1914-15 Star : Private Lionel Whitelaw, 6 Battalion AIF

1914-15 Star. Impressed reverse with recipents details.

2324 Private Lionel Whitelaw was born in the Victorian town of Briagolong to Robert and Annie Whitelaw. In November 1914, at the age of 24, he enlisted in the AIF. He joined the 6th Battalion as a reinforcement joining the unit in Egypt in March 1915. As part of his unit Private Whitelaw took part in the Landing at Anzac Cove on 25 April, attacking in the second wave. He was evacuated from the Peninsula in May suffering from an unspecified wound, arriving in Malta at the end of the month. He would remain in hospital, first in Malta and then in England before being returned to Australia, reportedly suffering from rheumatism. He was discharged on 25 July 1916. Lionel married Martha Hood in 1917 and they had seven children together before Martha died in June 1933. Lionel died a few months later on 14 September 1933.

Private Whitelaw was one of six Whitelaw brothers that enlisted in the AIF. Three of his brothers died during the war: Corporal Ivan Cecil Whitelaw MM, killed on 23 April 1918, Sergeant Robert Angus Whitelaw, killed on 3 May 1917and Private Angus McSween Whitelaw, killed on 25 August 1916. A fourth brother, Private Kenneth Whitelaw, received a gunshot wound to the chest and was invalided back to Australia, dying from the wound in 1922. The final brother, Sergeant Donald John Whitelaw, survived the war.

• British War Medal 1914-20 : Private Lionel Whitelaw, 6 Battalion AIF
• Victory Medal : Private Lionel Whitelaw, 6 Battalion AIF