Person    | Male  Born 29/4/1916  Died 19/3/1941

William Edward Richard Whitlock

Categories: Emergency Services

War dead non-military, WW2 i

Commemorated on a memorial as being a civilian who was killed in WW2. Includes mercantile marines and emergency services personnel.

William Edward Richard Whitlock

William Edward Richard Whitlock was born on 29 April 1916, the younger son of Bertram Sidney Whitlock (1890-1917) and Rosetta Whitlock née Killick (1893-1971). His birth was registered in the 2nd quarter of 1916 in the Woolwich registration district, London. His elder brother was Sidney Bertram Whitlock (1914-1997).

His father was killed in action whilst serving as a Private in the 7th (City of London) Battalion, The London Regiment on 2 December 1917 in France and in the 4th quarter of 1918 his mother married Charles Cornelius Salter (1894-1956) in the Stonehouse registration district, Devon.

He married Hilda Lillian Thornton (1914-1989) in the 4th quarter of 1940 in the Woolwich registration district.

He died, aged 24 years, as a result of enemy action whilst working in the Royal Victoria Yard, on 19 March 1941. He was buried on 27 March 1941 in Section N, 3rd Class, Grave 644 in the Plumstead Cemetery, Cemetery Road, London, SE2. It was announced in the London Gazette dated 30 May 1941 that as an Acting Storehouse Assistant, Admiralty Outstation, he had been posthumously commended for brave conduct in Civil Defence.

He is shown as 'Whitlock W E R' on the Royal Victoria Yard war memorial located at The Colonnade, Grove Street, London, SE8, as 'W.E.R. Whitlock' on the Victoria Cross Holders and local WW2 Civilian Heroes plaque inside Lewisham Shopping Centre, Molesworth Street, London, SE13 7HB and as 'Whitlock, William Edwin Richard' on the Civilian War Dead Roll of Honour 1939-1945 that is kept just outside the entrance to St George's Chapel at the west end of Westminster Abbey. The Roll of Honour also records that his home address had been 44 Leckwith Avenue, Bexley Heath, Kent (now Greater London). He is also commemorated on the Lewisham War Memorials website that tells the story of what happened on the night of his death and on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website.

Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
William Edward Richard Whitlock

Commemorated ati

Royal Victoria Yard war memorial

On 19 March 1941 the Yard was hit by many bombs and incendiary devices leadin...

Read More

Other Subjects

Capt. Laurence L. Franks

Capt. Laurence L. Franks

District Staff Officer in the St John Ambulance Brigade, No. 1 District Metropolitan Corps, 1903-1950. A/Commander in the Order of St John.

Person, Emergency Services, Medicine, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
Fireman Jeremiah Donovan

Fireman Jeremiah Donovan

Died in a fire at St Stephens Hospital, Chelsea. Jeremiah Donovan was born on 10 March 1905 in Battersea, London, one of the six children of Jeremiah Donovan (b.1868) and Mary Donovan née Cunningh...

Person, Armed Forces, Emergency Services

War dead non-military, WW2
1 memorial
Cyril Swerner

Cyril Swerner

Member of the ARP/Civil Defence Services - stretcher bearer. Andrew Behan has kindly provided this research: Cyril Swerner was born in 1914 in Mile End, the second son and child of the five childr...

Person, Emergency Services

War dead non-military, WW2
1 memorial
London Fire Brigade

London Fire Brigade

The London Fire Engine Establishment, formed in 1833 under the leadership of James Braidwood, was a private organisation funded by insurance companies, mainly aimed at saving material goods from fi...

Group, Emergency Services

12 memorials
John H. Maynard

John H. Maynard

Fireman killed as a result of an air raid on Court Downs Road, Beckenham, Kent on 16 April 1941. Andrew Behan has kindly carried out some research on this man:  Fireman John Henry Maynard was born...

Person, Emergency Services

War dead non-military, WW2
1 memorial

Previously viewed

Recycling the nations' railings - WW2

Recycling the nations' railings - WW2

As WW2 wore on, there was an increasing need for metal to make bombs, planes and tanks. To this end, the gates and railings around parks and open spaces were reclaimed as part of the war effort. Li...

Event, Architecture, Property

2 memorials
Matchgirls' strike

Matchgirls' strike

A strike of the women and teenage girls working at the Bryant and May Factory. Annie Besant had published an article about the poor working conditions at the factory, 'White Slavery in London'. Thi...

Event, Gender Issues, Industry, Social Welfare

5 memorials
Horatio, Lord Nelson

Horatio, Lord Nelson

Born in Burnham Thorpe, Norfolk. Naval commander who became a national hero as a result of his victories in the battle of the Nile (1798) and the Battle of Trafalgar (1805). He was mortally wounded...

Person, Armed Forces, Race Issues, Seriously Famous

17 memorials
La Patente church

La Patente church

In 1740 this French Hugeonot church moved into the building in Hanbury Street, with a patent granted by King James II.

Group, Religion, France

2 memorials
William Booth statue - Denmark Hill

William Booth statue - Denmark Hill

SE5, Champion Park, William Booth Memorial Training College

The statue was dedicated on the centenary of Booth's birth. The future Duke of Kent unveiled it when he was here to open the building.

2 subjects commemorated, 2 creators