Part 197
=WEST, WILFRED SCRIMSHAW=, L.-Corpl., No. 10886, 1st Battn. Coldstream Guards, yr. _s._ of Edward Scrimshaw West, of Yarwell, Peterborough, Entire Horse Proprietor, by his wife, Elizabeth Anne, dau. of Robert Spiers, of Eye, Peterborough; _b._ Wood Newton, co. Northants, 23 Nov. 1894; educ. Yarwell; volunteered on the outbreak of war, and enlisted, 8 Aug. 1914; went to France, Oct. 1914; was promoted L.-Corpl. in Sept., and was killed in action at Givenchy, 22 Dec. 1914, when the Coldstreams suffered heavily from concealed German machine-guns. He was a keen all-round sportsman; was a member of the choir at the Parish Church, and the Chaplain wrote saying what a help he had been to him in organising the open-air services.
=WEST, WILLIAM EDWARD=, Stoker, 1st Class (R.F.R., Ch. B. 7810), S.S. 103265, H.M.S. Aboukir; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.
=WEST, WILLIAM FRANK=, Private, N. 823, 5th, attd. 1st, Battn. (London Rifle Brigade) The London Regt. (T.F.), eldest and only surviving _s._ of Frank Albert West, of 111, Townsend Road, Southall, by his wife, Louisa Maria, dau. of Mathew Henry Leagas; _b._ Dalston, London, 17 March, 1890; educ. The Grocers’ Company School, Hackney Downs, N.E. and Islington Day Training College; was Assistant Master at St. Clement’s Church of England School, Notting Hill, but joined the London Rifle Brigade after the outbreak of war, 9 Sept. 1914; went to France with the 1st draft to join the 1st battn. 25 Jan. 1915, and died at Netley Hospital, Southampton, 12 May, 1915, after undergoing three serious operations, one being the amputation of his leg, rendered necessary by wounds received in action at the Battle of St. Julien, 25 April, 1915; _unm._ He was a keen athlete, fond of all games and sports; he held three silver medals for football, and the bronze Medallion and certificate for life saving.
=WEST, WILLIAM HENRY=, Petty Officer, 2nd Class, 199111, H.M.S. Cressy; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.
=FAZAKERLEY-WESTBY, GILBERT BASIL JOCELYN=, Capt., 9th Battn. (Queen Victoria’s Rifles) The London Regt. (T.F.), only _s._ of Capt. Jocelyn Tate Fazakerley-Westby, of Mowbreck Hall, Kirkham, and Whitehall, Great Eccleston, late Royal Scots Greys and Lancashire Hussars, D.L., J.P., Lancashire, by his wife, Beatrice, 3rd dau. of Thomas Barlow Jarvis, of Swinnerton Park, Lancashire, and Croft Lodge, near Ambleside, Westmoreland; _b._ Grosvenor Street, Grosvenor Square, London, W., 27 April, 1881; was christened in Aug. 1881, at the Roman Catholic Church, The Willows, Kirkham, Lancashire, by the Right Rev. the Lord Bishop of Liverpool; educ. St. Charles’ Roman Catholic College; entered the Queen Victoria’s Rifles as 2nd Lieut. 23 July, 1911; and promoted Lieut. 23 July, 1913, and Capt. Dec. 1914; volunteered for foreign service on the outbreak of war; went to France, 4 Nov. 1914, and was killed in action during the fighting at Hill 60 on the night of 20–21 April, 1915, on which occasion Queen Victoria’s Rifles brilliantly distinguished themselves; _unm._ His Commanding Officer wrote: “I cannot speak too highly of your son; all ranks loved and respected him. His fortitude and forbearance during that terrible week was an example to the whole regt. and never to be forgotten.” He was a good all-round sportsman, a dead shot with the pistol, and the holder of five silver cups and seven other silver articles as prizes for shooting and rowing, etc.
=WESTERN, WILLIAM CHARLES=, Stoker, Petty Officer, 230364, Devonport, H.M.S. Pathfinder; lost when that ship was sunk by a mine, about 20 miles off the East Coast, 5 Sept. 1914.
