Who was he?

[Greyhound]

This chap is on our War Memorial, but I cannot find out exactly who he was. He doesn't appear in any of the parish records or the local census (though he may of course be on the 1911). His name is in the local paper's Active Service List as having been lost with HMS Monmouth, but there is no other reference to him. There is also a William Whitlock listed as serving on HMS New Zealand, whom I guess is his brother. Is there any source for the RN which may yield some more details, as SDGW does for the Army? Pardon my ignorance, but he's the first Navy man I've researched.

Name: WHITLOCK, EDWARD

Initials: E

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Sick Berth Attendant

Regiment/Service: Royal Navy

Unit Text: H.M.S. "Monmouth."

Date of Death: 01/11/1914

Service No: M/5448

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: 4.

Memorial: PLYMOUTH NAVAL MEMORIAL

I thought I'd found a likely family on the 1901 census, but their Edward matches up all too well with one on SDGW. Thanks for any pointers you may be able to give me.

[joseph]

Hi,

You may find more here;

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documen...p;resultcount=4

Costs 3.50 to download

Regards charles

[Greyhound]

Thank you very very much, Charles - I have him in the census now. Nowhere near our neck of the woods, so I couldn't have picked him out with any certainty. What else might I expect to find on the document you've linked?

Just seen there's another one for him but with another number: K13540. What would this mean, please?

[horatio2]

The 'K' series official numbers were given to Stokers between 1908 and 1925. Enlistment papers for both these numbers are at the Fleet Air Arm Museum.

[Greyhound]

Thanks for the help so far. I have found Edward's birth registration, and he was actually born in 1896, so he was three years younger than these records suggest. Here is his discharge book (I assume that's what this is). He sounds a bit on the slight side to have been a stoker!

I'm wondering where the date 22 December 1911 fits in - would this be the date where the previous record ends? And what would "12 yrs" refer to?

[Northern Soul]

Thanks for the help so far. I have found Edward's birth registration, and he was actually born in 1896, so he was three years younger than these records suggest. Here is his discharge book (I assume that's what this is). He sounds a bit on the slight side to have been a stoker!

I'm wondering where the date 22 December 1911 fits in - would this be the date where the previous record ends? And what would "12 yrs" refer to?

I think that is the date he enlisted and he "signed on" for a 12-year stint.

Best wishes.

Andy.

[Greyhound]

Aha, I see. So was Plymouth Hospital a Naval hospital, and would he have been serving there from 12 Nov 1913 to 1st Aug 1914?

[james_harvey]

and he had previous service as a stoker official number K13540

hope this helps

James

[per ardua per mare per terram]

Name Whitlock, Edward Official Number: M5448

Place of Birth: Salhouse, Norfolk Date of Birth: 04 September 1893

Name Whitlock, Edward Official Number: K13540

Place of Birth: Salhouse, Norfolk Date of Birth: 04 September 1893

Here are his papers for the other number http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documen...p;resultcount=4

This could be your man on New Zealand Name Whitlock, William John Official Number: J15675

Place of Birth: Norwich, Norfolk Date of Birth: 04 June 1894

Another possible relative Name Whitlock, Herbert Frederick Official Number: 193527

Place of Birth: Salhouse, Norfolk Date of Birth: 05 September 1881

All the best

Per Mare

[per ardua per mare per terram]

The confusion to avoid:

Description Name Whitelock, Bertram, Official Number: M5048

Place of Birth: Plymouth, Devon, Date of Birth: Date 06 May 1894

The other matches for Edward:

Name Whitlock, George Edward, Official Number: K20840

Place of Birth: Lymington, Hampshire, Date of Birth: 03 September 1894

Name Whitlock, Ernest Edward, Official Number: 201322

Place of Birth: Salisbury, Wiltshire, Date of Birth: 10 July 1881

[per ardua per mare per terram]

Plymouth Hospital was a Naval hospital. He had changed from stoking to be a Sick Berth Attendant (a kind of combined nurse and hospital orderly) who would serve both in the hospitals and aboard ship.

[Greyhound]

Herbert's their uncle, by the looks of things. Still no clue what the local connection is.

I doubt if I would learn much more from the other papers, as if he signed on in December 1911, there's only a gap of a few months before he joins the Vivid II. Still, I have a lot more now than I ever hoped! Wish the Army records were as enlightening!

Can anyone help with the Plymouth Hospital bit - was he there for those eight months, or do the lines indicate a break in service?

Thanks all.

EDIT: Oops, posts crossed. Thanks, per.