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

Wally White joined the Australian Armed Forces. He joined his brother, Joseph White, in 1941 in Tobruck. They both fought in the breakthrough at Ruin Ridge (El Alamein), but Wally was captured and later shipped across to a prisoner-of-war camp in Italy.

Wally White escaped from the POW camp and lived with the Italian partisans. He was badly frost-bitten and later lost his legs as a result of those injuries.

After the war, Wally met an English girl, married her and returned to England.

Wally and his brother Joseph saw each other once more after the war, but he disappeared and his brother could not find him.