=WESTLAKE, JOHN LUKE=, Corpl., No. 3235, 1/14th Battn. (London Scottish) The London Regt. (T.F.), only _s._ of Thomas Treliving Westlake, of 3, Woburn Terrace, Tavistock, retired Prison official, by his wife, Elizabeth, dau. of Luke Knight, of Gunnislake; _b._ Princetown, co. Devon, 11 Feb. 1883; educ. Princetown Public School and Tavistock Grammar School; was apprenticed to the ironmongery business on leaving there, and was subsequently in the employ of Messrs. Helliwell, Ltd., of Dudley, as a Traveller; gave up this position and joined the 2nd London Scottish on the outbreak of war in Aug. 1914; was promoted to the rank of Sergt. in Dec. following, but in Aug. 1915, when volunteers for the 1st Battn. were called for, he offered himself, sacrificing his rank as sergt., and, crossing over to Rouen on the 18th of that month, joined the 1st Battn. as a Private. He took part in the Battle of Loos on 25 Sept., in which, though his company suffered severe losses, he was unwounded, and assisted in capturing and bringing in some prisoners. For his conduct on this occasion, he was restored to the rank of Corpl. He was killed in action on 13 Oct. 1915, while gallantly leading his men in an attack upon the German trenches near Loos, death being instantaneous; _unm._ His Coy. Commander, Capt. H. L. Seyer, wrote: “I find it difficult to tell you in what high regard Corpl. Westlake was held. I looked upon him as one of my coming men, a worthy successor of many fine non-commissioned officers who have left me to take commissions in this and other regts. His conduct at our severe engagement on 25 Sept. was beyond all praise, and his untimely end whilst leading his men on 13 Oct. is an enormous loss to me, his coy. and the whole battn. Your son was quite close to me when he fell, and I can vouch that he was killed quite instantaneously. It is such men as Corpl. Westlake who add lustre to the fame of the British Army and more particularly to the regt. to which they belong.”
=WESTMACOTT, ERIC WALTER POYNTZ=, Lieut., Royal Navy, H.M.S. Arethusa, yr. _s._ of Edgell Edward Westmacott, of Udney Place, Teddington, by his wife, Marian Charlotte Isabel, dau. of Innes Colin Munro, of Poyntzfield, late Capt. His Majesty’s 12th Regt.; _b._ Teddington, co. Middlesex, 23 June, 1887; educ. J. Williams-White’s School for the Navy, Bognor, and H.M.S. Britannia; became Midshipman, 30 Jan. 1904; promoted Sub-Lieut. 30 March, 1907, and Lieut. 30 Jan. 1909, went to India in H.M.S. Argyll, one of the cruisers which escorted the King Emperor on the occasion of his visit to India after his Coronation; served as signal Lieut. to Commodore R. Y. Tyrwhitt, C.B., of the 1st Destroyer Flotilla, on the outbreak of war, and accompanied him when he transferred his flag to the Arethusa two days before the Battle off the Bight of Heligoland, 28 Aug. 1914, in which engagement he was killed. Commodore Tyrwhitt in his Despatch, said: “Lieut. Eric W. P. Westmacott (Signal Officer) was killed at my side during this action. I cannot refrain from adding that he carried out his duties calmly and collectedly, and was of the greatest assistance to me.” And he wrote to Mrs. Westmacott: “I can’t tell you how sorry I am and how splendid he was. He was standing next me on the bridge, and was so jolly and cheerful under a terrific fire. He had just said, ‘By Jove, they have got our range,’ which was true as we were in a regular inferno at the time, when he was hit ... his death being instantaneous.” Capt. Cecil Lambert, Fourth Sea Lord, wrote: “By the death of your husband the Service has lost a very gallant and valuable officer, and I have lost a personal friend, for whom I had a sincere admiration and affection.” Lieut. Westmacott was a fine hockey player, and in three successive years represented the Navy in their annual match with the Army. He _m._ at St. Andrew’s Church, Heybridge, Essex, 6 Aug. 1912, Dorothy, eldest dau. of Edmund Ernest Bentall, of The Towers, Heybridge, and had a son, Innes Bentall, _b._ 20 Sept. 1913. His brother, Richard Innes Edgell Westmacott, Sergt. 1st Scots Guards, was killed in action in France, 25 Jan. 1915.
