Eric William Wheatley

Eric William Wheatley

Personal Information
Date of Birth	13 Sep 1914
Place of Birth	Kelmscott, Western Australia
Death	18 Nov 1974
Place of Death	Bayswater, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	26 years, 9 months
Occupation	Blacksmith
Religion	Church of England
Address	West Perth, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Mother , Mrs Claribel Teuma Wheatley
Military Information
Reg Number	W24089 & WX14665
Date of Enlistment	25 Jun 1941
Rank	Corporal
Unit/Formation	1st Australian Provost Company
Military Movement
1st Departure from Australia
Journey Dates	7 Nov 1941 ‒ 22 Nov 1941
Transport Details	Queen ?? Fremantle to Suez
Return to Australia
Journey Dates	31 Jan 1942 ‒ 12 Feb 1942
Transport Details	SS Mauretania Suez to Bombay
Journey Dates	13 Feb 1942 ‒ 14 Mar 1942
Transport Details	HMT Egra Bombay to Fremantle
Post War Details
Fate	Returned to Australia Medical Discharge

Pre War

Living at 7 Francis street, Mt Lawley at time of enlistment in the 2nd AIF

War Service

Entered the Claremont Recruit Reception Camp on 25 Jun 1941 before transferring to the 3rd Recruit Training Depot at Northam on 1 Jul 1941. On 14 July he was charged with having been AWOL from midnight 13 Jul 1941 until 11:15am on 14 Jul 1941. He was fined 5/- and lost a days pay (5/- or 50 cents). On 20 Aug 1941 he was transferred to the 3rd Australian Corps Physical & Recreation Training School at Ascot. On 11 Sep 1941 he was admitted to the Ascot Camp Hospital with pharingitis before being discharged to duty on 15 Sep 1941. On 21 Sep 1941 he had returned to the 3rd Training Battalion at Northam. He was transferred on 10 Oct 1941 to the General Reinforcements Pool with the 4th Training Battalion and allocated tothe 2/32nd Battalion draft. Eric was granted pre-embarkation leave from 14 - 23 Oct 1941 before embarking on 7 Nov in Fremantle for the Middle East. He had boarded either the Queen Mary or the Queen Elizabeth which sailed together to Suez via Trincomalee in Ceylon (Sri Lanka). On 22 Nov 1941 they arrived at Suez and the troops disembarked from Queen Mary and then Queen Elizabeth.

On 26 Nov 1941 Eric was admitted to the 2/1st Australian General Hospital with a fractured Manible, returning to duty on 3 Dec 1941, seemingly with the 2nd Echelon. On 21 Jan 1942 he was posted to the 1st Australian Provost Company, and promoted to Acting Corporal. Ten days later on 31 Jan 1942 he boarded SS Mauretania in Port Tewik (Suez) for Bombay. On 13 Feb 1942 he embarked on {HMT Egra]] for Fremantle. Disembarking is not recorded but he was AWOL in Fremantle from HMT Egra from midnight 17 Mar 1942 until 12:15pm on 23 Mar 1942. Dealt with on 24 Mar 1942, Eric was Reprimanded, and forfeited 6 days pay. He was then placed on a train for the eastern states where on 25 Apr 1942 his rank of Corporal was confirmed.

On 4 Jul 1943 Eric was admitted to the 117th Australian General Hospital in Toowoomba, Queensland until 13 Jul 1942 when he was discharged and returned to his unit. Soon after he had another period in 117th Australian General Hospital, from 12 Oct 1942 until 7 Nov 1942 sufferiing with scabies. Eric was granted leave in WA from 29 Dec 1942 until 16 Jan 1943. It seems that he remained in WA as on 22 Apr 1943 he was admitted to 110th Australian Base Hospital with Sinusitis until 11 May 1943 when he was released to the Medical Wing of Western Command Recruit Reception & General Details Depot. On 31 May 1943 he was re-admitted to 110th Australian Base Hospitalfor a nasal procedure, and on 10 June he was again back with the Medical Wing of Western Command Recruit Reception & General Details Depot. On 1 Jul 1943 he was medically reclassified as 'D' and was discharged on 8 Aug 1943 as Medically Unfit (1) Post concussion headaches, (2) ruptured Adductor Longus.

Post War

Electoral Roll entries: 1958 - 1968 at 46 Salisbury street, Bayswater, blacksmith. Married Mary Lynch in 1941..

Notes

Son of Thomas William Wheatley. On CMF enlistment gave his occupation as Blacksmith, truck driver when enlisting in the 2nd AIF.