Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Graham Ross White was born at Adelaide 12 August 1925, second son of Graham McKenzie and Selena Margaret (nee Seery) White. Graham and Selena ran the Post Office at Willowie from 1928 through to 1959.

Graham enlisted for service 2 October 1943, aged 18 years. He entrained to Queensland where he joined the 33 Australian Infantry Training Battalion (Btn) at Warwick, where he became qualified as a Driver, Motor Transport (MT) 18 January 1944.

28 March 1944 Graham was entrained to Sydney where he joined the 13/33 Australian Infantry Btn, part of 1 Infantry Brigade, which was defending the northern beaches of Sydney.  Each battalion had a Bren carrier platoon as well as sufficient trucks to be able to move around.  Graham was most likely a truck driver as his records do not show him completing a Bren carrier course. At that time the battalion was understrength. It was disbanded soon afterwards.

He joined the 22 Btn on 11 December 1944. The 22 formed part of the 4th Brigade and had recently returned to Australia after extensive service in New Guinea. After taking some well-earned leave they regrouped at Strathpine, in Queensland, for further training.

6 January 1945 Graham boarded the ‘Duntroon, disembarking at Jacquinot Bay, New Guinea. They were based at Wunung Bay, on the southern shore of Jacquinot Bay, for the next twelve months. This was quite an inactive period for the battalion as the Japanese threat to Wanung Bay was minimal and they spent most of their time training, but also carried out patrols. This period of inactivity explains the injury that Graham subsequently received.

His records state – ‘Evacuated to 105 Casualty Clearing Station with traumatic effusion to left knee. Accidentally injured. Investigation will be held.

The Investigating officer on 1st of September 1945 reported that

1.      The injury was sustained at approx 1400 hours on the 24th of August 1945 on the unit football ground in Jacquinot Bay area.

2.      The cause of the injury was – while playing football he attempted to kick a ball and felt a sharp pain in the left knee.’

After recovering from his injury Graham returned to his unit 11 October 1945.

Following Japan’s surrender Graham and the 4th Brigade moved into Rabaul as part of the occupation force. With the war over the ranks of the 22nd gradually thinned as men were discharged or transferred. Being one of the later enlistments, Graham did not leave Rabaul until 29 May 1946, disembarking at Sydney on 6 June. Here he ended up in hospital once more, suffering the effects of malaria.

Graham was finally discharged from the army 11 October 1946, having served a total of 1106 days, which included 517 days active service. On his return to civilian life Graham joined the South Australian Fire Brigade. He married Brenda Lois McCallum 18 August 1951 at the Willowie Methodist Church. They had three children, a son and two daughters.

Graham died on the 20 August 1992, aged 67 years of age. He is interred at Centennial Park Cemetery, Pasadena, South Australia, Services Family, Rose Bed 5, Position 031.

Excerpt taken from the book "Diggers From the Dust" (2018) Di Barrie & Andrew Barrie