▁ ▁Territ orial ▁Army ▁When ▁the ▁Territ orial ▁Force ▁was ▁reform ed ▁as ▁the ▁Territ orial ▁Army ▁( TA ) ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 2 0 s , ▁Wh itt aker ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁officers ▁appointed ▁to ▁a ▁new ▁R GA ▁unit , ▁the ▁ 5 3 rd ▁( City ▁of ▁London ) ▁Anti - A ircraft ▁Brigade . ▁The ▁regiment ▁was ▁drawn ▁mainly ▁from ▁those ▁working ▁in ▁the ▁financial ▁sector ▁in ▁the ▁City ▁of ▁London , ▁one ▁whole ▁battery ▁being ▁rec ru ited ▁from ▁the ▁Lloyd ' s ▁of ▁London ▁ins urance ▁market . ▁Wh itt aker ▁was ▁re - comm ission ed , ▁in ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁Major ▁on ▁ 2 2 ▁November ▁ 1 9 2 2 ▁and ▁became ▁Officer ▁Command ing ▁of ▁ 1 5 8 th ▁( City ▁of ▁London ) ▁B atter y . ▁Wh itt aker ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁Lieutenant - Col onel ▁on ▁ 1 ▁January ▁ 1 9 3 1 ▁and ▁appointed ▁Command ing ▁Officer ▁of ▁ 5 3 rd ▁( Co L ) ▁AA ▁B de ▁on ▁ 3 1 ▁October ▁ 1 9 3 3 . ▁He ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁Territ orial ▁Dec oration . ▁On ▁ 3 0 ▁October ▁ 1 9 3 6 ▁he ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁Colonel ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 8 ▁he ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁O BE . ▁ ▁The ▁threat ▁of ▁air ▁ra ids ▁on ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom , ▁in ▁the ▁event ▁of ▁war ▁with ▁Germany , ▁led ▁to ▁an ▁expansion