 Ramba uchinyora ndima iyi - Akadzidza paMarlborough Grammar School uye paLewis Lochées military academy muChelsea, Whitelocke akapinda muchiuto muna 1778 uye akashanda muJamaica neSan Domingo. Akagadzwa Lieutenant-Governor wePortsmouth uye General Officer Commanding South-West District musi wa25 Chikumi 1799, achiraira varwi panguva yekukwirira kwekutyisidzira kwekupinda muBritain. Musi wa 10 Mbudzi 1804 akaitwa lieutenant-general uye inspector-general we recruiting, panguva yekuwedzera kwakakosha kweBritish Army. Muna 1807 akagadzwa kuti atungamirire boka raizotoraBuenos Aires yaibva muUmambo hweSpain, hwakanga hwaparara nemhaka yezvinoitika muEurope. Kurwisa kwacho kwakakundikana uye vokuBritain vakazvipira pashure pokurasikirwa zvikuru. Whitelocke akaita nhaurirano nomukuru wehondo airwisana naye, Santiago de Liniers, uye pashure pokunge asarudza kuti nzvimbo yeBritain yakanga isingagoni kutsigirwa, akasaina chibvumirano chokuzviisa pasi ndokurayira mauto eBritain kusiya Montevideo ndokudzokera kumusha gare gare gore iroro. 