239613 L/Cpl. John Cyril Whiting MM.British Army 2nd Btn. Rifle Brigade from:Wallingford As a child I was brought up by Grandma and Granddad Jack Whiting, he passed away when I was only nine so I never got to talk to him about anything really but I was always with him. He collected me from infant school every dinner time wearing his black beret and khaki trench coat.
It was only when I got older and saw his medals that I started to have an interest in what he had done. To this day I'm still trying to find out about how he won his Military Medal all that he had ever said to the family was as he said it "Having a shit under shell fire". I have recently found a letter from Lt-General Sir Aylmer Hunter Weston, Commanding VIII Corps congratulating him for his gallant conduct during the period 17th to 19th November 1917.
He also never spoke to the family about where he came from or his family, all that they knew was he had run away to join the Army. With more research I have found he was from a family of land workers living in Berkshire. From an early censor I found that there were five in the household Isaac (Grandfather Draymen) Christmas (Father Yes, Isaac had him christened with that name. Engine Driver plough shuttle), Rosina (Mother).
They had three boys John (my grandfather)1896-1966, William 1898-1914 and Donald 1900-1905.
John was a gifted musician and won a scholarship to a college when and where I don't know, it was from here I think he ran away to join the Army.
William was in the Royal Berkshire Regiment when he was wounded in a retreat (again I have no information). He succumbed to his wounds at the Military Hospital in Aldershot, Hants.
Little Donald (I have no information at all).
I was told the he did go to visit his parents in Wallingford either during leave or post war, but wasn't welcomed according to family he never contacted them ever again.
At some point he was promoted to staff sergeant and became the Bandmaster of the 2nd Btn. The Rifle Brigade, until around 1936. He was called up again in 1939 this time to the Royal Tank Corps as a training NCO in Warminster, Wiltshire.
Post WWII he worked for the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough.
Granddad Passed away in October 1966.
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