=WESTMACOTT, SPENCER RUSCOMBE=, Lieut., Prince of Wales’ Leinster Regt. (Royal Canadians), 4th _s._ of the Rev. Walter Westmacott, Vicar of Probus and Hon. Canon of Truro, by his wife, Helen Maria Maud, dau. of John Austin Madeley, of Wood Hall, Salop, J.P.; _b._ 29 Jan. 1890; educ. Marlborough College and Sandhurst; gazetted 2nd Lieut. to the Leinsters, 6 Nov. 1909, and promoted Lieut. 24 Jan. 1912; seconded for “Grass Farm” work in India, 5 Nov. 1913, but rejoined his regt. on the outbreak of war; went to France, Nov. 1914, and was killed in action near Ypres, 8 May, 1915; _unm._ His five brothers are (1916) or have been on active service. 2nd Lieut. John L. Westmacott, R.E., wounded in head, lost an eye in France, April, 1915; 2nd Lieut. Horatio Westmacott, R.N., H.M.S. Agincourt; 2nd Lieut. Rupert W. Westmacott, enlisted in New Zealand Auckland Contingent, got his commission in Gallipoli, where he lost his left leg. 2nd Lieut. Peter G. Westmacott, joined 4th D.C.L.I., and afterwards exchanged into 31st Punjabis; 2nd Lieut. Wilfred A. Westmacott, 9th West Yorks, invalided home from Gallipoli with enteric, has returned to duty.
=WESTON, CHARLES WILLIAM=, A.B. (R.F.R., B. 3928), 212186, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.
=WESTON, GEORGE EDWARD=, Sergt.-Major, No. 851, 2nd Battn. Australian Imperial Force, _s._ of Samuel Weston, of 3, East Street, Oadby, Leicestershire, Bricklayer, by his wife, Maria, dau. of John Folwell; _b._ Wigston, co. Leicester, 15 March, 1873; educ. Evington School, co. Leicester; enlisted 2nd Battn. West Yorkshire Regt. June 1889, and served 21 years with the Colours, rising to the rank of Sergt.; went to Australia, Aug. 1910, where he was working on Sheep Farm; volunteered on the outbreak of War in Aug. 1914, and joined the Commonwealth Expeditionary Force, being appointed Sergt.-Major; left for Egypt with the second reinforcements, and was killed in action in Gallipoli, 10 May, 1915 following. During the period he was in the West Yorks. he served in Ireland, China, India and South Africa, altogether serving 21 years, finishing with a life pension.
=WESTON, GEORGE HENRY=, Private, No. 8/1103, 14th Otago Infantry, New Zealand Expeditionary Force, _s._ of John Weston, Carpenter; _b._ Wellington, New Zealand, 6 April, 1894; educ. there, was connected with the Wellington Boys’ Institute; volunteered on the outbreak of war, and enlisted in the Expeditionary Force, 12 Aug. 1914, was for some time in the 5th Wellington Battn., but was later transferred to the 14th Otago Infantry; served in Egypt; took part in the landing at the Dardanelles, 25 April, and was killed in action there, 8 May, 1915; _unm._
=WESTWOOD, ALEXANDER CLEGHORN=, Lieut., 1/7th (Fife) Battn. The Black Watch, Royal Highlanders (T.F.), only _s._ of Alexander Westwood, of Linley, Cupar, J.P., Bookseller and Publisher, by his wife, Helen Ramsay, dau. of Alexander Cleghorn; _b._ Cupar, 15 May, 1894; educ. Bell-Baxter School, Cupar, and George Watson’s College, Edinburgh, and was associated with his father in business. At college he was an enthusiastic member of the Cadet Corps, and joined the Cupar Coy. of the 7th Battn. Black Watch in May, 1911. He was gazetted 2nd Lieut. 20 May, 1914, and promoted Lieut. Oct. 1914. During the whole of his three years service in the ranks he was a member of the machine-gun section, and in May 1915, Lieut. Westwood was appointed machine-gun officer of his battn. He was killed in action by shell fire, while holding trenches captured from the Germans at Festubert, 16 June, 1915; _unm._ Lieut.-Col. H. M. Allen, D.S.O., Officer Commanding the 1/7th Black Watch, wrote to his father: “On my own behalf I should like to testify to the extremely high opinion in which your son was held by his brother officers and by the men. He had rendered invaluable service as machine-gun officer, and, both as an officer and a comrade, his loss will be severely felt by us all. It will be some consolation to you to know that his death was instantaneous and painless, and that he met it with the greatest courage, nobly doing his duty in a manner worthy of the best traditions of the British Army.” Lieut. Westwood was a keen sportsman, and took part in the matches of the local hockey club whenever business allowed him, playing in not a few Association fixtures. While training at Kinghorn he played Rugby for the garrison as well as Soccer for E Coy. He was a keen motor-cyclist; while another hobby was that of a poultry farmer, an interest which led him to act for some time as Joint Secretary of the Cupar Ornithological Society.
