Wilford Whittle
Wilford William Whittle | |
|---|---|
 Brigadier Whittle at Victoria Barracks, December 1945. | |
| Born | 30 August 1892 Youanmite, Victoria |
| Died | 17 June 1964 (aged 71) Melbourne, Victoria |
| Allegiance | Australia |
| Service | Australian Army |
| Years of service | 1912–1948 |
| Rank | Major General |
| Commands | Master-General of Ordnance (1945–48) Director of Ordnance Services (1940) 3rd Heavy Artillery Brigade (1939–40) 2nd Heavy Artillery Brigade (1939) 9th Heavy Artillery Battery (1936–39) |
| Battles / wars | First World War Second World War |
| Awards | Mentioned in Despatches |
Major General Wilford William Whittle (30 August 1892 – 17 June 1964) was a senior officer of the Australian Army who served in both the First and Second World Wars.[1]
Early life and career
[edit]Whittle was born on 30 August 1892 in Youanmite, Victoria, and was commissioned into the Siege Artillery Brigade, 36th Heavy Artillery Brigade, on 21 May 1915.[2]
Lieutenant Whittle embarked at Melbourne in July 1915,[3] was wounded in action in December 1916, promoted to captain in November 1917 and was Mentioned in Despatches.[4][5]
In February 1919, Whittle attended Ordnance Courses at the Ordnance College Woolwich, London, and was subsequently promoted to major.[4]
By 1936 Whittle had been promoted to lieutenant colonel and commanded the Northern Territory garrison from 13 April 1936 to 12 March 1939.[2] This was during a period of increasing world tension in the lead up to World War II and there were limited forces available there with only 4 officers and 84 other ranks present there. In 1937 the Northern Standard stated their belief that the town was a "death trap for the garrison which could not fight a bigger force than a cruiser's landing party".[6] Whittle left the posting in March 1939 and was replaced by AB MacDonald who oversaw a build up of personnel and resources at the site.[7][8]
Whittle Street in Larrakeyah Barracks, Darwin, commemorates this command.[9]
Second World War
[edit]A commander of various brigades of the Royal Australian Artillery during the early months of the Second World War, Whittle became Deputy Master-General of Ordnance in November 1940, and later Master-General of Ordnance,[1] a post he held until his retirement in 1948.[10] On retirement Whittle was granted the honorary rank of major general from 31 December 1948.[4]
He died in Melbourne on 17 June 1964.[1]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c The Victorian Historical Magazine. No. 33–36. 1962. p. 93.
{{cite magazine}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ a b "Wilfred Whittle". Territory Stories. Northern Territory Library. hdl:10070/235501.
- ^ "First World War Embarkation Rolls – Wilfred William Whittle". Australian War Memorial. Nominal Roll
- ^ a b c "Service record". National Archives of Australia.
- ^ "Honours and Awards (MID)". Australian War Memorial. Gazetted 31 December 1918.
- ^ "Fortifying Darwin". Northern Standard. No. 94. Northern Territory, Australia. 30 November 1937. p. 5. Retrieved 20 January 2025 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "NT as new military district". Northern Standard. No. 21. Northern Territory, Australia. 14 March 1939. p. 7. Retrieved 20 January 2025 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ Haydon, J (2008). "Wilford William Whittle (1892-1964)". Northern Territory Dictionary of Biography (Rev ed.). Darwin: Charles Darwin University Press. p. 637. ISBN 9780980457810. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
- ^ "Whittle Street". NT Place Names Register. NT Govt.
- ^ Who's Who in Australia. Herald and Weekly Times Limited. 1950. p. 753.
{{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty|title=(help)
External links
[edit]- Wilford Whittle, www.generals.dk