Husband to Brunetta

Father of Bruce, Trevor and Alex.

Wounded 1942: "One of 2 Platoon's guns had been dug in in the darkness immediately behind some higher ground and could not fire with observation unless the No. 1 gunner stood up behind it. Titchener decided that this was a case for indirect fire and sent his runner (Walker) back to the trucks for the director, with which he attempted to zero the gun. He was wounded while standing in the open."(Official History 27 (Machine Gun) Battalion, Kay,R.)

Commanding Officer (CO) of 27 (Machine Gun) Battalion, Japan, 16 May 1946 - 31 March 1947.

Lt-Col W. F. Titchener, MC and bar; born Dunedin, 14 Dec 1907; public accountant; CO 27 Bn, Japan, 1946; wounded 2 Nov 1942. (Source: Burdon, R.M. 24 Battalion. p.297.)

'In the evening 6 Brigade occupied the ground won by the armoured brigade during the day. While 4 Platoon gave covering fire for half an hour, B Company 26 Battalion advanced towards a high ridge on the eastern flank. Before reaching the objective the company heard what were believed to be tanks and infantry moving along a wadi, and took cover to await developments. After the agreed time had elapsed, 4 Platoon, thinking that the infantry was on the objective, went forward to help consolidate. The platoon's six trucks drove to the foot of the hill, and Lieutenant Titchener, Sergeants Pye and Evans, and Private Woodhall began the stiff climb to reconnoitre. Although surprised to find none of the infantry at the top, Titchener continued towards a field gun. He was challenged by an Italian sentry, whom he shot, and he and his party, with cries of ‘Infantry—where are you?’ and ‘Come out you bastards!’, rounded up thirty-five Italians and captured four 75-millimetre guns and two Bredas.
‘The cream of the story to my mind,’ says Sergeant Gould, who arrived on the scene soon afterwards, ‘is the picture of Shorty Woodhall with 20/30 Ities lined up in front of him while the rest look for more, mouthing terrible threats and threatening them the while with nothing other than the Verey pistol which contained the green flare to bring the boys up the hill with their guns.’
By the time the infantry arrived the situation was completely in hand. For this action and his subsequent handling of his guns at Tebaga Gap, Titchener was awarded the MC.' (Source: Kay, R. 27 (Machine Gun) Battalion. p. 329.) AWMM