▁was ▁a ▁City ▁of ▁London ▁bank er ▁and ▁a ▁senior ▁officer ▁in ▁Britain ' s ▁part - time ▁Territ orial ▁Army ▁( TA ). ▁He ▁rose ▁to ▁the ▁position ▁of ▁chief ▁of ▁staff ▁at ▁Anti - A ircraft ▁Command ▁during ▁World ▁War ▁II . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁and ▁business ▁career ▁Wh itt aker ▁was ▁educated ▁at ▁Ar ding ly ▁College . ▁On ▁leaving ▁school ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 1 , ▁Wh itt aker ▁began ▁a ▁career ▁in ▁bank ing . ▁He ▁became ▁a ▁Fellow ▁of ▁the ▁Institute ▁of ▁Bank ers ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 0 , ▁and ▁was ▁general ▁manager ▁( Admin istration ) ▁of ▁L loy ds ▁Bank ▁from ▁ 1 9 5 2 ▁until ▁his ▁ret irement ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 7 . ▁ ▁Military ▁career ▁ ▁World ▁War ▁I ▁While ▁at ▁Ar ding ly ▁Wh itt aker ▁had ▁been ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Offic ers ' ▁Training ▁Corps ▁ 1 9 0 9 – 1 1 . ▁He ▁joined ▁the ▁Royal ▁G arrison ▁Art illery ▁( R GA ) ▁after ▁World ▁War ▁I ▁broke ▁out ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 4 , ▁and ▁was ▁commission ed ▁as ▁a ▁ 2 nd ▁Lieutenant ▁on ▁ 1 3 ▁March ▁ 1 9 1 5 ▁in ▁No ▁ 1 ▁Company ▁of ▁the ▁Kent ▁R GA ▁( T er rit orial ▁Force ) ▁based ▁at ▁Fort ▁Clar ence ▁in ▁Ro chester . ▁He ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁Lieutenant ▁on ▁ 1 ▁June ▁ 1 9 1 6 ▁and ▁saw ▁active ▁service .