Wheatley Victoria Cross presentation to the AWM DPR/TV/593

The wife, mother, sister and children of the late Warrant Officer Kevin Wheatley arrived in Canberra this morning to attend an investiture at Government house, and watch 12 year old George Arthur Wheatley receive the Victoria Cross, posthumously awarded to his father who was killed in Vietnam. At Canberra airport, the family was meet by Colonel Cameron Percy West of Army Headquarters, and the former Commanding Officer of the Australian Army Training Team, Vietnam, Lieutenant-Colonel Russell George McNamara. Wheatley was a member of the team when he was killed. It was a big day in the lives of the Wheatley family, especially for young George and his mother. For the children, it was their first ride in an aircraft, and now they were off on a VIP tour of the National Capital, starting with a visit to the Australian War Memorial. Here they were met by the Director of the Memorial Mr W R Lancaster, and taken on a tour of the building, starting at VC Corner. There they saw the collection of Victoria Cross Medals which have been donated over the years. Mr Lancaster gave the background of some of the medals to Warrant Officer Wheatley's mother. The group then went on to the Hall of Memory. The Hall of Memory is a solemn, silent place, but the children were full of questions. After the tour, Mr Lancaster presented young George with a copy of the book "They dared mightily", a history of previous V.C. winners. After a quick look at the Japanese submarine on display outside the Memorial, the party moved on their next function, lunch at a leading hotel. At Government House, the Band of the Royal Military College played, providing suitable music for the occasion. On the portico of Government House, the Governor General Lord Casey, looked at the nation's highest award for valour and handed it to George.