=WESTWOOD, JOHN=, Gunner, R.M.A., 12264, H.M.S. Aboukir; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.
=WETTON, HENRY=, Band-Sergt., No. 9133, 2nd Battn. Middlesex Regt., _s._ of the late Thomas Allen Wetton; _b._ Hounslow, co. Middlesex, 3 April, 1889; educ. Spring Grove, Isleworth; enlisted in the 2nd Middlesex, 1903; served with the Expeditionary Force in France, and was killed in action at the Battle of Neuve Chapelle, 10 March. 1915; _unm._
=WHARTON, HAROLD=, Private, No. 9696, St. John’s Ambulance Brigade, R.N.R., _s._ of Ernest Wharton, of 4, Springfield Terrace, Crumlin, Dublin, Ordnance Surveyor, by his wife, Susannah, dau. of Richard Pughe; _b._ Llanfyllin, co. Montgomery, 23 Sept. 1894; educ. Holy Trinity (Nat. School), Cork; was Lieut. in the 15th Coy. Boys’ Brigade, Dublin, and joined the St. John’s Ambulance Brigade in Oct. 1913. On the 5th Oct. 1914 he was appointed to H.M. hospital ship Munich (sailing between Southampton and Calais) as Sick Bay Attendant. He was transferred to H.M.S. Bayano on 28 Dec. 1914, and was lost when that ship was torpedoed, 11 March, 1915.
=WHARTON, JOHN=, Stoker, 1st Class, K. 13459 (Ports.), H.M.S. Cressy; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.
=WHATLEY=, FRANK, Petty Officer (C.G.), 142041 (Ports.), H.M.S. Aboukir; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.
=WHATLEY, SIDNEY JOHN=, L.-Corpl., No. 8919, 1st Coy. 1st Battn. Coldstream Guards, 2nd _s._ of George Robert Whatley, Attendant Norfolk County Asylum, Thorpe, Norwich, by his wife, Mary Ann, dau. of the late Robart Carver, Yelverton, Norfolk; _b._ Postwick, Norwich, 6 Nov. 1892; educ. Thorpe St. Andrew’s School there; enlisted at Norwich, 13 June, 1910, and was killed in action at the Battle of the Aisne, 14 Sept. 1914, being shot through the head; _unm._
=WHEAT, GEORGE ALFRED=, Signalman, 239001, H.M.S. Cressy; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.
=WHEATLEY, ALBERT=, Stoker, 1st Class (R.F.R., B. 4402), S.S. 103386, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.
=WHEELER, CLIFFORD=, A.B. (R.F.R., B. 982), 186074, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.
=WHEELER, LLOYD CHARLES=, Gunner, R.M.A., 9442 (R.F.R., I.C. 81), H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.
=WHEELER, WILLIAM FREDERICK=, Gunner, R.M.A., 8118 (R.F.R., I.C. 29), H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.
