page_title: John Whittle
section_title: Later war service
hierarchical_section_title: John Whittle / First World War / Later war service
caption_attribution_description: English: AWM caption: Melbourne, Australia, 1918-10. Aboard the troop transport Medic. Ten Victoria Cross winners of the First Australian Imperial Force who were invited by the Prime Minister of Australia, W.M. Hughes, to return to Australia to assist in recruiting campaign. Back row, left to right: SGT. W. Peeler, VC, 3rd Pioneers Battalion; Corporal T. J. Bede Kenny, VC, 2nd Battalion; SGT. J. W. Whittle, VC, DCM, 12th Battalion, CPL. J. C. Jensen, VC, 50th Battalion; PTE. J. Carroll, VC, 33rd Battalion. Centre row: Lieutenant J. J. Dwyer, VC, 4th Machine Gun; LIEUT. L. Keysor, VC, 1st Battalion; LIEUT. W. Ruthven, VC, 22nd Battalion. Troop Transport Medic Officer, 1st Officer CAPT. Simmons. Front row: Sergeant R. R. Inwood, VC, 10th Battalion; SGT. S. R. McDougall, VC, 47th Battalion.
context_page_description: John Woods Whittle, VC, DCM was an Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest decoration for gallantry "in the face of the enemy" that can be awarded to members of the British and British Commonwealth armed forces. Whittle was serving as a sergeant in the First World War when he was decorated with the Victoria Cross following two separate actions against German forces during their retreat to the Hindenburg Line in 1917. In the latter action, he attacked a machine gun crew, killing the group and seizing the gun.
  Born in Tasmania, Whittle completed twelve months active service during the Second Boer War, before returning to Australia and enlisting in the Royal Navy where he served for five years as a stoker. Re-enlisting in the army, he was posted to the Army Service Corps, artillery, and Tasmanian Rifle Regiment prior to the outbreak of the First World War. Transferring to the Australian Imperial Force in 1915, Whittle joined the 12th Battalion in Egypt and embarked for the Western Front the following year.
context_section_description: In late April 1917, Whittle spent three days in a field hospital receiving treatment for psoriasis, before embarking for England on attachment to a training battalion. Joining the unit on 6 May, he once again underwent an eight-day furlough in a military hospital later in the month. During this time, Whittle attended an investiture ceremony in the forecourt of Buckingham Palace on 21 July, where he was decorated by King George V with his Victoria Cross and Distinguished Conduct Medal.
  Re-embarking for France on 25 August, Whittle rejoined the 12th Battalion which had subsequently moved to Belgium in preparation for another offensive at Ypres. On 1 October, he was the subject of a General Court Martial in the field, charged with two offences committed on 27 September: 1. Drunkenness while on active service; 2. Conduct to the prejudice of good order and Military Discipline while on active service, in that when the commanding officer was addressing a parade he called out words to the effect of: "But we are good soldiers though". He was found guilty of both offences, and sentenced to be reduced to the rank of corporal. Following four days detention during the trial, Whittle re-joined the 12th Battalion on 8 October.
  The 12th Battalion spent the next two months engaged in minor operations in Belgium, before once again transferring to the trenches in France during December. During this time, Whittle was re-promoted to the rank of sergeant. With the commencement of the German Spring Offensive of 1918, the 12th Battalion assisted in repulsing the assault in the months of March and April. While engaged in this operation, Whittle was wounded on 19 March and admitted to a field hospital suffering shrapnel wounds to his right hand. Recovering from the wound, he returned to the 12th Battalion in April. Later that month, Whittle was charged with conduct to the prejudice of good order and Military Discipline a second time for mutilating his pay book; he was reprimanded by the battalion's commanding officer as a result.
  In June 1918, Whittle was posted to the 2nd Army Central School for a five-week stint. Returning to the 12th Battalion in mid-July, Whittle was wounded in action for the third time; suffering shrapnel wounds to his right elbow, he was admitted to the 3rd Australian Field Ambulance on 25 July. Evacuated to England, he was admitted to the Central Military Hospital, Eastbourne, before transferring to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Dartford, two weeks later. During this time, Billy Hughes, as Prime Minister of Australia, invited several of Australia's Victoria Cross recipients of the war to return to Australia and assist in a recruiting drive; Whittle was among a group of ten who accepted the offer. The party embarked aboard HMAT Medic on 24 August, bound for Melbourne. Arriving seven weeks later, Whittle returned to Tasmania and assisted with recruiting on the island during the last few weeks of the war. Following the Armistice, he was discharged from the Australian Imperial Force on 15 December 1918.
caption: The group of ten Australian Victoria Cross recipients repatriated to Australia to assist in recruitment pictured on HMAT Medic with three naval officers. Whittle is in the centre of the back row.
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