John Whitelaw (1921–2010)


 * Note that his father was also Major General John Stewart Whitelaw

Major General John Stewart Whitelaw AO CBE (11 June 1921 – 18 June 2010) was a career soldier in the Australian Army who rose to the position of Deputy Chief of the General Staff (1977–1978). In retirement he was very active on many councils and committees.

Early years
Whitelaw was born on 11 June 1921 in Hawthorn, Victoria into the military family of Major General John Whitelaw and his wife Esther Augusta née Norman. His brothers Fred and Norm also served as Artillery officers, Fred as a brigadier and Norm as a major. He attended schools in both rural and urban Victoria and from an early age displayed a penchant for mathematics. He attended Sydney Boys High School and Wesley College, Melbourne. In 1937 he commenced working as an indentured clerk with the paper merchants Spicers & Detmold Ltd in Melbourne.

Militia and WW II
On 11 June 1939, he enlisted in the Militia and served with 10 Field Brigade, Royal Australian Artillery. During his time with the Militia, he rose to the rank of Sergeant and served in Regimental and instructional positions. Based on his abilities and education, he was appointed a Provisional Lieutenant on 15 March 1940. He served with the Citizen Military Force (Full Time Duty) from 1 May 1940 to 25 September 1941, and the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) from 26 September 1941 to 9 September 1946.

His wartime service saw duty with: Arty Wing RTD, Royal Australian Artillery 10 Field Brigade; Eastern Command, 2 Military District; and 9 Field Brigade, 14 Field Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery. Whilst with Eastern Command, he was responsible for coastal defence on the Eastern seaboard. This experience exposed Whitelaw to radar, and he recognised this technology's potential and became a firm proponent of its use for domestic defence.

Whitelaw saw active service in New Guinea and Bougainville. He was wounded in action on Bougainville, however he remained on duty. Captain Whitelaw earned a mention in despatches on 6 June 1944 while serving as an artillery forward observer during an amphibious assault at Porton Plantation to cut off the withdrawing Japanese.

Post WW II
Following the cessation of hostilities, in September 1946 he returned to his job with Spicers in Melbourne. In December 1947 he married Nancy Bogle, and in 1948, Spicers transferred him to their Perth office.

When the Citizen Military Force (CMF) was restructured, Captain Whitelaw returned to the Active List with Headquarters Western Command on 4 July 1948. He applied for a commission in the Interim Army, and on 1 July 1949 began a full-time army career which consumed him for the next 29 years during which he rose to become a major general and Deputy Chief of the General Staff.

He served in several staff positions associated with movement control. He also served as Aide de Campe to the Governor of Western Australia. He was transferred to the Australian Regular Army (ARA) on 15 August 1952.

During 1955, Major Whitelaw, Nancy and their three young daughters enjoyed the Canadian Staff College at Kingston. He was subsequently appointed as the Exchange Instructor in Canada for the following 2 years.

Whitelaw continued to serve in various staff positions, which included: Headquarters Australian Army Force, Far East Land Force (FARELF); Chief of Operations, Operations Branch Army Office; and Army Headquarters, Canberra DEP (Director Equipment Policy). He also saw service in Vietnam and the United States.

On 21 April 1977, Whitelaw was appointed Deputy Chief of the General Staff, Department of Defence (Army Office). Whitelaw served in this position until 11 June 1978 when he retired from Australian Regular Army and was placed on Retired List, 2 Military District.

Retirement
Following his retirement from the military, Major General Whitelaw maintained close ties with veteran and Service organisations. On 20 July 1979, he became the inaugural executive director of the National Farmers Federation. He was active with the Department of Veterans Affairs and served on numerous councils including the Australian Veterans and Defence Services Council, and the Australian Capital Territory Treatment Monitoring Committee. Major General Whitelaw continued to write on military and social topics.

In November 2006 he was presented with Honorary Life Membership of the USI of the ACT, (Royal United Services Institute), in recognition of his enduring support of the organisation and its aims.

He died on Friday 18 June 2010; a military funeral was held at the Anzac Memorial Chapel, Duntroon at 1300hrs on Thursday 24 June 2010.

Personal
In retirement, Whitelaw and his wife, Mrs Nancy Lockhart Whitelaw, continued to reside in Canberra. He was survived by his wife, their three daughters, and many grandchildren.