=WHEELER, WILLIAM JOHN=, L.-Corpl., No. 8638, 2nd Battn. The Royal Scots, _s._ of William John Wheeler, by his wife, Maria; _b._ Kingston-on-Thames, 12 July, 1880; educ. Public School there; was a House Decorator; enlisted in the Royal Scots, 7 Oct. 1903; served at Glencorse and in India; went to France, 26 Aug., and was killed in action at Vailly, during the Battle of the Aisne, 14 Sept. 1914; being buried there. He _m._ at Kingston, 19 Oct. 1908, Charlotte Madge (18, Royal Oak Road, Woking), 2nd dau. of Arthur Hillier; _s.p._
=WHELAN, BERNARD=, Stoker, 1st Class (R.F.R., B. 9861), S.S. 107270, H.M.S. Hogue; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.
=WHENNELL, JAMES=, Stoker, 1st Class (R.F.R., Ch. B. 7812), S.S. 103273, H.M.S. Aboukir; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.
=WHETLOR, ARTHUR CHARLES=, A.B. (R.F.R., Ch. B. 6180), 214591, H.M.S. Aboukir; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.
=WHICHELLO, RICHARD WILLIAM=, Sergt., R.M.A. 7928, H.M.S. Hogue; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.
=WHICHER, FREDERICK=, A.B. (R.F.R., B. 1521), 206022, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.
=WHILES, SIDNEY HERBERT=, Rifleman, No. 1886, 12th Battn. (The Rangers) The London Regt. (T.F.), eldest _s._ of William Herbert Whiles, of 70, Northcote Road, Walthamstow, late Private, No. 6824, Army Service Corps (served with the Expeditionary Force in France, etc., and was discharged April 1916, owing to injury to eye), by his wife, Margaret, dau. of John Steuber; _b._ Leytonstone, 19 Nov. 1896; educ. Forest Road Council School, Walthamstow, and Walthamstow Higher Elementary School, at both of which he gained prizes for mathematics, and also showed proficiency in Art and Divinity; became a clerk in the National Amalgamated Insurance Society; joined the Rangers, Jan. 1914, and volunteered for Imperial Service on the outbreak of war; went to France with the first draft for his battn. which formed part of the 11th Brigade (4th Division), and was killed in action near the village of Fortuin during the Second Battle of Ypres, 26 April; _unm._ Buried at Fortuin. His Commander wrote: That he was a gallant soldier throughout and that he personally regretted his loss, as he had frequently accompanied the officer on billet finding expeditions, in which his knowledge of French enabled him to act as interpreter. A brass plate to his memory was placed in the church of St. Michael and All Angels, Walthamstow (where he was a chorister for eight years), by his old comrades.
=WHISKIN, ERNEST CHARLES=, Coy.-Quartermaster-Sergt. 16th (Queen’s Westminster Rifles) Battn. The London Regt (T.F.), 2nd _s._ of the late Charles Frederick Whiskin, by his wife, Susanna Agnes; _b._ Aylesbury, co. Bucks, 13 May, 1870, and educated there. He joined the Queen’s Westminster Rifles in 1892, and in 1908, when the Territorial Force was formed, he continued his service in the same regt. Holding an important position at Messrs. Jas. Shoolbred & Co., Ltd., he was for many years a Sergt. in the firm’s Company, which rank he held when the Battn. left for France on 1 Nov. 1914. His was the first company to take over a fire trench on the 14th of that month, when they relieved B Coy. of the East Yorkshires at Burnt-out Farm, near Gris Pot, he being at the time No. 1 Platoon Sergt. He was promoted to Coy.-Quartermaster-Sergt. 26 Feb. 1915, and was killed in action at Houplines, Flanders, 3 May following. C.Q.M.S. Whiskin had the Volunteer Long Service medal, and received mention by his Colonel for good service in France; he was a good shot, and was held in high esteem by his officers, brother N.C.Os. and men. He _m._ at St. Pancras, Marylebone Road, London, 6 Sept. 1902, Annie Ethel (Bancroft, Powys Lane, Palmer’s Green, N.), dau. of Henry Barham, of Hitchin, and had two daughters: Agnes Nora, _b._ 19 July, 1903; and Winifred Ethel, _b._ 30 May, 1906.
