WHEELER, Reginald John
| Service Number: | W243651 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 14 June 1940, Perth, WA |
| Last Rank: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Unit: | Not yet discovered |
| Born: | SOUTH AUSTRALIA, 31 July 1906 |
| Home Town: | North Perth, Vincent, Western Australia |
| Schooling: | Sacred Heart College, and University of Adelaide, South Australia |
| Occupation: | Medical Practitioner |
| Died: | Perth Western Australia, 1 January 1975, aged 68 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: |
World War 2 Service
| 14 Jun 1940: | Involvement W243651 | |
|---|---|---|
| 14 Jun 1940: | Enlisted Perth, WA | |
| 14 Jun 1940: | Enlisted W243651 | |
| 17 Jun 1940: | Enlisted Perth, WA |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Annette Summers
WHEELER Reginald John MB BS
1906 - 1975
Reginald John Wheeler was born in Adelaide, on 31st July 1906. He was the son of George James Wheeler and Mary Gertrude, nee Manley. He was educated at Sacred Heart College, Glenelg. He studied medicine at the University of Adelaide, graduating in 1930. Wheeler married Annette Julie Sparkes-Harris at St Ignatius Church, Norwood, on 19th September 1933. She was the daughter of Mr and Mrs W Sparkes-Harris of Maitland, Yorke Peninsula, SA. Following their wedding Wheeler and his wife left for Wongan Hills, WA, a small rural town approximately 185 kilometres north-east of Perth, where he took up general practice. Wheeler moved to Perth and became a clinical assistant in medicine at the Perth Public Hospital, and appointed honorary assistant in psychiatry in 1939.
Wheeler enlisted in WW2 on 17th June 1940, when he was living in North Perth. He was posted as RMO of 2/28th Bn and embarked for Dimra, Palestine from Fremantle, in January 1941. Wheeler was still with the Bn during the siege of Tobruk from March until August 1941. During this time, he was attached from the Bn to 2/5th FdAmb and 2/4th AGH. Promoted major, in August 1941, he was posted to 2/3rd Australian Convalescent Depot (ACD) and then detached to 2/1st ACD. Wheeler returned to Australia in March 1942, and in the following September, was posted to 2/1st FdAmb for service in Papua New Guinea. He served with this unit until March 1943, when he was evacuated to 2/12 AGH at Warwick, QLD. After his recovery he was posted to 2/1st ACD on the Atherton Tablelands, QLD. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel in June 1944, and posted as CO to 109 ACD at Point Walter, WA. Wheeler was discharged from the Army on 22nd November 1944.
Following the war, Wheeler returned to Robinson Street, North Perth, in general practice, where he remained for the rest of his life. Reginald John Wheeler died in Perth, in 1975.
Source
Blood, Sweat and Fears III: Medical Practitioners South Australia, who Served in World War 2.
Swain, Jelly, Verco, Summers. Open Books Howden, Adelaide 2019.
Uploaded by Annette Summers AO RFD