John Woods Whittle

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John Woods Whittle VC, DCM (3 August 1869–2 March 1946) was an Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

Whittle was born on Huon Island, Tasmania in 1869 and enlisted in Tasmania's 4th Contingent which saw action in the Cape Colony 1901–1902.

He was 33 years old, and a sergeant in the 12th Battalion, (S.A., W.A. & Tasmania), Australian Imperial Force during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On 9 April 1917, near Boursies, France, Sergeant Whittle was in command of a platoon when the enemy, under cover of an intense artillery barrage, attacked the small trench he was holding and, owing to their numbers, succeeded in entering it. Sergeant Whittle collected his men, charged the enemy and regained the position. On a second occasion, when the enemy broke through our line and tried to bring up a machine-gun to enfilade the position, Sergeant Whittle rushed across the fire-swept ground and attacked the enemy with bombs, killing all of them and capturing the gun.

He died in Glebe, New South Wales in 1946 and was buried in Rookwood cemetery.

[edit] References

• Stephen Allen, 'Whittle, John Woods (1882-1946)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 12, Melbourne University Press, 1990, pp 479-480
• Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
• The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)