WW1 Casualty: Captain Harry Garrett Whitaker - Captain Harry Garrett Whitaker
| Unit/Regiment |
1st/5th Bn., South Lancashire Regiment |
| Date of Death |
15/01/1920 |
Age at Death |
24 |
Burial/Memorial
& Reference |
Prescot Churchyard
Middle West part |
| CWGC Family Details (if shown) |
Son of Richard H. Whitaker, of Wollaton. Parkside, Prescot. |
| Census Details |
1901 Census -
The Whitaker family lived at "The Nursery" in Knowsley. Richard H Whitaker, 36, a Nursery Man and Gardener and his wife Edith, aged 33, had children Elsie (7), Henry (5) and Nora (2).
The 1911 census showed the family at the same address, 15 year old Harry being a schoolboy
|
| Birth/Marriage/Death Registrations |
Birth registered Q3/1895, Prescot, 8b, 721
Death Registered Q1/1920, Prescot, 8b, 1080 |
| Research Ref. No. |
P296 |
Service DetailsHarry Garrett Whitaker was born on 1st August 1895 in Prescot, the son of Richard and Edith Whitaker. The family lived at Parkside, Prescot and had for several generations run a local Nursery gardemns
Harry attended Prescot Grammar School, starting there in 1904.
His promotion from Second Lieutenant to Acting Captain took place on 2nd September 1916 was announced in the London Gazette of 21st November that year.
He was recommended for a Mention in Despatches. At the time, he was 2/Lieut. (Acting Captain).
The Liverpool Echo of 5th September 1916 reported Capt Whitaker's Military Cross. The same article reported the wounding of Lt J G Lauder
Dated 7/3/17, the citation, for the King's Birthday Honours List, reads:
"At Delville Wood 9th & 10th September, 1916 when in command of a company in Edge Trench, our right flank being in the air, showed great coolness and daring in patrolling and getting in touch with the battalion on our right and in also locating the enemy in Hop and Ale Alley."
On 20/09/17, the 5th Bn. were tasked with capturing various objectives on Gravenstafel Spur. Harry Whitaker was tasked with leading an attack on Gallipoli Copse at about 3.30 pm which appears to have been a success - just !!
But then on 26th November the 5th Bn. took up post on the left of 166th Brigade from Banteux Ravine to Wood Road. Basically, the enemy launched an all out assault on the morning of the 30th. Jeudwine had issued an order "Stand or fall at your posts" the previous day, and it seems that this is what they did. The chapter goes on to say that communication with the battalion could not be established "Nothing further was heard and not a man came back; the 5th battalion was literally wiped out".
In fact, the battalion wasn't wiped out. Many of them surrendered, including 15 Officers, one of whom was Harry Whitaker. He was repatriated to the UK on 17th December 1918, about a month after the armistice.
An Index Card held by the Red Cross in Geneva is shown below. It shows that on 18th December 1917, Harry arranged for a Telegram to be sent to his mother reporting that he was a prisoner of war. The card also shows some details of his movement whilst in captivity.
How the Liverpool Echo reported Capt. Whitaker's captivity on 27th December 1917
The list of officers of the battalion captured during the war shows the inordinate number captured on the same date as Harry Whitaker.
An extract from the Battalion War Diary of November 1917, showing the action on 30th in which Harry Whitaker was taken prisoner.
His Medal Index Card (shown below) contains the entry 'Exonerated Officers List/30'. All those officers who were captured and who returned home after the war had to complete a report into the circumstances of their capture. The main purpose of these reports was to ascertain the conduct of the officers and ensure that he had not surrendered in suspicious circumstances.
After their repatriation report had been considered and accepted by the committee set up to examine such reports, the officers were then permitted to be awarded their campaign medals, should these be claimed.
Captain Whitaker's Medal Index Card with the notation that he was on the 'Exonerated Officers List'
The London Gazette of January 9th, 1918, published the above citation for Lt. Whitaker's Military Cross
Under the headline 'Captain H. G. Whitaker Returns Home', the Prescot Reporter of December 27th, 1918 reported, 'Capt. H. G. Whitaker, son of Coun. R. H. Whitaker, of 'Woolaton', Park Side, Knowsley, has returned from his imprisonment in Germany just in time to take part in the Christmas festivities around the family table.
Capt. Whitaker had the misfortune, along with many others, to be captured during a Hun counter-attack at Cambrai on November 20th, 1917, and had therefore spent something like thirteen months as a prisoner of war. After his capture he was taken to Le Cateau, where he remained only a short while. From Le Cateau he was forwarded to Heidelberg which he described as 'one of the best officers' camps in Germany'. As a result the time he was incarcerated there was of a comparatively pleasant nature and the only inconvenience occasioned was shortage of food. They were allowed two meals a day, one at noon and the other at six o'clock, the meal in each case consisting of a small quantity of vegetable soup. But for the parcels received from home it would have been difficult to exist, for as well can be imagined, vegetables mixed with water and boiled do not constitute a very satisfying meal; certainly it would not keep one in 'the pink'.
But Capt. Whitaker managed to exist there for about eight months, and when he was removed to Clausthal his real troubles commenced. The commander of the camp was the notorious Niemeyer, the whole of whose energies seem to have been devoted to making the lives of the unfortunate prisoners as uncomfortable and painful as possible. His treatment of the officers was exceedingly bad, especially so when the war was going in the Allies favour. When, however, things were looking bright for the German army, his cruelty was somewhat less pronounced. But at no time was it good, for goodness and Niemeyer seemed to be utter strangers to each other. What made matters worse was the fact that all parcels coming through from the homeland were opened and pillaged by the Unspeakable Hun.
