For sale - 1914 – 15 Star, impressed named 1187 PTE V. C. WITNEY. 11/BN.A.I.F.; British War and Victory Medals, impressed named
1187 A/SGT. V. C. WITNEY. 11-BN.A.I.F., medals with folded ribbons, having never been worn.
Gallipoli plaque, engraved named V. C. WITNEY, in case, with box of issue & rising sun collar badge & extracts from service records.
Sergeant Vernon Claude Witney was living at Korrelocking, Wyalkatchem when he enlisted at Helena Vale, Western Australia at the age of 23 on the 25/9/1914. He sailed HMAT Themistocles A32 for Egypt in late 1914 and would certainly have been a 1st Day Lander at Gallipoli with the rest of the 11th Battalion. He is shown as having been promoted to Lance Corporal at Gallipoli on the 4/9/1915, thereafter being withdrawn as a result of shell shock, being hospitalised in Bombay 14/10/1915 and returned to Australia for a rest and returned to active duty 6/4/1916.
He is shown as having been allotted to the 51st battalion in France 13/5/1917 and being wounded in the left forearm (severe) on 9/6/1917 and again wounded in France on 20/4/1918 in the left arm and left leg. He was hospitalised on both occasions and was returned to Australia 21/7/1918 and discharged in Perth 3/10/1918.
He applied for his Gallipoli plaque by letter on the 26/8/1967 and died in Manning, Perth, WA, 7/2/1982, aged 90 years.