BORN GOXHILL, YORKSHIRE, 22/08/1891. SON OF SAMUEL WHATLING (1845-1915) AND EMMA PEARCE (1859-1917), OF 45, MARLBOROUGH AVENUE, HORNSEA AND 182, CLEVELAND STREET, HULL. THE SON OF A FARM LABOURER, GEORGE WAS ONE OF 13 CHILDREN. THE FAMILY ORIGINATED FROM GOXHILL AND MOVED TO HULL. GEORGE WORKED AS A LABOURER, MAKING FEED CAKES FOR CATTLE AND LIVED WITH HIS PARENTS AT 182 CLEVELAND STREET, HULL (1911 CENSUS), HE MARRIED FLORENCE ADA SCOTT, AT DRYPOOL, HULL, ON 13/03/1912. THEIR SON, GEORGE HENRY WAS BORN AT HEDON, ON 16/11/1912. HE ALSO WORKED AS A FARM LABOURER AT ROOS, HOLDERNESS, OUTSIDE HULL (ARMY RECORDS). HIS MEDICAL RECORDS DESCRIBE HIM AS NEARLY 5 FOOT, 4 INCHES TALL, 103 LBS WEIGHT, 34.5 INCH CHEST SIZE, FAIR COMPLEXION, BLUE EYES, DARK BROWN HAIR. AND WESLEYAN RELIGION.
HE ENLISTED IN HULL, ON 21/09/1914. SERVED BRIEFLY AS T/2/11557, ARMY SERVICE CORPS AND THEN AS A DRIVER, 771704, 250th BRIGADE, ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY. HE DIED A PRISONER OF WAR, ON 01/10/1918, AGED 27. HE IS BURIED IN BERLIN SOUTH WESTERN CEMETERY. HIS ARMY EFFECTS WERE LEFT TO HIS YOUNGEST SISTER, RUTH WHATLING (1904-1981). HIS PENSION LEDGER ADDRESS WAS 5, LUCAS AVENUE, VICTOR STREET, HULL
HIS PARENTS, BOTH DIED BEFORE HIM, DURING THE WAR. AT LEAST TWO OF HIS BROTHERS ALSO SERVED. THESE WERE, PRIVATE, CHARLES WILLIAM WHATLING, 44000, OF THE DUBLIN FUSILIERS, WHO DIED, ON 17/11/1919, AGED 41 AND IS BURIED AT HULL’S HEDON ROAD CEMETERY.
ANOTHER BROTHER, JOHN (JACK) WHATLIING, ENLISTED YOUNG, ALSO SERVED WITH THE DUBLIN FUSILIERS AT GALLIPOLI AND SURVIVED THE WAR.
HIS WAR PENSION WAS CLAIMED BY MRS WARCUP AT 5, LUCAS AVENUE, VICTOR STREET, HULL. SHE WAS GUARDIAN OF HIS CHILDREN. THE PENSION WAS REFUSED.
Thank you to Michael Frankish for the above information and photograph of George Whatling, sent on 05/06/2020.
