World War One Service
Veteran Details
Regimental number |
691 |
Place of birth |
Georges Bay Tasmania |
Religion |
Roman Catholic |
Occupation |
Milkman |
Address |
Launceston, Tasmania |
Marital status |
Single |
Age at embarkation |
22 |
Next of kin |
Father, Burt Henning Whittle, GPO Launceston, Tasmania |
Enlistment date |
17 March 1916 |
Rank on enlistment |
Private |
Unit name |
40th Battalion, C Company |
AWM Embarkation Roll number |
23/57/1 |
Embarkation details |
Unit embarked from Hobart, Tasmania, on board HMAT A35 Berrima on 1 July 1916 |
Regimental number from Nominal Roll |
Commissioned |
Rank from Nominal Roll |
Lieutenant |
Unit from Nominal Roll |
40th Battalion |
Fate |
Returned to Australia 4 July 1919 |
Source: Above information from The AIF Project - UNSW Canberra at the Australian Defence Force Academy: https://aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=322503
OBITUARY
Sgt. B. H. Whittle
Regarded as one of Australia's most brilliant fingerprint experts, and a well known Identity of the police force, Plainclothes Sergt. Burt Henning Whittle, fingerprint and ballistics officer at Hobart headquarters, died suddenly at Sandford on Thursday. He was aged 54.
Sergt. Whittle, who had been in ill-health for some time, was taking his annual leave when his collapse occurred.
A member of the Tasmanian police force for about 25 years, Sergt. Whittle was appointed a constable at Hobart in 1921. He had an outstanding record of service in the First World War. He served as a second lieutenant with the 40th Battalion, A.I.F., and was decorated on the field with the Military Cross and received two additional awards.
In 1927 he was appointed asenior constable, and attained the rank of sergeant in 1935. He was highly commended on numerous occasions for excellent finger-printing work in the detection of crime. During the last war he gave valuable service as assistant director of civil defence at Hobart, giving many lectures and courses of instruction in civil defence.
Sergt. Whittle took an active interest in the Police Welfare Club, of which he was treasurer for some time. He leaves a widow (Zena).
There was an exceptionally large and representative attendance at the funeral at Cornelian Bay,
Hobart, yesterday afternoon. The cortege included 60 uniformed police, led by the Commissioner (Mr. Hill) and Supt. Dowling. The pall-bearers were six plainclothes detectives and six uniformed police acted as carriers.
Detective Goss, of Launceston, represented Det.-Supt: Brown and northern members of the C.I.B.
Source: Examiner Newspaper – Saturday 1 March 1947 (ex Trove: https://trove.nla.gov.au/ ).
Links
Link to First World War Nominal Roll: https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R2267149
Link to Discovering ANZACS at the National Archives Office: Site has been decommissioned - Notification at: https://www.naa.gov.au/help-your-research/discovering-anzacs - however we note that a "innovative new digital experiences" site will be commissioned soon.
Link to The AIF Project - UNSW Canberra at the Australian Defence Force Academy: https://aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=322503
