grew up in Knowsley, a tiny town near Bendigo which as of 2016 had a population of 160. The children were (in order): William Albert "Bill" (1895-1961), George Luis (1896-1974), Arthur (1898-1967), John (1900-1900), Francis Edward "Frank" (1901-1974) and Ruby Pearl (1906-1907). Tragically, two of William and Mary's children died as infants.

When war broke out the three eldest boys answered the call. Bill, George and Arthur all enlisted early. Bill enlisted in September 1914 with the 8th Light Horse Regiment and later served with the 11th Field Artillery Brigade where he was gassed in France. George enlisted with the 7th Battalion in February 1915 and would be wounded twice, once in 1915 and again in 1918. Arthur would enlist in January 1915 with the 13th Light Horse, and later served with the 1st Light Horse Regiment, and, like his brothers, he would also be wounded, once in 1915 and again in 1918.

Not much is known about Francis' early life, except that by 1931, he was living in Emerald Hill, (now South Melbourne), and working as a labourer. In 1936 he would wed Eileen Carter (1903-1966) and together they would settle down at 37 Lambeth St Kensington, a small Victorian terrace house. Following the declaration of WWII, Francis answered the call. The almost 39 year old motor driver enlisted at the Town Hall recruiting office in Melbourne on the 11 June 1940. After a brief training period in Victoria, the newly minted VX26060 Private Francis Edward Whitty was posted to the 2/7th Battalion reinforcements. Arriving in Palestine in November 1940, he was soon transferred to the HQ 1st Australian Corps Guard Battalion. This unit was formed from men who were considered too old for front line service, and were nicknamed "The Old and the Bold". They were tasked with guarding the Corps HQ and base facilities in Palestine. Stationed at Kilo 89 Camp, in Gaza Ridge (89 km from Jerusalem), and graded as a Group II Cook, Francis would play his part helping to feed the troops that were stationed there as permanent staff and as others that were using the camp for desert training.
In an interview given to the UNSW Canberra for the Australians at War Film Archive, by WX1293 Lance Sergeant Edward 'Eddie' Roberts 6th Div. Signals in 2004, he recalls how "camel sausages… were big in Palestine", and the "food was pretty good, it might have been bland and tasteless, but it was good for you." (1) (australiansatwarfilmarchive.unsw.edu.au)

Sent back to Australia in May 1941 for 'special duty', Francis arrived back in Sydney in late May 1941. The Argus Newspaper (29 May 1941) reveals that this entailed guarding Italian prisoners of war on a transport ship from Greece to Melbourne. It states: "FOUGHT IN GREECE - Soldiers Here As Guards. First soldiers to return to Australia after fighting in Greece arrived in Melbourne yesterday. They were guards on a ship which brought Italian prisoners to Australia, and will spend 6 days' leave here. About 30 are Victorians and another group left for Adelaide last night.
They gave graphic accounts of the fighting in Libya and Greece and the evacution from Greece. An AA gunner who left Australia about 12 months ago served first in Libya and then spent about 6 weeks in Greece. The ship on which he left Greece was attacked repeatedly by dive-bombers.
All praised the work of the Navy in helping the evacuation. Pte. Frank Whitty of Kensington, said that Italian prisoners on the ship were quiet and orderly and did not seem to care what happened. They were allowed more freedom than could have been given to Germans. Some of the men thought that after months of fighting they should have been
given more than 6 days' leave to spend with their families." (2) (trove.nla.gov.au)

He was discharged at Caulfield on the 1 July 1941 due to his "services no longer [being] required, not due to misconduct".
Francis then reenlisted at Royal Park on the 2 July 1941 for home service. Francis, now almost 40 years old, was given the service number V16683, and was assigned as a Private with the 12th Garrison Battalion, a unit made mostly of "Class B men". These were the men who were only medically suitable for home service, with many being WWI veterans.
Transferred again to the HQ Guard Battalion a few days later, this unit spent most of its time stationed at the military camp at Royal Park, no doubt guarding the area. Francis was discharged on the 11 November 1941 as medically unfit for further service.

Post discharge, he appears to have resumed his pre-war occupation of a motor driver. Francis and Eileen continued to live in their modest terrace house together until her death in 1966. She is buried in the Roman Catholic section of the Melbourne General Cemetery. They had no children together. On the 14 November 1974, Francis Edward Whitty, a pensioner, passed away at his home in Kensington, Victoria, of a stroke and heart attack. He was 73 years old. A coroner's file held by the Public Records Office of Victoria reveals that his body was found covered in fleas, and that had been suffering from various health issues for years. It also goes on to state that no assets were identified, and that he had less than $80 at the time of his death. The informant listed on his death certificate was a friend who had known him for four years. As such, it is quite lacking in evidence. An investigation conducted by the police to locate Francis' next of kin in order so they could be notified of his death and make burial arrangements was fruitless. As a result, Francis was buried in an unmarked public grave in Springvale Botanical Cemetery the next month. A death certificate was not filed until February 1975.