Name
Gordon Hedley (Henry(sic)) Whittard
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
01/07/1916
23
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Rifleman
301597
London Regiment (London Rifle Brigade)
1st/5th (City of London) Bn.
'D' Coy,
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier and Face 9 D.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Christchurch Memorial, Little Heath, Potters Bar, Little Heath & Bentley Heath Memorial, Potters Bar, All Souls Chapel Book of Remembrance, Potters Bar, We are not aware of any memorial in Colney Hatch
Pre War
Gordon Hedley Whittard was born at Colney Heath in 1893 (baptised 16 Jul 1893 at Friern Barnet, Middx.) to Alfred Henry Whittard, glover and hosier, and Charlotte Elizabeth (nee Smith).
1891 Census the family of parents, Alfred (born 1884), Nellie (born1885), Willie (born 1885) and Stanley, were living at Hillside Farm, Friern Barnet along sister in law Eliza Smith, Charlie Bradfield a servant and Charles Bowen a labourer.
On the 1901 Census the family of parents, Louisa M (born 1879), Leonard (born 1881, hosiers assistant), Alfred (hosiery cashier), Nellie, Willie (stationers assistant), Stanley, Gordon (born 1893), May Evelyn (born 1896), Olive Sanford V (born 1898) and Athol Douglas (born 1900) at Osborne House, Osborne Lane, Little Heath, North Mimms. Also recorded was Fred Tebbs, a cowman on farm.
On the 1911 Census Gordon (a hosier’s assistant) was living with his parents, Louisa M, Nellie, Willie (bank clerk), Stanley ( a stockbroker’s clerk, May Evelyn, Olive Sanford V, and Athol Douglas, Dora Cathleen (born 1903) and Kenneth Ivan (born 1905) still at Osborne House, Osborne Lane, Little Heath.
Wartime Service
No Service Record was found for Gordon, but he volunteered as a Territorial Soldier in Jul 1915 as as Private 2467 in 1st /5th (city of London) Battalion, the London Regiment (London Rifle Brigade) while resident at Friern Barnet.
Following his training Gordon went to France landing on 2 Feb 1916 joining his Battalion which had been in France since Nov 1914, The Battalion was part of 56 (1st London) Division and on the 1 Jul 1916 formed part of the Diversionary attack at Gommecourt, intended to divide some attention from attacks along the Somme Front. It was during this action that Gordon was reported killed in action, His remains were not recovered and he is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme. His service Number of 301697 must have awarded posthumously during the 1917 Territorial renumbering, possibly because his had not been officially accepted.
Additional Information
His brother Stanley Percy Whittard, 8th Battaion, Lincs Regt died on 25 Aug 1918.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Martin Cope
