Sgt 20467 Samuel Whittaker

• Age: 37
• From: Salford, Manchester
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• D.O.W Thursday 10th October 1918
• Commemorated at: Roisel Cc Ext
  Panel Ref: I.A.25

Samuel Whittaker was born on 21st July 1881 in Salford, the son of Samuel Whittaker and his wife Sarah (nee Nichiolls). He was baptised in St. Bartholomew's Church, Salford, on 9th October 1881, his parents’ residence listed as 29 Essex Street, and his father’s occupation as mechanic. His parents married in 1872 and had eight children. Sam had older sisters Sarah (who died at age 2), Margaret, Mary Ann, and Isabella, and younger siblings Elizabeth, William, and John.

At the time of the 1891 census the family is living at 50 Regent Street, Salford (incorrectly listed under the neighbours’ name of Abbott). His father, 39, is an iron turner. They have five children, Margaret and Mary Ann are both working, Sam is 10.

His father died in 1900 at the age of 48.

The 1901 Census shows the family are still living at 50, Regent Street, Salford. His mother, Sarah, is a widow aged 47, born in Salford in 1854 and has no occupation listed.  She has six children at the time of the Census. Her married daughter Margaret Duran aged 26, born 1875 a small-ware weaver, Isabella aged 22, born 1879 also a small-ware weaver, Samuel aged 19, is a machine planer, Elizabeth aged 11 born 1890, William aged 7, born 1894 and John aged 6, born 1895. They also have a boarder Fanny Walker aged 28, born 1873 in Salford wand she was employed as a hooker of clothes in a warehouse.

Sam was a member of the Leigh Rugby Football Club. He made his debut in the 1903/04 season and was a Championship winner in 1905/06 season. He last played in the 1912/13 season. He made 193 appearances, scoring 24 tries and four goals, a total of 80 points.

The local press reported on the Champions of the Northern Union, Review of the Season:

“Sam Whittaker, T. Johnson and Roscoe have all done yeoman service, the first-named proving one of the trickiest half-backs in the union.”

The 1911 Census shows the family are now living at 58 Cavendish Street, Salford. His mother, Sarah, is now aged 56 and is employed as a boarding house keeper. She has three children at the time of the Census living with her, Samuel aged 29, a timber labourer, Elizabeth aged 21, a domestic servant and John aged 16, an apprentice in a timber works. His mother states that two of her eight children have died. His older sisters are married; William is not accounted for, but no death or burial record has been found. She has two grandchildren living with her William Whittaker Moore aged 16 who is also an apprentice in a timber works and Samuel Duran aged 6, born 1905 who is at school.

Sam and Lily May English married 27th January 1912 in Salford. Lily May like her husband was aged 30. No records of children born to the marriage have been found.

Sam played for Leigh on the same day as his wedding as reported in the Leigh Chronicle of 02nd February 1912:

LEIGH v SALFORD

The return match between these clubs was played on Saturday at Salford before nearly 5000 spectators. Little Sam Whittaker had been married in the morning, but he turned out behind the Leigh pack as usual.

Sam enlisted on 05th September 1914 at the East Lancashire Regiment Depot in Manchester, giving his age as 33 years and two months, and his occupation as labourer.  He is described as being 5’ 3 and a half inches tall, weighing 126 lbs, with a fresh complexion, brown eyes, and dark brown hair, and scars on back of scalp, left buttock, and left knee.  He gives as next of kin his wife Lily at 29 Talbot Street. He states no religion.

On 17th September he was posted to the 14th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment.

Whilst training at Aldershot on 19th June 1915 he was four days C.C. (confined to camp?) for being absent from midnight until 8 p.m. on the 18th.

Sam disembarked in France on 04th September 1915, and embarked for the Balkans on 28th October to join the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force. Like many soldiers in the Balkans, he suffered multiple bouts of illness and debility.

On 30th October he was appointed unpaid Lance Corporal.

24/08/1916  No.68 Field Ambulance (cause not yet determined)

26/08/1916  No.28 General Hospital, Salonika

21/09/1916  Convalescent Depot, Salonika, malaria

29/09/1916  rejoined unit in the field

01/11/1916 promoted to the rank of Corporal

22/11/1916  No.28 C.C.S. (NYD)

23/11/1916  No.4 Canadian Gen. Hosp., Salonika

18/12/1916  No.3 Convalescent Depot, Salonika

28/12/1916  No.2 Base Depot

30/01/1917  rejoined unit in the field

24/05/1917  wounded (to duty 22 Div. H.Q.)

30/07/1917  C.C.S.

31/07/1917  No.63 Gen. Hosp., Salonika, malaria

20/08/1917  No.8 Conv. Depot

05/09/1917 No.63 Gen. Hosp.

30/09/1917 No.8 Conv. Depot

13/10/1917  No.2 Base Depot

18/10/1917  rejoined unit in the field

22/01/1918 appointed paid Lance Sergeant

28/03/1918 appointed Acting Sergeant

03/06/1918 No.66 F.A. fever (NYD)

11/06/1918  No.12 C.C.S., reverted to paid Lance Sergeant

12/06/1918 rejoined unit

17/06/1918 appointed Acting Sergeant

On 18th June 1918 he embarked at Itea in Greece, and disembarked at Taranto, Italy on the 20th, and entrained for the Western Front, joining the B.E.F.

