Private Peter James Wheatley
- Rank
- Private
- Appointment
- Australian Army 1942 Middle East
- Service number
- WX9452
- Unit
- 2/43 Battalion
- Cause of death
- Killed in Action
- Place of death
- El Alamein, Egypt
- Date of death
- 17 July 1942
- Age
- 36
- Plaque number
- L146A
- Co-located plaques
- L146 - PTE Peter Wheatley
- L146B - SPR Kenneth Burley
- Dedicated by
- His family on 17 August 2013
- More information
Biography presented during the plaque dedication:
Peter James Wheatley of 2/43rd Australian Infantry Battalion was born at Bridgetown, Western Australia, in May 1906. He was the son of Robert and Agnes Wheatley, and he had two brothers and three sisters. He was educated at Sunnyside State School and later at Guildford Grammar. His sporting activities included cricket and football. After leaving school, he took up farming in the district and married Hazel Cutmore in June 1933. They lived at Bridgetown and had three children, Wendy, Janet and Robert.
He enlisted at Claremont in December 1940 and joined 2/43 Battalion of 9 Division when the Battalion, which had been formed earlier in the year at Woodvale near Adelaide, arrived at Fremantle. They arrived at Port Tewfik, Egypt, in early 1941 and continued their training at Khassa near Gaza. The 2/43 Battalion were part of the Rats of Tobruk and did not leave Tobruk until October. They then moved to Syria for rest and training. In July 1942, they were rushed to El Alamein to counter the Axis offensive.
Private Peter James Wheatley, service number WX9452 of 2/43 Battalion, was killed in action at El Alamein on 17 July 1942. He was 38 years of age.
His official memorial is his grave in the El Alamein War Cemetery, El Alamein, Marsa Matruh, Egypt, where his headstone is inscribed with “Rest in peace”. His Roll of Honour is Bridgetown.
One of Peter’s mates wrote a letter to Peter’s brother, Bob, saying in part:
'Peter was no ordinary soldier, he had no nerves and he was as calm and steady under fire as any man I have ever yet seen.'
He is related to Private Peter George Wheatley (killed in action) and Sapper Kenneth Brooks Burley (died as a Prisoner of War).