| Regimental number | 3308 |
| Place of birth | Balmain, Sydney, New South Wales |
| Religion | Church of England |
| Occupation | Tram conductor |
| Address | Fire Station, Forth Street, Woollahra, Sydney, New South Wales |
| Marital status | Single |
| Age at embarkation | 25 |
| Height | 5' 6" |
| Weight | 143 lbs |
| Next of kin | Father, William Whitnall, Fire Station, Forth Street, Woollahra, Sydney, New South Wales |
| Previous military service | Served for 1 year in Royal Australian Field Artillery, Citizen Military Forces. |
| Enlistment date | |
| Place of enlistment | Sydney, New South Wales |
| Rank on enlistment | Private |
| Unit name | 17th Battalion, 7th Reinforcement |
| AWM Embarkation Roll number | 23/34/2 |
| Embarkation details | Unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A29 Suevic on |
| Rank from Nominal Roll | Private |
| Unit from Nominal Roll | 55th Battalion |
| Fate | Killed in Action |
| Place of burial | No known grave |
| Commemoration details | V.C. Corner Australian Cemetery Memorial, Fromelles, France |
| Panel number, Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial | 161 |
| Miscellaneous information from cemetery records | Parents: William WHITNALL |
| Other details |
War service: Egypt, Western Front Allotted to, and proceeded to 55th Bn from 5th Training Bn, Zeitoun, 16 February 1916; taken on strength of 55th Bn, Tel el Kebir, 16 February 1916. Found guilty, 8 March 1916, disobeying lawful command of his superior Officer: awarded 7 days' confined to barracks. Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 19 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 29 June 1916. Posted missing, 20 July 1916. Court of Enquiry, held in the field, 26 July 1917, pronounced fate as 'Killed in Action, 20 July 1916'. Note, Red Cross File No 2930712: 'No trace Germany. Cert. by Capt. Mills 10.10.19.' Statement, 1701 Sergeant H. ANSON, B Company, 55th Bn (patient, No 6 General Hospital, Rouen, 23 March 1917): 'Whitnall was one of my men. He as killed in the German line at Fromelles. He was buried by a burial party. He died pushing the Germans back as they came pushing in on our flanks.' Second statement, 4861 Corporal G.W.F. NIXEY, B Company, 55th Bn (patient, No 4 Australian General Hospital, Randwick), 16 August 1917: 'Whitnall was a Company bomber under me and Ggt. Hanson. After the attack at Fromelles on 19th or 20/7/16I called the roll of the Company Bombers[;] only about 6 out of 38 answered and in reply to enquiries, I then made, about men who did not answer, I was told that Whitnall had been killed ... I was with the Bombers all the time and in the German lines from which we had to retire. He has not been reported as Prisoner ... ' Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal |
| Sources | NAA: B2455, WHITNALL Alexander Charles
Red Cross File No 2930712 |
Postal Address:
Po Box 7916
Canberra BC 2610, Australia
Street Address:
Northcott Drive,
Campbell, ACT 2600
