Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Leading Aircraftman George Frederick Witney (Service No:53453) enlisted in the RAAF on 4 April 1942 at No 1 Recruiting Centre Melbourne as an Aircraftman I, and posted to No 1 Recruit Depot (RD) Shepparton - mustered as Aircraft Hand. During 1942 he was promoted to Leading Aircraftman - mustered as Driver, Motor Transport. In 1943 LAC Witney was attached to No 1 Embarkation Depot (ED) Ascot Vale, and in the Northern Territory with No 55 Operational Base Unit (OBU) Gorrie at Birdum, No 3 Works Maintenance Unit, and No 7 Repair and Salvage Unit (RSU). In 1944 he continued in Darwin with No 7 RSU and No 457 Squadron at Sattler before transferring to Werribee and Melbourne. LAC Witney was attached to 1 Central Recovery Depot at Discharge on 25 October 1945. One of four brothers serving in the RAAF and two in the Army, LAC Witney took several periods of Leave Without Pay to help with farm work due to labour shortages.

Born in Jeparit, Victoria in 1906, George was fourth of ten children Walter William Witney (b1870 in Dimboola, Victoria) and Emilie (Millie) Pauline Miller (b1901 in Dimboola, Victoria). Walter (a Farmer) and Millie married in Dimboola in 1901 and settled at Jeparit where they raised their family and Walter was a Farmer. In the 1920s the family moved to Aubrey, Warracknabeal, Victoria where Walter was a Farmer.

George worked as a Farm Hand in Hopetoun and was in Wongan Hills, Western Australia in 1933 when he married Joyce Marjorie Millsteed (b1914 in Northam, WA) - George's older brother Wally was working in Perenjori, WA. In 1934 George and Joyce settled in Culgoa nr Wycheproof, Victoria where George worked as a Farmer in partnership with his brother Gilbert. In his Attestation Papers, George stated he also had experience working as a Radio Mechanic. George and Joyce remained at Culgoa where George was a Farmer. George died in 1974 and Joyce in 1993.