British War Medal 1914-20 : Sergeant J W Whittle, 26th Battalion, AIF

British War Medal 1914-20. Impressed around edge with recipient's details.

John Woods 'Jack' Whittle was born to Henry and Catherine (née Sullivan) Whittle at Huon Island, Tasmania on 3 August 1882. Little is known of his early life leading up to his enlistment in the Fourth Tasmanian (Second Imperial Bushmen) Contingent for the Boer War, embarking from Hobart for South Africa on 27 March 1901. Following the contingent's return in June 1902, Whittle joined the Royal Navy and served as a stoker on ships of the Australian Station for five years.

Deserting the navy in 1906, Whittle turned to the regular army. He married Emily Margaret Roland in July 1909. He served in the Army Service Corps for three and a half years followed by a year with the artillery and five years with the infantry before his enlistment in the AIF on 6 August 1915. Originally posted as reinforcement to 26 Battalion, Whittle embarked on HMAT Ulysses from Melbourne on 27 October. Soon after arriving in Egypt he was transferred to 12 Battalion and on 14 March 1916 promoted to corporal.

Arriving with the battalion in France on 4 April, Whittle was promoted to lance sergeant on the 13th. In action near Fleurbaix on 18 June, he was wounded in the arm and evacuated to England, returning to his unit on 16 September. The following month he was promoted to sergeant.

In fighting near the village of le Barque on 27 February 1917, Whittle was awarded a Distinguished Conduct Medal for his actions in neutralising a German strong point. Captain James Ernest Newland, Whittle's company commander, was wounded in the encounter.

By early April only three 'outpost villages' remained between the 1st Australian Division and the Hindenburg Line; Boursies, Demicourt and Hermies. 12 Battalion was charged with capturing Boursies, unassisted apart from some flanking protection from 10 Battalion. Newland's company, including Whittle as a platoon leader, along with a platoon of 'B' Company was given the task of attacking the town proper while the remainder of 'B' Company along with 'C' and 'D' Companies advanced on the left flank. On the evening of 7 April the battalion assembled for the attack planned for early the following morning.

At 4am on 8 April Newland's party moved off to their first objective; a windmill held by the Germans around 400 metres short of the village. With the Germans directing their fire on Newland's party, casualties soon mounted as the line rushed the mill, but their unchecked charge convinced the enemy to retire to the village. The company quickly consolidated their gains at the mill with Whittle sent to establish a post in a forward trench.

Enemy artillery fire began almost immediately on the newly captured trenches and continued throughout the day. At 10pm that evening the Germans mounted a concerted counter-attack, forcing the Australians to concede many of their gains. With the line threatening to collapse, Newland, with assistance from Whittle, hurriedly reorganised the men, called up reinforcements and continued to monitor and reinforce weak points.

Their efforts managed to stay further losses, however, by the time the lost ground was retaken, Newland's exhausted company was withdrawn before they could realise the taking of the town. Boursies was finally captured around dawn on 9 April. The 26 hours of continual fighting cost the battalion 256 casualties, with Newland's company alone accounting for over 100.