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Record #5547

Name :: : Joseph T. WHITE (1927 - )
aka : Joe White
Father: :
Mother: :

BMD and other details

Date of Birth: : 1927 (approx.)
Marriage (1): :
Marriage (2): :
Date of Death: :

Abode (1) : Place of BirthEngland

Abode (2) : Place of Death / Burial

Sailing Information

Date of Arrival: : Jun 1928
Country: : Australia
Ship: : Ballarat
Placement Family: :

Homes / Agencys

Institution (GB): :
Agency: : Fairbridge Homes

NotesIn 1928, Joseph T. White, 7 (along with brother, William W. White, 11) arrived at Fremantle, Australia in a group of children from the Child Emigration Society, The Strand, London, England.

Joe White said that his years at Fairbridge had an enormous, but negative, effect on his life. "Organisations of that kind tend to attract a bigger proportion of people included to be more sadistic than ordinary people," he said. He told of sexual deviance and abuse towards the boys with whom he resided.

"The farm consisted of a number of cottages, each containing 14 boys and presided over by a cottage mother. If you were lucky you got a good cottage mother; if you weren't, like me, you got a religious maniac. There is nothing worse in this world than a religious maniac."

In 1988, Joe White published his first novel, Pringle's War, which was reviewed in Australia by Martin Stewart:

"Joining army was a release

If a nation were to design an upbringing for its sons that would steel them mentally and physically for the rigours of military life, then this autobiographical novel could serve as a manual.

The initiative and resolve of White's character [in his novel, Pringle's War], Joe Pringle, is born of the brutality of an orphanage life, and there's no mistaking the identity of the orphanage which fostered such burning hatreds in this WA author's pen.

From the cover, Pringle's War is a war story set in the western desert, but in truth it's as much Joe White's battle with authority, pomposity and prejudice. As such it's a biting indictment of his minders at Fairbridge, where he was consigned at a tender age, and a bitter assessment of the British class system as it manifested itself through its military graduates.

Joe Pringle's war did not begin in 1939 but the day he was born. The attitudes founded in the indignities and deprivations of orphanage life carry on through his adult years; child as father to the man.

Joining the army for Joe Pringle was a release, his first glimpse that he was a normal human being with a mind equal to, if not better, than the next.

He is the epitome of the Digger and his story is told in the language of the Australian soldier -- crude and colourful. He distrusts authority in any shape or form, the stiffer the officer's uniform the stiffer the bristles on the nape of his neck.

He relies on his instincts and his mates. rules for survival that served the author well. Jose White survived the desert and the jungle and in reality has lived to tell some of his tale through this book. ...

Take from his Manchester home and family at the age of two, Joe White found happiness in his post-war marriage and a farming life near Dardanup.

He later founded the Rats of Tobruk Association, has had several short stories published and is now retired in Perth. He pulls no punches in this book, merely veils the targets by the simple expedient of writing in a novel form. But the real objects of his wrath are there for all to see."

Joe published his autobiography in 1993, and an article was written by Bruce Butler about it and Joe's life:

"War survivor reveals the human side

'War is a very confusing business,' said Joe White, 72. He has seen more of life and death than most.

For much of his youth, Joe could be excused for thinking life itself was confusing. After his father died in 1924 leaving a young wife and seven children, Joe and his older brother Wally were fostered out, then shipped to Australia. Joe lived eight years at Fairbridge, near Pinjarra.

He left at 15, joined the army and served five years on the front line in some of Australia's bloodiest campaigns at Tobruk, El Alamein and the Pacific islands.

In the madness of Beirut he briefly met a brother he never knew. They spent just one night together, in 1942. That brother, Jack, was killed soon after.

Wally, the brother he grew up with at Fairbridge, met an English girl, married her and returned to UK, and they saw each other only once more.

Mr. White, who has written two novels, has now completed a 453-page autobiography about his remarkable journey through life.

He met his wife, Madge, in 1943 and married her three weeks later. This year they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.

Fairbridge was run by an ex-soldier who ruled with a strap, so Joe ws no stranger to discipline.

'I was a good solider. I was well trained," he said, "I sailed in 1941 and Wally, my brother, joined me at Tobruk. When we were in the breakthrough at Ruin Ridge (El Alamein), Wally was captured and later shipped across to a prisoner-of-war camp in Italy.

