Name
Andrew Whitby
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
22/03/1918
28
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Corporal
202809
Essex Regiment
11th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ARRAS MEMORIAL
Bay 7.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial, St Saviour's Church War Memorial, Radcliffe Rd., Hitchin, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour (Book), Hitchin, Royston Town Memorial, Not listed on the Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford
Pre War
The sixth son of William Whitby of Eagle Tavern Cottages, Royston, Hertfordshire.
The only probable ‘A. Whitby’ in the whole of ‘Soldiers died in the Great War’ is Andrew Whitby of the 11th Battalion of the Essex Regiment who was killed in action on the 23rd March 1918 in France.
His Regimental Number was 202809 and he had previously served in the Hertfordshire Regiment with the Regimental Number 2317.
Unfortunately, no link to Hitchin has been established as he was born in Wimpole and enlisted in Royston where he resided.
He has no known grave and is remembered on Bay 7 of the Arras Memorial to the Missing in France.
In the whole of’Soldiers died’ database and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission records, there is no one of this name recorded as having been born, enlisting or residing in Hitchin and it is possible that this entry is a duplication of ‘A.H. Whitby’. In future years it may be possible to make a positive identification when the soldiers personal papers are released by the Ministry of Defence to the Public Record Office at Kew. Unfortunately, many of the papers were destroyed or damaged by bombing during the Second World War.
Wartime Service
Formerly 2317 in the Hertfordshire Regiment.
He enlisted in the Hertfordshire Regiment, serving with “E” Company. After being promoted he was transferred to the Essex Regiment.
Acknowledgments
David C Baines, Jonty Wild, Paul Johnson