After arriving in France, after nearly three years away, Sam was granted leave to the U.K. via Boulogne from 05th to 20th July 1918.

22/07/1918 appointed paid Sergeant.

On 03rd August(?) 1918 he was severely reprimanded for irregular conduct (playing cards with prisoner) when in charge of a guard.

On 13th August 1918 the 14th Bn is amalgamated with the 18th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment, Sam joining ‘C’ Company.

Unfortunately the last two lines of his casualty form are illegible. The date 09th October 1918 is visible, and 77 F.A., adm. 53 C.C.S.   We can infer that he was wounded on this date, but details of his injuries are unknown. (His casualty form gives date of death as 09/10/1918.)

He was serving as Sergeant No. 20467

Samuel died of his wounds the next day, 10th October 1918, in 53rd Casualty Clearing Station, at that time at Roisel. He was aged 36, and was serving as Sergeant No. 20467 during the hundred days offensive which ended the First World War (8^th August-11^th November 1918).

On 7th October 1918 the 18th Battalion arrives at the Hindenburg Line and pursues the retreating German army.  The battalion War Diary records -  

10th October 1918 - At 0230 hours the battalion moved forward to a position near RUEMONT, and attacked towards LE CATEAU at 0510.  Very little opposition was met with at the start but later considerable M.G. fire was encountered. …  Our right company was not in touch with the flank, and the troops on the right appeared to be held up by M.G. fire from the railway embankment … A short length of trench on the high ground immediately E. of LE CATEAU was also reported to be held by the enemy.  At 0848 the Centre Coy reached K.33.b and pushed a platoon into the N. W. outskirts of LE CATEAU.  The right company was temporarily held up by MG and sniper fire, but appeared to be almost in the town itself.  Hostile M.G. fire was reported from the direction of Q.10. … Houses in K.28.a were reported to be strongly held by the Bosche, and a patrol was sent out to investigate and deal with them. … During the advance on LE CATEAU considerable difficulty was experienced, owing to a “whizz bang” battery being able to fire over open sights at the troops as they moved up the rise and along a slight valley.

Total Casualties from 7th to 13th October:

Killed – 2 Officers, 18 O.R.

Wounded – 6 Officers, 111 O.R.

Died of Wounds – 1 O.R.

Wounded and Missing – 1 Officer, 20 O.R. 

Sam was one of the casualties referred to in the diary, and his name was initially recorded on the Vis-en-Artois Memorial, which bears the names of over 9,000 men from the United Kingdom and South Africa men who fell in the last 100 days in Picardy and Artois, between the Somme and Loos, and who have no known grave.  His name was later crossed off, the CWGC Graves Registration form noting, “Known to be buried in Roisel Com. Cem. Extn.” (and also shows his battalion as the 14th K.L.R.).

Sam now rests at Roisel Communal Cemetery Extension, France, where his headstone bears the epitaph:

“HE DIED THAT OTHERS MIGHT LIVE” 

Roisel town was occupied by British troops in April 1917, and evacuated after a strong defence by the 66th (East Lancashire) Division in the evening of the 22nd March 1918. It was retaken in the following September.

Roisel Communal Cemetery Extension was begun by German troops, who buried immediately to the North of the Communal Cemetery. It was developed in October and November 1918, by the 41st, 48th, 53rd and 58th Casualty Clearing Stations, and it was completed after the Armistice by the concentration of British and German graves from the country North, East and South of Roisel.

There are now 878, 1914-18 war casualties commemorated in this site. Of these, 120 are unidentified and special memorials are erected to 12 soldiers from the United Kingdom and one from Australia who are known or believed to be buried among them. Other special memorials record the names of two soldiers from the United Kingdom, buried in other cemeteries, whose graves could not be found on concentration. The graves of 88 soldiers of the United States Army buried here in October 1918, have been removed to another cemetery. There are also 514, German Foreign Nationals commemorated in this site, 190 being unidentified.

The cemetery covers an area of 6,010 square metres and is enclosed by a rubble wall on three sides.

His death was reported in the Star Green' un  on 16th November 1918:

The death has occurred from wounds of Sergeant Samuel Whittaker, King's Liverpool Regiment, the famous scrummage half-back. After playing with Salford St. Bart's he joined Leigh in April 1914 (sic) and for 8 seasons did yeoman service for the club.

Sam earned his three medals.

His widow, Lily, at 29 Talbot Street, Salford, received his Army effects and a War Gratuity of £27, and was awarded a pension of 16/3d a week from May 1919.

In 1919 she provided information on Sam’s living relatives:  His mother Sarah was living at 26 Claremont Street, Salford, with married daughter Elizabeth Cranshaw, 29, and son John, 24.  His other sisters are married and live in Salford.  Margaret Duran, 43, was living down the street, and Mary Ann Bridge, 41, lived in Everard Street. (His sister Isabella has recently died.)

Lily remarried John W. Whitehouse in 1921.

His mother died in the December quarter of 1921, aged 67.

In 1939 Lily, 58, a shop cleaner, is living at 28 Granville Street, Salford, with her husband.  She died in 1952, aged 71.

Sam is commemorated in St. Clement’s Church, Ordsall, Salford.

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