=WHITAKER, CHARLES=, A.B., 239469, H.M.S. Cressy; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.
=WHITAKER, HAROLD=, Capt., 2nd Battn. Rifle Brigade, eldest _s._ of Arthur Whitaker, of 52, Cadogan Square, S.W., by his wife, Emily, dau. of Charles Wilkin; _b._ London, 22 Sept. 1885; educ. Westgate-on-Sea (Mr. E. M. Hawtrey), Eton (Mr. E. Impey’s House), and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst (from which he passed out first of the Infantry candidates of his term in 1904); gazetted 2nd Lieut. 2nd Rifle Brigade, 4 June, 1904, and promoted Lieut. 15 Sept. 1907, and Capt. 21 Sept. 1913; served in Egypt, the Sudan and India, was Assistant Provost Marshal of the Delhi Durbar, 1911 (medal); returned to England with his regt. in Oct. 1914; went to France, 5 Nov. following, and was killed in action near Fauquissart on the night of 1–2 Dec. 1914, when, after visiting his sentries he had gone forward alone about 1.30 a.m. to reconnoitre, it having been surmised that fresh German troops had taken up positions in front of our line of trenches. He was a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and an ardent explorer and keen big game shot. Besides expeditions on the White Nile, in Kashmir and Mesopotamia, he returned to India in 1908 through Russia, Central Asia and Turkestan, the latter part of this journey he made with native following only, which no English traveller had done before crossing 23 passes over 10,000 feet high, the highest being the Karakorum, 18,317 feet above sea level. He _m._ at Grayshott, co. Hants, 27 April, 1910, Madeleine Eléonore, dau. of David de Pury, of Grayshott and Neuchatel, Switzerland, and had two children: John de Pury, _b._ 10 Oct. 1911; and Lorraine Marie, _b._ 30 July, 1914. It is feared that his younger brother, Lieut. Trevor Whitaker, R.N., lost his life on active service in the North Sea in Jan. 1915. A still younger brother, Capt. and Adjutant Raymond Whitaker, Rifle Brigade, is now (1916) on active service, attd. to the R.F.C., and his youngest brother, L.-Corpl Geoffrey Whitaker, is in the Eton College O.T.C.
=WHITBY, CHARLES BARRY DOUGLAS=, Private, No. 26022, 14th Battn. (1st Royal Montreal Regt.), 3rd Brigade, Canadian Expeditionary Force, eldest _s._ of Charles Joseph Whitby, of 9, The Paragon, Bath, M.D. Cantab., by his wife, Clare, dau. of Joseph Hayden; _b._ Cambridge, 13 Nov. 1884; educ. Reading School, went to Canada about 1904, residing first in Montreal, later in Emerson and other places, then returning to Montreal, where at the outbreak of war in Aug. 1914, he held a position on the Staff of the “Gazette.” He at once enlisted and went into training at Valcartier, came to England with the first Canadian Contingent, and competed his training on Salisbury Plain. He crossed to Flanders with his Division early in 1915, and took part in the action at Neuve Chapelle. On 22 April, 1915, the Second Battle of Ypres was opened by the discharge of poison gas against the Turcos, who were driven back leaving the Canadian left exposed. On the morning of the 24th the 14th Battn., shelled out of a shallow dug-out they had prepared over night, in a field near St. Julien, retreated uphill under very heavy fire. Near the summit Private Whitby was hit and fell in a ditch, joking as he fell. He was never seen again by his comrades, but was officially reported “wounded and missing.” Later a report by the enemy stated that he had been picked up by them, had died on May 8 or 9, and was buried on Hill 20 (Kersselaare), not far from where he fell. In letters received from his comrades he was described as “a splendid soldier, always among the first to offer himself for any dangerous duty.” While at the front Private Whitby contributed several descriptive articles on life in the trenches to the “Montreal Gazette.”