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Cpl. Robert Whitlock MM.
British Army 2nd Battalion Devonshire Regiment
from:Tintinhull, Somerset
(d.31st October 1918)
Robert Whitlock's birth record shows that he was born in Woodstock, Oxfordshire, on 25th January 1888, to John and Rhoda Whitlock. He had an older sister according to the 1891 census. The 1888 baptism record for Woodstock shows Robert's baptism date as April 22nd 1888 and his father John's profession as a glover. The baptism ceremony was performed by Assistant Curate T. E. Chataway. The couple are listed towards the bottom of the 1891 census return from Woodstock, Oxfordshire. They lived in a 4-room house in Browns Lane. The 1901 census still shows them living at that address. It also shows that Robert's sister was working by then as what appears to be a domestic servant and Robert is listed as some kind of assistant. Robert married Mary Elizabeth Rogers in Yeovil in the first quarter of 1910. The 1911 Census shows Robert in that year as being aged 23 and Mary aged 31. Robert's occupation is listed as a leather dresser working for a glove manufacturer. The company concerned was a gloving factory in Tintinhull, which at the time of Robert's occupancy was called the Tintinhull Glove Company Ltd. Robert's daughter, Florence I Whitlock, was born in the last quarter of 1911 judging by the Birth Registration for October to December 1911. Robert's son, my grandfather, was born in the first quarter of 1915 according to the Birth Registration for January to March 1915. Robert had already enlisted by then and was in active service in the First World War, though probably undergoing training prior to deployment to France. There is a photo of him and his family which was probably taken at some point in 1915, probably just prior to embarkation. Both children were baptised in Tintinhull and the address for the family is given as a 5-room house in Tintinhull.
Robert enlisted in Yeovil into the 7th Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry, which disembarked in France (at Boulogne) on 24th July 1915. A gratuity record suggests he enlisted in August or September 1914. According to an entry in The London Gazette dated 18th October 1917, Robert was still serving with 7SLI at the time he was awarded the Military Medal, which would have been awarded for an act of gallantry under fire.
Judging by his later service number, 32186, it seems it was transferred into the 2nd Battalion, Devonshire Regiment in late June 1918. This was almost certainly as part of the rebuilding of that unit after 2nd Devonshires had suffered heavy casualties at the battle of the Bois des Buttes in May 1918.
A detailed report which includes Robert's unit, B Company, 2nd Devonshires, shows that Robert died at some point on the 31st of October 1918, just 12 days before the end of the war, during the attempt on that day to cross the Scheldt (French name for that river is the Escaut). The report refers to heavy casualties being inflicted by the Germans around 11 am, at which point the unit had companies on both sides of the river and were trying to extricate the companies on the far bank back across the river.
The entry for 11.00 reads: "Report from Officer Commanding B Company on Fosse Armoury, B Company HQ. A runner swam the river and arrived minus his boots, coat etc. Officer Commanding reports Lieutenant Sayes killed and casualties very heavy. B Company out of touch with D Company and unable to evacuate wounded. Previous runner drowned in an attempt to get message through. Reply sent to B Company to hold on. Relief being sent tonight."
Thereafter, the entries read
The Burial Return for Valenciennes Communal Cemetery shows that there was a cross on Robert's grave at the time of discovery and that no personal effects were forwarded on to the unit's base. His name is listed on the Graves Registration Report for Valenciennes dated 4th September 1920 and the Imperial War Graves Commission report of headstone inscriptions. His name is also inscribed on the war memorial in the graveyard of St Margaret's Church in Tintinhull (erected in 1920 according to Tintinhull Local History Group).
- "11.45 hours: One platoon of C Company to reinforce Captain Brokenshire on bank. Lieutenant Napier carried a wounded man on his back across the bridge under the bombardment. A Company's casualties in street caused adjacent to Battalion HQ.
- 15.10 hours: Fairly frequent heavy bursts of shellfire. Total casualties estimated about 80. Operational order received for relief tonight.
- 16.40 hours: Orders received to withdraw posts immediately and proceed to billets. Situation on flanks responsible.
- 17.30 hours: Report received from Captain Taylor that bridge has been broken. More pontoons due from Royal Engineers. Crossing progressing slowly [I am assuming here this refers to the extrication of the unit back across the river].
- 18.30 hours: A and C Companies clear
- 19.15 hours: B Company clear and all wounded across.
- 19.30 hours: 490th Company Royal Engineers arrived with more Jerusalems [pontoons]
- 19.50 hours: Last of D Company across and Brigade wired to this effect."
