BORN HULL 1890. SON OF JOHN WILLIAM WHITELAM (1866-1904), & MARGARET JANE FRASER, AT 303 SOUTH BOULEVARD, HULL. HE HAD FOUR BROTHERS AND ONE SISTER. EMPLOYED AS A FISH DOCK LABOURER & ICE MERCHANT.
HE ENLISTED IN HULL, ON 07/02/1916, AGED 25 YEARS AND 4 MONTHS. DESCRIBED AS 5 FOOT, 8.5 INCHES TALL, 145 LBS WEIGHT, 37 INCH CHEST AND A “GOOD” PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT. ARRIVED IN FRANCE, ON 17/06/1916. HE WAS PROMOTED TO CORPORAL IN THE 12TH EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT, ON 19/11/1916. WOUNDED BY A BULLET WOUND TO THE HEAD AT OPPY WOOD. REJOINED HIS UNIT. KILLED IN ACTION, ON 09/11/1917, AGED 28. HE SERVED FOR ONE YEAR AND 276 DAYS. A SINGLE MAN. HE LEFT HIS ARMY EFFECTS TO HIS WIDOWED MOTHER, MARGARET JANE WHITELAM. HE HAD FOUR BROTHERS, WALTER, WILFRED, BERNARD AND A SURVIVING SISTER, DORIS MAY WHITELAM.
BURIED AT ROCLINCOURT MILITARY CEMETERY. HIS GRAVE INSCRIPTION, READS, “LORD ALL PITYING JESUS BLEST GRANT HIM THINE ETERNAL REST”
HIS NAME IS LISTED ON THE WILSON LINE CRICKET & ATHLETIC CLUB’S ROLL OF HONOUR. AND ALSO, ON THE ON HULL GRAMMAR SCHOOL WW1 MEMORIAL.
