1st Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment.

Awarded the Military Medal in the London Gazette of 18 June 1917.

Whitley was a native of Burnley, Lancashire.

The Burnley Express of 21 June 1917 reported, YOUNG MEDALIST. Joined at Seventeen. The official honours list on Tuesday contained the announcement that the Military Medal had been awarded to 18619 Private E. Whitley, East Lancashire Regiment. The soldier happens to be in Burnley at the moment, and saw the announcement in Wednesday's issue. He has already received the ribbon for the honour. He is Private Ernest Whitley, and was, before enlisting two and a half years ago, when he was only 17 years of age, a boot and shoe repairer with his father at 103, Oxford Road, Burnley. He went out in July last year in time for the Somme advance, through which he went safely, but in the last Arras advance, he was wounded by a bullet in the left cheek, on the Thursday following Easter Monday. The act for which he receives the medal was performed on the day and on the occasion of him being wounded, on April 12th, when he laid telephone wires under heavy shell fire. Another recipient of the medal is Sergeant E.E. Whitehead, a Clitheroe man, who joined at the same time as Whitley. Private Whitley, who has now recovered from his wound, returns to his Depot on Monday.