Honours and awards









 * Order of Australia (Military) ribbon.png Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) 1977
 * Order of the British Empire (Military) Ribbon.png Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) 1971 (CAG 81/71)
 * 1939-45 Star.gif 1939–45 Star
 * Pacific Star.gif Pacific Star
 * War Medal 39-45 BAR MID.png War Medal 1939–1945 with oak leaves for Mentioned in Dispatches (MID) 1943 (CAG 43/47)
 * Australian Service Medal 1939-45 ribbon.png Australia Service Medal 1939–45
 * Australian Active Service Medal 1945-75 ribbon.png Australian Active Service Medal 1945-1975 with clasp Vietnam
 * Australian Service Medal 1945-1975 ribbon.png Australian Service Medal 1945-1975 with clasp PNG
 * Vietnam Medal ribbon.png Vietnam Medal
 * ElizabethIICoronationRibbon.png Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal (1953)
 * Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal ribbon.png Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal (1977)
 * DFSM with Rosette x 4.png Defence Force Service Medal with Four Clasps (35–39 years service)
 * Australian Defence Medal (Australia) ribbon.png Australian Defence Medal
 * National Medal with Rosette.png National Medal with First Clasp
 * Efficiency-Medal-Ribbon.jpg Efficiency Medal
 * Vietnam Campaign Medal Ribbon.png Vietnam Campaign Medal (South Vietnam)
 * Bronze Star ribbon.svg Bronze Star (United States of America)
 * Return from Active Service Badge

Source Documents

 * Member's Service Records
 * Medals Slip – World War II
 * PM Keys
 * Australian Army Orders, Gazette Notices and Supplements, General Orders & Regimental Lists
 * Who's Who in Australia
 * The Australian Roll of Honour (Honoured by the Queen)(1952–1998)
 * It's an Honour Website
 * Funeral notice, www.obits.com.au
 * http://www.theorderofaustralia.asn.au/quiet_australians/database/extra/extra418.pdf <!--

Major General John Whitelaw was born in Melbourne in 1921-His association with the Australian Army began when he enlisted in 10th Field Brigade,Royal Australian Artillery (Militia) in 1937 as a cadet. He was commissioned 15 March 1940 and subsequently served in artillery training units and 14th Field Regiment until 1942 when he became a liaison officer on the staff of 2nd Australian Division.in 1943 he transferred to the 4th Field Regiment and saw active service as a battery captain,troop commander and forward observer in New Guinea,Bougainville and New Britain until the end of World War 2.After nearly a year in Rabaul on movement control duties he returned to Australia and resumed civil employment,He was mentioned in despatches for his service as a forward observer in action in Bougainville. He returned to active duty in 1948 as adjutant 3rd Field Regiment and later on the staff of 13th Infantry Brigade.Service followed with lst Field Regiment as adjutant and battery commander of 'A' Field Battery. After a posting to Army Headquarters Whitelaw attended the Canadian Army Staff College in 1955 and for the next two years was an exchange officer at the Canadian National Defence Headquarters. Further staff appointments in Perth, Brisbane and Sydney followed his return to Australia in 1958.in 1966 he was transferred to the staff of Australian Army Force,Far East Land Forces in Singapore becoming Deputy Commander in 1!967. He returned to Australia in 1968 as Director of Equipment Policy at Army Headquarters and again went overseas in 1970,this time as Chief of Staff Australian Force Vietnam. He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire by Her Majesty and awarded the Bronze Star by the USA for this service.Appointments followed at Army Headquarters as Director of Military Operations and Plans and,on promotion to major general,as Chief of Operations, Chief of Personnel and finally Deputy Chief of the General Staff until retirement from the Australian Army in 1978.He was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in the Queen's Birthday Honours List in 1977. After retirement he served on the Council of the National Heart Foundation (ACT),became founding Executive Director of the National Farmers Federation (1979–1985), continued his association with the United Service lnstitution,was Colonel Commandant of the Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery until 1984,continued his interest in military history, particularly that of the Royal Australian Artillery,as patron of various associations and societies.in addition he has been active in matters concerning veterans'welfare since 1978,as national president of the Regular Defence Force Welfare Association and national vice-president of the Australian Veterans and Defence Services Council. His long standing involvement in environmental issues stemmed from his membership of the National Conservation Strategy Consultative Committee and the National Tree Program Coordinating Committee when they were set up in 1982. He continued this interest with Greening Australia as a consultant until 1996.He was given Greening Australia's Award for Outstanding Achievement in December 1996. -->