WHITEHEAD, Walter Lee
| Service Number: | 3959 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 18 January 1915, Served Sth Africa, Scottish Horse. Lowered age from 53 years to 41 years for enlistment. |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 23rd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | King’s Lynn, Norfolk, England, 19 June 1860 |
| Home Town: | Williamstown, Hobsons Bay, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Mariner |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Military Hospital, Edmonton, England, 2 October 1916, aged 56 years |
| Cemetery: |
Tottenham Cemetery Gen. 7355 Commemorated on the Screen Wall., |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 18 Jan 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 3959, 23rd Infantry Battalion, Served Sth Africa, Scottish Horse. Lowered age from 53 years to 41 years for enlistment. | |
|---|---|---|
| 8 Feb 1916: | Involvement Private, 3959, 23rd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '14' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Warilda embarkation_ship_number: A69 public_note: '' | |
| 8 Feb 1916: | Embarked Private, 3959, 23rd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Warilda, Melbourne | |
| 22 Aug 1916: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 3959, 23rd Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières , GSWs to back (severe) |
Help us honour Walter Lee Whitehead's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Evan Evans
The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland
Died on this date – 2nd October…… Walter Lee Whitehead was born at King’s Lynn, Norfolk, England on 19th June, 1860.
Walter Whitehead joined Royal Naval Reserve.
On 18th January, 1915 Walter Whitehead enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) stating he was a 41 year old, single, Mariner from Chas. Cook, Steampacket Hotel, Williamstown, Melbourne, Victoria.
Private Walter Whitehead, Service number 3959, embarked from Melbourne, Victoria on HMAT Warilda (A69) on 8th February, 1916 with the 6th Infantry Brigade, 23rd Infantry Battalion, 9th Reinforcements.
He embarked from Alexandria on H.M.T. Oriana on 21st March, 1916 & disembarked at Marseilles, France on 27th March, 1916.
On 16th April, 1916 Private Whitehead was written up while posted at 2nd Australian Divisional Base Depot at Etaples, France – 1. Drunk in Lines at 10 pm & 2. Failing to hand in pass to Guard Tent. He was awarded 21 days Field Punishment No. 1. He was written up again on 24th June, 1916 while posted at 2nd Australian Divisional Base Depot at Etaples, France – “While in Active Service Drunkeness.” He was awarded 28 days Field Punishment No. 1.
He was marched out from 2nd Australian Divisional Base Depot at Etaples, France on 11th July, 1916 to join his Unit. He was marched out from 1st Anzac on 1st August, 1916 to join his Unit & was taken on strength of 23rd Battalion in France on 6th August, 1916 from 9th Reinforcements.
Private Walter Whitehead was wounded in action in France on 22nd August, 1916 at Pozieres. He was admitted to 13th Australian Field Ambulance on 23rd August, 1916 with Shrapnel Wounds to Back then transferred & admitted to 44th Casualty Clearing Station on the same day. Private Whitehead was transferred to No. 19 Ambulance Train on 24th August, 1916 & admitted to 8th Red Cross Hospital at Le Toquet on 25th August, 1916 with “G.S.W. VI I (Severe).” He was invalided to England on 28th August, 1916, leaving Calais on 29th August, 1916 on Hospital Ship Brighton with G.S.W. Contusions (severe).
On 29th August, 1916 he was admitted to Edmonton Military Hospital with G.S.W. (gunshot wound/s) to Back (severe).
Private Walter Whitehead died on 2nd October, 1916 at Military Hospital, Edmonton, England from wounds received in action in France - G.S.W. (gunshot wound/s) to Back.
A death for Walter Whitehead, aged 55, was registered in the December quarter, 1916 in the district of Edmonton, Middlesex, England.
He was buried in Tottenham Cemetery, Greater London, Middlesex, England where 7 other WW1 War Graves are now located – Heroes Corner, Grave No. 7305.
He is now remembered on CWGC Screen Wall – Gen. 7355 (Screen Wall) as he has no headstone. His death is still acknowledged by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/tottenham.html
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