PRIVATE WILLIAM WHITMORE

William was born in Sheffield in 1883, according to 1911 Census aged 28 years old, he lived at 10 Palmer Street, Halfway with his wife Henrietta and daughters, Ivy, Henrietta and Lily. He worked as a Coal Miner Hewer.

He joined the 2^nd Battalion King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, his Service no is 3/1893. He was killed in action on 18.4.1915 at the age of 33 years and buried at Osttaverne Wood Cemetery, Heuvelland, Arrondissement leper, West Flanders, (West Vlaanderen) Belgium.

The inscription on William’s grave says:

“TILL WE MEET AGAIN”

Listed below is the Concentration of Graves (Exhumation and Reburials), Burial Return Form.

William would have been awarded the 1914/15 Star.

The effects listed below would have gone to William’s wife Henrietta F A Rotherham (formerly Whitmore), who lived at 40 Station Road Halfway.

BELIEVED KILLED.

War Office and a Missing Mosbro’ Soldier

The following letter has been received by Mrs Whitmore of Duke Street, Mosbro from the War Office reporting her husband who has been missing over six months. In reply to your letter concerning Pte H Whitmore, KOYLI.

I am directed to inform you that enquiries are no longer sent to Germany to ascertain whether individual soldiers are prisoners of war, but full lists of missing are sent form circulation in the camps and hospitals where prisoners are interned. I am to add that it has been found by experience that the recognition of individuals in the newspaper reproduction of photographic groups is often misleading.

It is regretted that no further information about Pte Whitmore has been received in this office and that he had not been traced as a prisoner of war and there is no reason to suppose that if he were a prisoner of war he would not be able to communicate with you.

Under these circumstances and in view of the lapse of time, it is feared that he can be no longer alive, and his case is under consideration with a view to the acceptance of his death for official purposes.