'I got postcards, with very basic details, saying he was okay, then I learnt later that he escaped and lived with the Italian partisans. He was badly frost-bitten and later lost his legs as a result of those injuries.

'I saw him briefly after the war but I never saw him again after that. I couldn't find him.'

From Tobruk, Joe moved on to Palestine and up through Syria to the Turkish border to stop the German advance via turkey to the Suez Canal. In Beirut, he was re-united with Jack.

'I got a 24-hour pass and that's where I had to walk up to a bloke and say 'I'm your brother Joe'. I'd never seen him since we were children, but it is a funny thing when you know he is your brother -- there is a bonding. We both got pretty full.'

Then they went the ways of their units and Jack was reported killed in the Sicily landing.

'I was lucky not to be a part of the main body of men who were lost. But the desert was tough -- there was no food, there was no water, it was a bad time. It was so hard', Mr White said.

'We would be in a vehicle, it was incredibly hot and dusty, swirling into our eyes and hair. Our food was covered in dirt.'

Mr White said the emotion of war -- and its traumatic effects -- were difficult to cope with.

When he returned to Perth in 1945, he was so badly affected by his experiences he could not use a telephone or ride on a bus.

'After it was over you wanted to go back to war.'"

ContributorsCreated : 2009-03-13 17:06:02 / From original database

Last Updated : 2009-03-13 17:47:18 /

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Surnames starting with: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 91 Entries

