Sergeant John Woods Whittle V.C. Print Page 
The plaque commemorates Victoria Cross recipient, Sergeant John Whittle, who was a member of the 12th Battalion during World War One.
The 12th Battalion carried out a diversionary attack on the village of Boursies on 9 April 1917; Whittle led his platoon in the initial assault. The Germans resisted fiercely and counter-attacked at 10 p.m. Whittle checked and steadied the forward posts until Newland came forward to organize the defence and regain lost ground. After a four-day spell out of the line, the battalion advanced close to Lagnicourt.
At 4 a.m. on 15 April the enemy mounted a surprise counter-attack. 'A' Company was forced from its trenches to a sunken road where Newland and his men made a stand. Whittle saw the Germans bringing up a machine-gun. He 'rushed alone across the fire-swept ground', attacked the enemy with bombs before the weapon could be brought into action, killed the crew and captured the gun. For his heroism at Boursies and Lagnicourt he was awarded the Victoria Cross.
Location
| Address: | 21 Louisa Street, Cygnet Primary School, Cygnet, 7112 |
|---|---|
| State: | TAS |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -43.158323 Long: 147.071293 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Plaque |
|---|---|
| Monument Theme: | People |
| Sub-Theme: | Military |
| Actual Event Start Date: | 04-August-1914 |
| Actual Event End Date: | 28-June-1919 |
| Link: | http://adbonline.anu.edu.au/adbonl… |
Dedication
Sgt. JOHN WOODS
WHITTLE
12th, Aust Inf Bn, A.I.F.
Born : 3rd, August 1883
Huon Island, Port Cygnet Tas.
Awarded VC : 9 - 15th, April 1917
At Bapaume - Cambrai Road
Near Boursies, France
