David Whitehead

David Adie Whitehead
Whitehead (right) with General Thomas Blamey on Tarakan, 8 May 1945
Nickname(s)	"Torpy"
Born	30 September 1896 Leith, Scotland
Died	23 October 1992(1992-10-23) (aged 96)
Allegiance	Australia
Service/branch	Australian Army
Years of service	1913–54
Rank	Brigadier
Commands held	26th Brigade (1942–45) 2/32nd Battalion (1942) 2/2nd Machine Gun Battalion (1940–42) 1st Machine Gun Regiment (1937–40)
Battles/wars	First World War Western Front Second World War North African Campaign Second Battle of El Alamein South West Pacific Theatre Salamaua-Lae campaign Huon Peninsula campaign Battle of Tarakan
Awards	Commander of the Order of the British Empire Distinguished Service Order & Bar Military Cross Efficiency Decoration Mentioned in despatches (3) Croix de guerre (France)
Other work	Combustion engineer, manager, member of the Conciliation and Arbitration Commission

First World War

Second World War

David Adie Whitehead, CBE, DSO & Bar, MC, ED (30 September 1896 – 23 October 1992) was an Australian Army officer who fought in both World Wars and rose to the rank of brigadier.

Born on 30 September 1896 in Leith, Scotland, David Whitehead enlisted in the Australian Army as a cadet lieutenant in the Permanent Force on 1 September 1913. He received officer training at Royal Military College, Duntroon in Canberra and was commissioned as an officer on 4 April 1916. During his time at Duntroon, Whitehead earned the nickname of "Torpy", in reference to the Whitehead torpedo, and the sobriquet stuck with him for the remainder of his life. Upon graduation Whitehead was seconded to the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) in France where he commanded the 23rd Machine Gun Company from April 1917 until he was made adjutant of the 3rd Machine Gun Battalion in July 1918. He was awarded the Military Cross in September 1918 for leading a battery of eight machine guns under heavy fire during an attack in late August.

Whitehead left the full-time army after returning to Australia in 1919, but continued to serve in the part-time Citizens Military Forces (CMF). He held a number of regimental positions, and was promoted to lieutenant colonel and command of the 1st Machine Gun Regiment in October 1937.