Military Cross, awarded to Lieutenant John Leo Whitty, 1st Battalion, Prince of Wales's Leinster Regiment (Royal Canadians), 1915

Silver cross with obverse decorated with imperial crowns and royal cypher for King George V in the centre. Reverse is unofficially engraved with recipien's name and regiment; suspended from a bar with a brooch fitting, with white and purple ribbon.

Whitty was born in Cape Town, South Africa, in 1894 and gazetted into the Leinster Regiment in February 1913. He joined the 1st Battalion at Fyzabad the following September and after the outbreak of World War One (1914-1918) returned with it from India to France. He was wounded during the retaking of St Eloi on 15 March 1915, an action in which his battalion distinguished itself.

Mentioned in Desptaches for his gallantry and coolness, Whitty was awarded the Military Cross the following June. He later served on attachment with the Royal Flying Corps and was killed on 8 July 1916 when he was hit by anti-aircraft fire during a reconnaissance flight over enemy territory. He is commemorated on the Arras Flying Services Memorial.