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Sgt. John Taylor Waite MM.
British Army 20th Hussars
My grandfather Jack Waite born in Normanton in 1895 and served in the Great War 1914 -18. His regiment was the 20th Hussars, fighting in Mons 1914, Ypres 1915 and Somme 1916. Jack Waite served with his brother Herbert in the same regiment and at his side in the battle field. The day Herbert was killed by machine gun fire, Jack, being a corporal at the time, had to carry on fighting with his men battling with machine gun fire, exploding shells, mud and barbed wire all around. Fortunately Jack was of strong mind, body and soul, helping some of his men, who were suffering from shell shock and serious injuries, back to base in the trenches, with his faithful horse pulling a makeshift cart.
This experience made him think that if there was a God why would he allow such carnage of his fellow man? It is well known that at Christmas time, all went quiet and stillness was in the air! Then the German troops started singing Silent Night Holy Night. Then the allied troops started to sing along in timing, football was played by the opposing troops, then the next day all Hell was let loose with more explosions, machine gun fire and blowing up each others trenches.
In March 1918 - Jack Waite and a small number of his men (30) from the Hussars were given top secret orders from King George V. via their commanding officer to try and rescue the Tsar and family, and relatives. They were to meet up with the white Russian Cossacks (loyal to the Tsar) and arrange to escort the Romanov family to Constantinople (Turkey) where there would be a ship awaiting to take them to America, by the time they arrived in Russia it was too late, the Tsar and his family had been brutally murdered by the red Russians ( The Bolsheviks ) July 1918 During this mission a number of brave men were fatally wounded.
However they did manage to rescue a number of the Romanov relatives, accomplish their mission and return to England.
Jack Waite was awarded the Military Medal and was made a sergeant. He was discharged in 1930 returning Normanton Yorkshire, to work in the coal mines at Sharlston Wakefield for a short time, then moving on to be a male nurse in Wakefield Mental Hospital Asylum where he attended to some of the old shell shocked soldiers whose minds had been badly disturbed. One of the patients attacked Jack and had bitten him right down his left arm from shoulder to wrist.
Jack went on to join a Union and became General Secretary for the Confederation of Health Services. Attending conferences and making speeches in Scarborough, Blackpool, Ryde, Isle of White, London and many other places.
Information Given - March 1918. Rescue the Romanov Family: -
The above mission has never been seen on the record or internet records which I have been searching for the last five years, so gave up. Just recently, On Sept 3rd.2012 I was on holiday with my wife at Lake Garda N. Italy. Staying at the same hotel, and sitting at the same dining table, was an elderly couple by the name of Lionel and wife Angela, both in their mid eighties. In their early years had studied at Cambridge University and were very Professional people. They had an interest and knowledge of the Romanov families in 1918 and gave me a name of a friend of theirs, the son of the commander of the ship assigned to the rescue of the Romanov relatives, Commander Fothergill RN. 1918 – 1919 HMS Espegle. Assistant director of Naval Intelligence. HMS. Malborough. 1919 – 1920 Changed name by deed poll to Stewart Fitzroy then Henry MacLean Fothergill RN. (1881 – 1963 ) Lived in Sussex. England.
It would appear that the HMS Malborough took on board the Romanov relatives with loyal subjects and the British troop escort bound for America. The British troops were then transferred to the HMS Nelson anchored some three miles away. HMS Nelson returned to England.
I feel sure there must be other families who’s grandfathers were on that mission and can confirm the actions of these brave men who survived Hell on Earth of the 14–18 War, then go on to survive a second world war. No military photographs were allowed, or taken and he remained silent for many years. At the age of fifteen I started asking questions about his taking part in the war, slowly getting some answers. Then when he died in 1968 his war medals and other personnel belongings were given to me by my mother.