Asked as to any acts of cruelty which might have come under his notice, Capt. Whitaker quite fairly and frankly said he suffered from no ill treatment, neither did he see anyone ill treated, though he had been told that cruelty was quite common before his arrival at Clausthal. Some places, he explained, were better than others. At Heidelberg, for instance, very little notice was taken of the prisoners and they were allowed to do pretty much as they liked, but it was quite the reverse at Clausthal, where those in authority seemed to take special pleasure in annoying the prisoners and subjecting them to all manner of pin-pricks.
Capt. Whitaker said he was glad to be home again, a feeling which all will understand and appreciate'.
A little over a year later, Harry Whitaker succumbed to illness which had been caused by the deprivation suffered in captivity, passing away on 15th January 1920.
The Prescot Reporter of 23rd January 1920 led with a headline 'The Late Capt. H. G. Whitaker. M.C. - Impressive Funeral' and reported, 'The internment of the remains of the late Capt. Harry G. Whitaker, M.C. took place in the Prescot churchyard on Monday, the Rev. J. P. W. Lovett, assisted by the Rev. W. S. Jones, conducting the service in the church and at the graveside.
The cortege, which was large and representative, left the house, 'Woolaton', Park Side, Knowsley, at half-past two o'clock and most of the inhabitants along the route showed their respect and esteem for the deceased by drawing the blinds of their dwelling houses. The service at the church, which was filled, was most impressive. The choir, of which the deceased was at one time a valued member, sang the hymn, 'How Bright These Glorious Spirits Shine', and the Psalm, 'Preserve Me, O God, For In Thee I have Put My Trust' was also give. At the conclusion of the service, the organist played the Dead March in 'Saul'.
The chief mourners were Mr R. H. Whitaker (father), Mr. Percy Whitaker (brother), Messrs. James, John, Joseph, Benjamin and Albert Whitaker (uncles), Messrs. Leslie, James, Albert, Peter, Owen and Jack Whitaker (nephews).
Among the general public who attended are Couns. G. G. Hemingway, J.P. (chairman), W. J. Lucas, J.P., A. J. Huckle, F. W. Halsall and Mr W. A. Cross (clerk), the Rev. F. B. Dobree, Rev. J. W. Glendenning (St Helens), Messrs. C. W/ Brown, T. Bulmer, W. Case, Dr. G. E. Green, Dr. S. M. Green, Supt. Garvey, Messrs. J. E. Hall, G. H. Hallas, J. P., C.C., J. Hamilton (Garswood), Morris Huckle, W. Hutchen, Gillis Lee (Knowsley), John Kennedy (Ormskirk), A. F. Mann, J. Orrett, A. R. Prescott, T. S. Preston, H. R. S. Preston, F. R. Pritchard (St Helens), J. Rawlinson (Knowsley), T. Roby, W. Rose (Bootle), J. Skirrow (Wallasey), H. S. Silcock, N. Silcock and F Waterworth (Liverpool). The 1/5th South Lancashire Regiment, to which the deceased belonged, was represented in the cortege by Lieut-Col. D. Bates, T.D., Major W. N. Pilkington, D.S.O., Major J. Tennant, D. S. O., Major A. L. Evans, T.D., Capt. R. N. Cook, Capt, Gould, Capt. H. T. Valentine, M.C. Capt. T. H. Wood, Capt. W. Stephenson, Lieut. T. G. Alder, Lieut. R. H. Wood, Lieut. Bramley, Lieut. N. Williams, Lieut, G. H. Cross, and a number of N.C.O.'s and men.
The following sent wreaths:- All at Home; Aunties and Uncle and West End Villa; Uncle Jim, Auntie Annie and family; Uncle John, Auntie May and Cousins at the 'Lilacs'; Uncle Joe, Auntie Lily and Cousins at Forest Farm; Uncle Bert, Auntie Betty and Leslie; Aunties Amy and Fanny; Cousins James and Jeanne; Dr. and Mrs. S. M. Green; Dr. and Mrs. G. E. Green; Officers, N.C.O.'s and men of the 1/5th South Lancs. Regt.; Officers of the 5th South Lancs. Regt.; Employees of J. Whitaker and Sons; Chairman, Members and Officials of the Council' Staff of Poor Law Institution, Ormskirk; the assistants at 'Lyme House'; Mrs. A. F. Evans, Mr. And Mrs. W. Case; Mr. And Mrs. Hemingway; Rev. and Mrs. W. S. Jones; all at Brook Cottage; Mr. And Mrs. T. Roby; Mr. Hutchen and family; Mr. And Mrs. Lucas and family; Mr. D. Nisbett; Mr. And Mrs. Huckle and family; Misses M. and F. Green; Mr. And Mrs. J. E. Hall; Mrs. Moxon and family; Mr. And Mrs. Kerfoot; Mr. And Mrs. W. A. Cross and Mr. G. H. Cross; Mr. F. W. Halsall and family; Mr. F. Brown and family, St. Helens; Miss Gertie Hallas and Allan Eastwood; Mr. And Mrs. C. W. Brown and family; all at Garswood; Mr. And Mrs. Moulds and family; Rev. J. W. and Mrs. Glendenning; all at 5, Stanley Crescent; Supt. And Mrs. Garvey.
Mr. Halsall had charge of the funeral arrangements.
Harry Whitaker's grave in Prescot Churchyard. The grave, and that of Sapper Leyland which is adjacent, were cleaned early in November 2013 by the volunteer group Friends of Prescot Cemetery
His service also is commemorated on the Grammar School Roll of Honour
The burial register entry for Harry Whitaker
Capt. Whitaker's entry in the National Probate Register
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