A 28-Year Quest for Justice: The Exoneration of Arthur Gordon Whitlam
Arthur Gordon Whitlam, a young officer in the Australian 1st Divisional Ammunition Column, never saw combat during World War I. In 1916, he was convicted by a court-martial on charges of stealing and receiving stolen property and was cashiered from the Army. After a 28-year campaign to clear his name, the Governor-General of Australia quashed his conviction on July 19, 1944.
The Incident and Trial
- 1915-1916: Whitlam was based in Egypt, expecting deployment to Gallipoli. He instructed his batman, Ernest Edward Fowle, to pack personal belongings for shipment to Australia.
- 1916 Court-Martial: Whitlam was tried in Sailly-Sur-la-Lys, France, on charges of stealing revolvers, field glasses, and other items. He was found guilty on four of ten charges, stripped of rank, and dismissed from the Army. He maintained his innocence, arguing he did not pack the stolen items.
The Long Fight for Redress
- 1921-1923 Appeals: The British Army Council denied an appeal, and the Australian military refused to review the case. Prime Minister Billy Hughes and Solicitor-General Sir Robert Garran noted concerns about the conviction.
- 1926: Whitlam located Fowle in South Africa, who signed a statutory declaration reversing his testimony, stating he believed Whitlam had no knowledge of the stolen items.
Vindication
- 1944: Commander-in-Chief General Thomas Blamey ordered a review. Three King's Counsel—H.G. Alderman, Sir Edmund Herring, and Brigadier Eugene Gorman—concluded Whitlam was innocent. Governor-General Lord Gowrie quashed the conviction, reinstated Whitlam to lieutenant rank, and returned his medals.
Aftermath
Whitlam waived compensation, seeking only restoration of his name. He did not return to accounting; instead, he worked for Cadbury-Fry-Pascall and lectured at the University of Melbourne. He died in 1971.