#151 Peter Whitehead

Tony Park interviews World War II veteran Peter Whitehead.

Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. Peter Whitehead, born in 1923, is a veteran of World War II. He tried to join the Royal Australian Navy when war broke out but was rejected, instead becoming a ‘rough rider’ with the 2nd Remount Unit based at Holsworthy, in Sydney. After breaking in thousands of horses to support domestic war operations, he managed to join the Royal Australian Air Force, qualifying as a gunner. Peter was sent to one of the first B24 Liberator squadrons, in New Guinea and then flying bombing missions in the Pacific War from Darwin to Morotai. Today, Peter lives in New Zealand, and turned 100 years old on Christmas Day 2023.

He co-wrote his memoir, Bwana, There’s a Body in the Bath! with international bestselling Australian author Tony Park. Tony – an army veteran and previous guest on this podcast – interviewed Peter over an international Zoom call for Life on the Line. 

This episode was edited by Sophie Hu.

Referenced at the end of the podcast include:

• #4 Guy Griffiths
• #7 Tom Hughes
• #11 Andrew Robertson Vol I & Vol II
• #14 Hugh Kelly
• #20 Doug Gilling
• #27 Victor Power
• #34 Antony Greatrex
• #40 Rothesay Swan
• #42 Jack Bell
• #55 Avis Quarrell
• #59 Arthur Atkins
• #71 Bob Semple
• #81 Tony Park
• Christmas on the Line Vol III
• Life After Service - Tony Park
• #127 Reg Chard (also a video podcast)
• For School and Country
• Barney Greatrex

Additionally, you can hear Norton Duckmanton, Bevan Harris, Doug Symes Snr from the Life on the Sea miniseries, Holocaust survivor Phillip Maisel, and Alex Lloyd's interviews with two German World War II veterans: Eugen Pichurra and Horst Haase. 

To see photos related to today's interview, visit our website - www.lifeonthelinepodcast.com - or follow us on social media: @lifeonthelinepodcast on Facebook and Instagram, @LOTLpod on Twitter and 'Thistle Productions' on LinkedIn.