he was attached to several ships on the Australia Station, including HMS Challenger and . Discharged from the navy in 1907, Whittle joined the Australian Army and was posted to the Army Service Corps; he was to serve in this position for three and a half years. During this time, Whittle married Emily Margaret Roland in a Catholic ceremony at the archbishop's house, Hobart, on 23 July 1909. Following his marriage, Whittle transferred briefly to the artillery, serving with the 31st Battery, Australian Field Artillery. He was then posted to the Tasmanian Rifle Regiment, and remained with this unit until the outbreak of the First World War. First World War Early war service On 6 August 1915, Whittle transferred to the Australian Imperial Force to see active service overseas during the war. Allotted as a reinforcement to the 26th Battalion as a private, he embarked from Melbourne on 27 October aboard HMAT Ulysses bound for Egypt. Appointed acting corporal soon after arrival, he was reallocated to the 12th Battalion with the rank of private on 1 March 1916, following a period of divisional reorganisation and expansion to the Australian forces which were now stationed in Egypt. Whittle was promoted to the substantive rank of corporal two weeks later. Embarking for the Western Front, the 12th Battalion joined the British Expeditionary Force upon arrival in France on 7 April 1916. Eight days later, Whittle was promoted to lance sergeant. Posted to the Fleurbaix sector of France, the 12th Battalion was engaged in minor operations until July. During this time, Whittle was wounded on 18 June, suffering a gunshot wound to his right arm. Initially admitted to the 3rd Field Ambulance, the injury necessitated treatment in England and Whittle was transferred to the 1st Auxiliary Hospital, Harefield. He rejoined the 12th Battalion on 16 September following recuperation. Following its involvement at Pozières from July to September 1916, the 12th Battalion moved to the Ypres sector in Belgium, where Whittle was promoted to sergeant on 14 October. In late November, Whittle was admitted to hospital suffering from an illness; on 18 December, he rejoined his unit, which had returned to action on the Somme. During the German retreat to the Hindenburg Line, Whittle took part in the 12th Battalion's attack on the villages of La Barque and Ligny-Thilloy as a member of Captain James Newland's A Company on 26–27 February 1917. At Bark