Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Gordon Frederick Whitchurch Born 31st May 1900 Kings Meadow Tasmania Died 16 September 1942 Caulfield Victoria. Married Emily Alice Britton 1920. They lived in Bernie Tasmania. They had 3 children Rita, Dorothy & Roy (my father).
Gordon served on Gallipoli, then Egypt and then France. He suffered gassing & shell shock. According to a News Paper Article held by my Grandmother, Gordon claimed to be the youngest digger in the Army. He was on Gallipoli when he was 15 years old. He had followed his older brother into the Army when he signed up. On the Somme campaign, he lost one arm and half the other hand, and his Brother.
M father told me when he was in the Hospital (army leg injury) his father Gordon in the bed behind him. It was strange, when he was awakened his mother and sister's were at his bedside, his father had passed away during the night.
Judging by his photo, Gordon looked the same age as my son's when they were 16. How he could have been allowed to join up at that age staggers my belief.....