ID	Name	DOB	Place of birth	Arrivals & Ships	Dest.	Agency	Family links
19817	WAITE, George	1895	ENG,	Apr 1908 : Victorian	CAN	Hurst House Training Home
4636	WHITE, A	1897	ENG, SRY, Surbiton	Jul 1906 : City of Vienna	CAN	Ellinor Close
26474	WHITE, Albert	1896	ENG,	Mar 1906 : Dominion	CAN	Barnardos
17997	WHITE, Alfred	1901	ENG,	Mar 1909 : Dominion	CAN	Barnardos
5719	WHITE, Alice		ENG,	Aug 1875 : - Unknown -	CAN	Louisa Birt
21259	WHITE, Alice	1905	ENG,	Jun 1913 : Corinthian	CAN	Barnardos
2846	WHITE, Annie	1891	ENG, WAR, Birmingham	Jun 1909 : Carthaginian	CAN	Middlemore
10763	WHITE, Annie	1874	ENG,	Jun 1880 : Sarmatian	CAN	Maria Rye
6910	WHITE, Archie	1880	ENG,	Mar 1891 : Sarnia	CAN	Marchmont Homes (now Barnardos)
7891	WHITE, Arthur	1915	ENG, , Holloway	May 1931 : Laurentic	CAN	Waifs & Strays
11407	WHITE, Arthur	1900	ENG, , hull	Mar 1910 : Tunisian	CAN	Barnardos
20282	WHITE, Arthur	1890	ENG,	Oct 1905 : Tunisian	CAN	Catholic Emigration Association
22202	WHITE, Beaumont J. W.	1879	ENG,	Apr 1897 : Labrador	CAN	Barnardos
13890	WHITE, Bernard Garfield	1887	ENG, , Kings Norton	Apr 1904 : Southwark	CAN	Barnardos
6273	WHITE, Caroline	1898	ENG,	May 1910 : Corsican	CAN	Louisa Birt
20300	WHITE, Charles Henry	1872		Mar 1887 : Parisian	CAN	Barnardos
27016	WHITE, Charles Henry	1912	ENG, LND, Mile End	Aug 1921 : Themistocles	AUS	Fairbridge Homes
12975	WHITE, Charles W	1885	ENG,	Apr 1896 : Scotsman	CAN	Marchmont Homes (now Barnardos)
16490	WHITE, Cyril Thomas	1907	ENG,	Sep 1921 : Minnedosa	CAN	Barnardos
25703	WHITE, Doris	1902	ENG,	May 1909 : Corsican	CAN	Louisa Birt
9569	WHITE, Dorothy May	1905	ENG,	Oct 1920 : Scandinavian	CAN	Barnardos
26417	WHITE, Edith	1920		Jul 1931 : Oronsay	AUS	Fairbridge Homes
26443	WHITE, Edmund Davis	1900	ENG, ESS, West Ham	Jul 1913 : Belgic	AUS	Fairbridge Homes
4993	WHITE, Edward	1911	ENG, SRY, Wandsworth	Aug 1925 : Montnairn	CAN	Catholic Emigration Association
11801	WHITE, Edward	1901	ENG,	Oct 1910 : Sicilian	CAN	Barnardos
22950	WHITE, Edward James	1891	ENG,	May 1905 : Southwark	CAN	Fegan Homes for Boys
12280	WHITE, Edwin	1922	ENG, WAR, Aston	May 1932 : Jervis Bay	AUS	Fairbridge Homes
8633	WHITE, Eleanor	1912	ENG, LDN, London	Jul 1925 : Athenia	CAN	Barnardos
18004	WHITE, Emily	1885	ENG,	Oct 1900 : Tunisian	CAN	Barnardos
15358	WHITE, Emma	1863	ENG,	Jun 1871 : Prussian	CAN	Maria Rye
24310	WHITE, Frank	1911		Oct 1925 : Benalla	AUS	Barnardos
17776	WHITE, Fred	1896	ENG,	Jul 1905 : Southwark	CAN	Barnardos
17652	WHITE, Frederick	1901	ENG,	May 1911 : Tunisian	CAN	MacPherson Homes
24606	WHITE, Frederick	1898		Jun 1906 : Dominion	CAN	Barnardos
26569	WHITE, Frederick C G	1897	ENG,	Mar 1906 : Dominion	CAN	Barnardos
22695	WHITE, Frederick C.	1890	ENG,	Apr 1904 : Kensington	CAN	Fegan Homes for Boys
6375	WHITE, Frederick E.	1885	ENG,	Apr 1900 : Cambroman	CAN	Barnardos
11446	WHITE, George	1907	ENG,	Sep 1923 : Montcalm	CAN	Catholic Emigration Association
11628	WHITE, George	1899	ENG,	Aug 1906 : Dominion	CAN	Barnardos
14410	WHITE, George	1881	ENG,	1895 : - Unknown -	CAN	Waifs & Strays
23263	WHITE, George	1861	ENG,	Jul 1873 : Manitoban	CAN	MacPherson Homes
11706	WHITE, George W	1888	ENG,	May 1902 : Dominion	CAN	Barnardos
15591	WHITE, Gladys	1912	ENG,	Sep 1920 : Metagama	CAN	MacPherson Homes
27289	WHITE, Grace Mary	1924	ENG, DEV, Plymouth	Jul 1935 : Moreton Bay	AUS	Fairbridge Homes
16561	WHITE, Harold	1890	ENG,	Oct 1904 : Bavarian	CAN	Catholic Emigration Association
18850	WHITE, Harry	1883	ENG,	Sep 1899 : Arawa	CAN	Barnardos
24913	WHITE, Harry	1901		Mar 1910 : Tunisian	CAN	Barnardos
18353	WHITE, Henry	1884	ENG,	Apr 1901 : Dominion	CAN	Marchmont Homes (now Barnardos)
