Pte 50281 John Edward Whittaker

The 1891 Census shows the family living at 1 Nelson Buildings, King Street, Rawtenstall.

The father John E. is aged 25, and is employed as a labourer who was born in Rawtenstall, his wife Mary Ann is also aged 25 with no occupation listed and she born in Cambs. The have four children, John aged 5, Arthur aged 3, Ernest aged 1 and Clara Ellen aged 7mths. Their children were all born in Rawtenstall., 

By 1901 they have moved to 42 Burnley Road, Rawtenstal.

The father John is aged 35 and employed as a a flagger’s (roads) and his wife Mary Ann is aged 35 with no occupation listed. They have five children at the taking of the Census, John is aged 15, working in a cotton warehouse, Arthur 13 employed as a doffer in cotton, Ernest 11, Clara 9, and Harold 7. 

On 20th October 1908, John Edward was baptised into the Catholic faith at St James the Less church, where, some 4 weeks later, he married Elizabeth Wilkinson at Hyndburn Register Office. Over the next 8 years John Edward and Elizabeth, shown in the church records to be living in South Street, Rawtenstall were to have 4 children, only 2 of whom, Elizabeth, born in 1910 and Harold, born in 1916, survived. Their daughter Elizabeth was born on 25th June 1910. Sadly, another child Mary Ann died in infancy.

 

The 1911 Census finds John and Elizabeth at 19 Holmfield.
John is 25, a labourer ina  calico, print works and his wife Elizabeth is aged 22,with no occupation listed. Their daughter, Elizabeth is 1 year old.

Twins James and John Robert were born in 1912, Edward was born 1914 but died in infancy, and son Harold was born on 2nd April 1916.

He also appears erroneously on the census of his parents at 42 Burnley Road, Rawtenstall.

Prior to enlisting John was employed at Hardman’s Mill, Newhallhey.

He enlisted in Rawtenstall and was formerly Private 38005 with the East Lancashire Regiment having joined them in March 1917 and was subsequently posted to the 20th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment. He was again transferred to the 18th Battalion of K.L.R. upon the disbandment of the 20th Battalion in February 1918. He was serving with the 18th King's Liverpool Regiment as Private No 50281 when he was killed in action on the 28^th March, 1918, aged 32, when his company, defending the village of Folies, came under heavy enemy bombardment during the German Spring Offensive. The amount of the War Gratuity suggests that he served for 13 months, enlisting or being conscripted in about February 1917. 

John was originally declared Missing between 21-28 March 1918.  His death was later presumed to have occurred, for official purposes, on 28th March 1918. 

The Battalion Diary gives an insight into the chaotic events of the day

28^th March

At about 6am the enemy commenced to shell heavily the whole of the forward line and brought Trench Mortars and MACHINE Guns into action.

FOLIES was shelled and the area in the rear of the village as far back as LE QUESNEL.

Rations were received at dawn and parties were organised to carry them to the Companies on the right. Owing to the heavy fire, however, it was not possible to get them up.

Heavy fighting was in progress on the right from soon after dawn and at 8am the enemy was reported to be in possession of BOUCHOIR and progressing towards the BEETROOT FACTORY. About 10am  the 59^th Infy Brigade was notified that it was relieved by the French and the Battalions of that Brigade were at once withdrawn in the direction of LE QUESNEL.

At noon the enemy was bombarding the village and vicinity heavily and reports were received that he was in occupation of WARVILLERS on the left and ARVILLERS on the right.

The front line East of FOLIES continued to resist until about 2pm when the order was received from the 89^th Infy Brigade to the effect that the Battalions were relieved by the French and would withdraw at once to MEZIERES, where the men would be fed. Companies withdrew under some shelling and very heavy M.G. and rifle fire from the left , through K10 -K3 – North side LE QUESNEL to the main ROYE road and reorganised about D.29 c. The march from this point was conducted in good order despite the congested roads.

At MEZIERES it was decided to continue a rearward movement and the march was resumed via VILLERS-MOREUIL – MORISEL – ROUVREL, which village was reached about 7pm and the Battalion billeted. The men had marched 13 miles from the left position in good order and with practically no straggling. They were exhausted on arrival at ROUVREL, but in good heart.

Echelon ‘A’ of the Transport joined the Battalion at this village and the men were fed immediately on arrival. The night passed without incident. 

He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial.

The POZIERES MEMORIAL relates to the period of crisis in March and April 1918 when the Allied Fifth Army was driven back by overwhelming numbers across the former Somme battlefields, and the months that followed before the Advance to Victory, which began on 8 August 1918. The Memorial commemorates over 14,000 casualties of the United Kingdom and 300 of the South African Forces who have no known grave and who died on the Somme from 21 March to 7 August 1918.

The cemetery and memorial were designed by W.H. Cowlishaw, with sculpture by Laurence A. Turner. The memorial was unveiled by Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien on 4 August 1930.

The Rossendale Free Press May 1918

Information regarding Pte. John Edward Whittaker, 50281, 18th Battalion, King's Liverpool Regiment, reported wounded and missing between the 21st and 28th of March last. Any news as to his fate will be gratefully received by his wife at 11 South-St, Rawtenstall.

Confirmation of John's death appeared in the Haslingden Guardian and the Rossendale Free Press newspapers.

 

John’s children were 7 and not yet 2 years old when he was killed. 

 

His widow Elizabeth received his Army effects and a War Gratuity of £5-10s. The pension card, giving her address as 16 South Street, Rawtenstall, shows that she was awarded a pension of £1-5s-5d from December 1918 for herself and two children.

 

Elizabeth remarried to Charles Weir in 1923 and had a son Charles.

In 1939 she is living with her husband and sons Harold and Charles, 16, at 51 Grange Road, Rawtenstall.  Elizabeth, 51, is a retired felt weaver and Harold, 23, is a slipper operative. 

John is remembered on the Rawtenstall Municipal War Memorial, St James the Less Centennial War Memorial and at the Peace Garden and Longholme Methodist Church, both in Rawtenstall.

His mother Mary Ann died in 1933 aged 67 and his father John Edward died in 1948 aged 82.