Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

He enlisted in AIF on 4 March 1940 and was allocated as SX1922 Gunner to the 2/3rd Field Regiment in Adelaide

Embarked for the Middle East on 13 August 1940

The regiment fought through Libya, and was involved in the allied capture of Tobruk - During this campaign he witnessed a close friend shot by a wounded Italian soldier whom his friend was dressing, this engrained in Arthur a deep hatred for Italian soldiers

From March 1941 the regiment was in Greece and was successfully evacuated following the allied defeat and sent to Crete as a part of an ad-hoc fighting force

Prior to the airborne invasion of Crete, Whyte was imprisoned following an AWOL charge; he spent four days locked up before he was given the option to fight on the frontlines, which he did. During the fighting Whyte was ‘left for dead’ until two of his mates carried him to the boats for evacuation; a story he recounted fondly following his discharge

He RTA and was discharged on 26 October 1942

Following discharge, he continued to work for the war effort in a munitions plant

He returned to a troubled life and continued to have run in’s with the law; on one account fighting with Italians; still bearing the hurt of the loss of a friend. Tragically Arthurs wife died in 1944 and he was left as a widower to raise his four daughters

Arthur passed away on 4 of May 1954 aged 46