24866	WHITE, Henry	1894		Mar 1910 : Tunisian	CAN	Barnardos
13644	WHITE, James	1882	ENG,	May 1887 : Circassian	CAN	Liverpool Catholic Childrens Protective Society (now Nugent Care)
25536	WHITE, James	1899	ENG,	May 1909 : Corsican	CAN	Barnardos
11408	WHITE, James Hepton	1900	ENG, YKS, Hull	Mar 1910 : Tunisian	CAN	Barnardos
27017	WHITE, Jane	1910	ENG,	Aug 1921 : Themistocles	AUS	Fairbridge Homes
15161	WHITE, John	1899	ENG,	- Unknown -	CAN	Unknown
24197	WHITE, John	1853	ENG,	May 1870 : Scandinavian	CAN	Boy's Home Great Queen Street, London	Sandranne
21199	WHITE, John George	1915	ENG,	Jan 1927 : Ballarat	AUS	Fairbridge Homes
5547	WHITE, Joseph T.	1927	ENG,	Jun 1928 : Ballarat	AUS	Fairbridge Homes
8572	WHITE, Kathleen	1888	ENG, LDN, London	Oct 1900 : Tunisian	CAN	Barnardos
15172	WHITE, Laura	1892	ENG,	Jun 1900 : Siberian	CAN	Middlemore
4860	WHITE, Leonard	1914	ENG, , Burgess Hill	Apr 1925 : Montclare	CAN	Barnardos
11443	WHITE, Leonard	1908	ENG, , Wallasey	Jul 1923 : Montcalm	CAN	Catholic Emigration Society
2694	WHITE, Lillian Maud	1899	ENG, YKS, Hull	Oct 1913 : Corinthian	CAN	Barnardos
2845	WHITE, Louisa	1902	ENG, WAR, Birmingham	Jun 1909 : Carthaginian	CAN	Middlemore
16892	WHITE, Margaret	1899	ENG,	May 1909 : Corsican	CAN	Barnardos
2695	WHITE, Martha Jane	1901	ENG, YKS, Hull	Oct 1913 : Corinthian	CAN	Barnardos
8052	WHITE, Mary Ann	1846	ENG,	Jun 1869 : Austrian	CAN	Maria Rye
5209	WHITE, Molly	1925	ENG,	Sep 1935 : Duchess of Atholl	CAN	Fairbridge Homes
25462	WHITE, Percy	1895	ENG,	May 1909 : Corsican	CAN	Barnardos
21200	WHITE, Peter Bow	1916	ENG,	Jan 1927 : Ballarat	AUS	Fairbridge Homes
22210	WHITE, Richard	1873	ENG,	Jun 1886 : Circassian	CAN	Fegan Homes for Boys
11498	WHITE, Richard W	1905	ENG, , Newcastle under Tyne	May 1922 : Montcalm	CAN	Catholic Childrens Emigration Service of London
13028	WHITE, Thomas	1882	ENG,	Jul 1896 : Parisian	CAN	Catholic Emigration Society
13683	WHITE, Thomas		ENG,	May 1887 : Oregon	CAN	National Childrens Home
13684	WHITE, Thomas	1878		May 1887 : Circassian	CAN	Liverpool Catholic Childrens Protective Society (now Nugent Care)
18679	WHITE, Thomas	1899	ENG,	Sep 1911 : Lake Manitoba	CAN	Unknown Catholic Group
9570	WHITE, Victor	1905	ENG,	Mar 1914 : Sicilian	CAN	Barnardos
25951	WHITE, Victor Joseph	1912	ENG, LND, Islington	Feb 1924 : Euripides	AUS	Fairbridge Homes
8634	WHITE, Violet	1915	ENG, LDN, London	Jul 1925 : Athenia	CAN	Barnardos
9045	WHITE, Violet M	1896	ENG,	Aug 1910 : Tunisian	CAN	Barnardos
2696	WHITE, Violet Mae	1903	ENG, YKS, Hull	Oct 1913 : Corinthian	CAN	Barnardos
14165	WHITE, Wilfred Ormond	1889	ENG,	Jul 1899 : Lake Huron	CAN	Barnardos
6911	WHITE, William	1881	ENG,	Mar 1891 : Sarnia	CAN	Marchmont Homes (now Barnardos)
11223	WHITE, William	1893	ENG,	May 1900 : Tunisian	CAN	MacPherson Homes
11224	WHITE, William	1893	ENG,	Oct 1900 : Tunisian	CAN	Barnardos
14690	WHITE, William	1871	ENG,	Aug 1884 : Sarmatian	CAN	Board of Guardians (Various)
24196	WHITE, William	1852	ENG,	May 1870 : Scandinavian	CAN	Boy's Home, Great Queen Street, London
26725	WHITE, William	1901		Oct 1910 : Sicilian	CAN	Barnardos
20113	WHITE, William Hy	1871	ENG,	Jun 1886 : Lake Superior	CAN	Barnardos
11591	WHITE, William John	1913	ENG, LDN, London	Sep 1924 : Melita	CAN	Barnardos
5548	WHITE, William W.	1917	ENG,	Jun 1928 : Ballarat	AUS	Fairbridge Homes
21396	WHITE, Winnifred	1899	ENG,	Jun 1913 : Corinthian	CAN	Barnardos
ID	Name	DOB	Place of birth	Arrivals & Ships	Dest.	Agency	Family links

Surnames starting with: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 91 Entries

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