Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

James Francis Whitaker (Jim) was born in England and emigrated to Australia under the Dreadnought Scheme in 1928 when he was only 17. The aim of the Scheme was to bring boys from good families to Australia and train them to be farmers. He was the only member of his family ever to migrate.

He worked on properties in rural NSW until the war when he was among the first to enlist. After 6 years in the army, he married Margaret and returned to NSW rural life for a couple of years before settling on the Atherton Tableland where he worked in the retail trade for the rest of his working life and became a pillar of the community. He and Margaret had a daughter and three sons. They retired to the Toogoolawah district in southern Queensland to be close to their daughter, Janet and her family. Jim and Margaret are buried together in Toogoolawah Cemetry.

If researchers are ever in search of testimony of the success of the Dreadnought Scheme, they need look no further than James Francis Whitaker, farmer, soldier, shopkeeper, community leader, husband, father and family man.

An obituary in the "Cairns Post" described Jim as a "scrupulously honest, hard working, cheerful man, always meticulous about his appearance and punctual with his work. Jim Whitaker was an English gentleman who became an Aussie and was an absolute credit to his adopted land."