WHITTINGHAM, Leonard William
| Service Number: | 2904 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 17 October 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 40th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Clapham, London, England, 12 May 1878 |
| Home Town: | Wynyard, Waratah/Wynyard, Tasmania |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Farmer |
| Died: | General Paralysis of Insane, County of Middlesex War Hospital, Napsbury, St. Albans, England, United Kingdom, 14 May 1917, aged 39 years |
| Cemetery: |
St. Albans (Hatfield Road) Cemetery, England Grave Mil. E. I., Hatfield Road Cemetery, St Albans, Hertfordshire, England, United Kingdom |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Stanley Circular Head War Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 17 Oct 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2904, 40th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 6 Dec 1916: | Involvement Private, 2904, 40th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '18' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Orsova embarkation_ship_number: A67 public_note: '' | |
| 6 Dec 1916: | Embarked Private, 2904, 40th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Orsova, Melbourne |
Help us honour Leonard William Whittingham's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Geoffrey Gillon
40th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
He was 39 and the son of Thomas Blackburn Whittingham and Margaret Louisa Whittingham, of "Kingsley," Overbury Rd., Parkstone, Dorset, England.
Born in Hackney, East London, England.
Births Jun 1878 Whittingham Leonard William Hackney 1b 568
Biography 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 – 14th May…… Leonard William Whittingham was born on 12th May, 1878 with his birth registered in Hackney, London, England. His father died in 1888.
Leonard William Whittingham was baptised on 19th January, 1893 at St. Luke’s Church, West Norwood, Lambeth, England, along with 3 of his siblings. The family lived at St. Margaret’s, Auckland Hill, Lambeth & their father – Thomas Blackburn Whittingham was listed as a Master Mariner (deceased).
According to information provided by his mother for the Roll of Honour – Leonard Whittingham came to Australia when he was 19 years old.
The 1914 Australian Electoral Roll for the division of Darwin, subdivision of Circular Head, Tasmania recorded Leonard William Whittingham of Detention River.
On 17th October, 1916 Leonard William Whittingham enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) as a 39 year old, single, Farmer, from Wynyard, Tasmania.
Private Leonard William Whittingham, Service number 2904, embarked from Melbourne, Victoria on HMAT Orsova (A67) on 6th December, 1916 with the 40th Infantry Battalion, 6th Reinforcements & disembarked at Plymouth, England on 17th February, 1917.
Reinforcements were only given basic training in Australia. Training was completed in training units in England. Some of these were located in the Salisbury Plain & surrounding areas in the county of Wiltshire.
He was marched in to Camp Details at Sutton Mandeville, Wiltshire from 14th Training Battalion on 7th March, 1917.
On 13th March, 1917 Private Whittingham was admitted to Military Hospital, Fovant, Wiltshire – cause N.Y.D. (not yet determined). The Hospital Admissions form recorded “Mental Stupor”. He was transferred to Tidworth Military Hospital, Wiltshire on 17th March, 1917 from Fovant Military Hospital. The Hospital Admissions form recorded “General Paralysis”.
He was transferred & admitted to Middlesex War Hospital, Napsbury, St. Albans, England on 5th April, 1917 with Mental issues – seriously ill. The Hospital Admissions form recorded “General Paralysis of the Insane”. “On admission he was in an advanced stage of G.P.I. He became more demented & bed-ridden. Physical health failed steadily.”
Private Leonard William Whittingham died at 7.45 am on 14th May, 1917 at County of Middlesex War Hospital, Napsbury, St. Albans, England from General Paralysis of Insane.
He was buried in Hatfield Road Cemetery, St. Albans, Hertfordshire, England where 16 other WW1 Australian War Graves.
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/st-albans---hatfield...
Click images to start slideshow.