Pte 51927 Richard Arthur Whitehouse

• Age: 28
• From: Wrexham, N.Wales
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Tuesday 31st July 1917
• Commemorated at: Menin Gate Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 4 & 6

Richard Arthur Whitehouse was born in Wrexham in the September quarter of 1888, the son of Richard Whitehouse and his wife Jane (nee Ellis), who married at the Parish Church, Gresford, Wrexham on 07th January 1878. They had eight children, one of whom died young. Richard was baptised on the 08th July 1888 at the Parish Church, Wrexham, his father was a butcher, and their address was stated as 14 Island Green Cottages. 

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 41 Chester Street, Wrexham. His father, Richard, is aged 50  and is a labourer who was born in Wolverhampton, his mother, Jane, is aged 47 and was born in Ffrith, Wrexham. They have seven children declared in the household;  William aged 21, Rose 17, Eliza 14 is a grocers assistant b.Wrexham, Richard 12 b.Wrexham, Annie May 11 b.Wrexham, Mabel 8 b.Wrexham, and Harry 6 b.Wrexham. 

His father died aged 54 in the December quarter of 1909, his death was registered in Wrexham.

The 1911 Census shows the family have moved and are living at 10 Kelvin Road, Seacombe, Cheshire. His widowed mother Jane is recorded as being aged 54. She advised that she was married for 33 years and had 8 children, 7 of whom survived. THose listed at home are: Richard who is aged 22 and is employed as a labourer in a flour mill, Annie M. is 21 and a domestic servant, Harry is 16 and also a labourer in a flour mill.

His mother died aged 60 in the December quarter of 1914, her death was registered in Birkenhead.

He married Kathleen Robinson in Birkenhead in 1916, when he was 27 years old.  A daughter Pearl Angela was born after Arthur’s death in 1918 but she sadly she died in infancy.

He enlisted in Liverpool and was serving in the 17th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 51927 when he was killed in action on the 31st July 1917 during the Third Battle of Ypres. 

Passchendaele 31^st July 1917

17^th Battalion

He was killed in action on 31st July 1917 on the first day of the Third Battle of Ypres, better known as the Battle of Passchendaele.

On that day, the 89th Brigade was to follow up the attacks of the 21st and 90th Brigades and once their objectives had been taken, to go through them and secure a line of strong points on the German third line. The 89th Brigade line of attack was from the South West corner of Polygon Wood, to the Menin Road. The 17th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment was on the left of the attack, and the 20th to the right, with the 19th Battalion and the 2nd Battalion The Bedfordshire Regiment, in Divisional Reserve.

The Battalion moved into assembly positions east of Maple Copse between 05.00 and 05.20am, they were heavily shelled and suffered many casualties. At 07.50 they began to advance with the 17^th Battalion on the left, and the 20^th on the right, the whole time under heavy shell fire. On reaching their position which was the Blue Line , troops of both the 21^st and 90^th Brigades were still pinned down  and thus any attempt at further progress were futile.

Despite this they pushed on until their flank was just touching Clapham Junction. They then dug in and awaited the inevitable bombardment which hit them soon after. Despite this, they held onto the ground.  

During the action and their time in the line the 17^th Battalion lost three officers and 79 men killed or died of wounds and four officers and 198 men wounded. They were eventually relieved on the night of 3^rd -4^th August.      

Arthur's body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial at Ypres, Belgium. 

The site of the Menin Gate was chosen because of the hundreds of thousands of men who passed through it on their way to the battlefields. It commemorates casualties from the forces of Australia, Canada, India, South Africa and United Kingdom who died in the Salient. In the case of United Kingdom casualties, only those prior 16 August 1917 (with some exceptions). United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after that date are named on the memorial at Tyne Cot, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war. New Zealand casualties that died prior to 16 August 1917 are commemorated on memorials at Buttes New British Cemetery and Messines Ridge British Cemetery.

The YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL now bears the names of more than 54,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield with sculpture by Sir William Reid-Dick, was unveiled by Lord Plumer on 24 July 1927.

His widow, living at 27 Enfield Road, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, received his effects and a pension of 13/9d a week. She remarried to Thomas Kitney in 1918, and they had daughters Winifred M.(1926) and Kethleen M.(1928).

They appear on the 1939 register at 63 Juliet Avenue, Bebington, Kathleen's dob shown as 27th August 1896.

We currently have no further information on Richard Arthur Whitehouse, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.