WHITTAKER, Fred
| Service Number: | 2876 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 3 November 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | Army Ordnance Corps AIF |
| Born: | St James, Accrington, Lancashire, England, 12 February 1878 |
| Home Town: | Redfern, City of Sydney, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Textile fitter |
| Died: | Accidental (Injuries) - fracture of Spine & Bronchitis, Southwark Military Hospital, East Dulwich Grove, London, England, 8 March 1919, aged 41 years |
| Cemetery: |
Brookwood Military Cemetery, Pirbright, Surrey, England, United Kingdom Section IV, Row I, Grave 5 Epitaph reads "Thy Will Be Done" |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 3 Nov 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2876, 34th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 25 Nov 1916: | Involvement Private, 2876, 34th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '17' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Beltana embarkation_ship_number: A72 public_note: '' | |
| 25 Nov 1916: | Embarked Private, 2876, 34th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Beltana, Sydney | |
| 8 Mar 1919: | Involvement Private, 2876, Army Ordnance Corps AIF, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 2876 awm_unit: Australian Army Ordnance Corps awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1919-03-08 |
Help us honour Fred Whittaker'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 – 8th March…… Fred Whittaker was born at St James, Accrington, Lancashire, England on 12th February, 1878.
According to information supplied by his sister for the Roll of Honour – Fred Whittaker came to Australia when he was 34 years old.
He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 3rd November, 1916 as a 38 year old, single, Textile Fitter from 143 Cleveland Street, Redfern, Sydney, New South Wales.
Private Fred Whittaker, Service number 2876, embarked from Sydney, New South Wales on HMAT Beltana (A72) on 25th November, 1916 with the 9th Infantry Brigade, 34th Infantry Battalion, 6th Reinforcements & disembarked at Devonport, England on 25th January, 1917 (date as per Casualty Form – Active Service, however the Statement of Service form recorded he disembarked on 29th January, 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.
On 30th January, 1917 Private Whittaker was marched in to Details Camp at Fovant, Wiltshire from Australia.
He was marched in to Camp Details at Sutton Mandeville, Wiltshire & was marched out to 9th Training Battalion at Larkhill (near Durrington), Wiltshire on 6th March, 1917.
Private Whittaker was written up for an Offence while posted at 9th Training Battalion at Durrington – A.W.L. (Absent without Leave) from 10 pm on 1st July, 1917 until 7.30 pm on 2nd July, 1917. He was awarded 4 days Field Punishment No. 2 By Major Prince & a total forfeiture of 6 days pay.
On 14th October, 1917 Private Whittaker proceeded overseas to France from No. 11 Camp, Durrington. He was marched in to 3rd A.D.B.D. (Australian Divisional Base Depot) at Havre, France on 15th October, 1917 & marched out from 3rd A.D.B.D. (Australian Divisional Base Depot) on 18th October, 1917. Private Whittaker was taken on strength of 34th Battalion in the Field on 22nd October, 1917 from Reinforcements.
He reported sick on 22nd February, 1918 & was admitted to 10th Field Ambulance with Pyrexia U. O. (Fever of unknown origin). Private Whittaker was transferred & admitted to 1st Australian Casualty Clearing Station on 26th February, 1918 then transferred & admitted to 13th Casualty Clearing Station on 15th March, 1918 with Trench Fever. He was transferred to Ambulance Train on 30th March, 1918 & admitted to 30th General Hospital at Calais, France on 31st March, 1918 with Trench Fever. Private Whittaker was transferred & admitted to 18th Convalescent Depot at Boulogne, France on 2nd April, 1918. On 6th April, 1918 Private Whittaker was transferred to 10th Convalescent Depot at Boulogne. He was transferred & admitted to 25th General Hospital at Hardelot, France on 9th April, 1918 with Myalgia. Private Whittaker was transferred & admitted to 1st Convalescent Depot at Boulogne on 19th April, 1918 & was discharged to Base on 22nd April, 1918. He was marched in to A.I.B.D. (Australian Infantry Base Depot) at Havre, France on 28th April, 1918 & was transferred to England on 6th May, 1918 – medically classified as Biii.
Private Fred Whittaker was marched in to No. 2 Command Depot at Weymouth, Dorset, England on 7th May, 1918. He was marched out from No. 2 Command Depot at Weymouth on 22nd May, 1918 & was marched in to No. 4 Command Depot at Hurdcott, Wiltshire on the same day.
On 23rd July, 1918 Private Whittaker was marched out from No. 4 Command Depot at Hurdcott & was marched into Overseas Training Brigade at Longbridge Deverill, Wiltshire on the same day.
He was attached to I.O.M. Section (Inspector Ordnance Machinery), A.A.O.C. (Australian Army Ordnance Corps) for Course of Instruction from 34th Battalion on 9th August, 1918 ex Overseas Training Brigade at Longbridge Deverill.
Private Whittaker was transferred & taken on strength of I.O.M. (Inspector Ordnance Machinery) Section, A.A.O.C. (Australian Army Ordnance Corps) at Woolwich on 4th September, 1918 from 34th Battalion. He was appointed Fitter on the same day.
The Australian Army Ordnance Corps (A.A.O.C.) is the Corps within the Australian Army concerned with supply and administration, as well as the demolition and disposal of explosives and salvage of battle-damaged equipment.
On 24th September, 1918 Private (rank as per Casualty Form Active Service) Fred Whittaker proceeded overseas to France . He was marched in & taken on strength of A.A.O.C. B.E.F. (British Expeditionary Force) at Boulogne, France on 25th September, 1918. Private Whittaker was marched out to 22nd O.M.W. on 26th September, 1918 & was attached for duty with 22nd O.M.W. in the Field on 27th September, 1918.
He reported sick on 4th October, 1918 & was admitted to 55th Casualty Clearing Station then transferred & admitted to 3rd General Hospital on 23rd October, 1918 with Conjunctivitis. Private Whittaker was discharged to 1st Australian Convalescent Depot on 2nd November, 1918.
Private Fred Whittaker was admitted to 2nd General Hospital at Havre, France on 2nd January, 1919 with an accidental fracture of Spine. He was reported to be dangerously ill. Private Whittaker was invalided to England on Hospital Ship Grantully Castle on 19th January, 1919.
On 20th January, 1919 Private Whittaker was admitted to Southwark Military Hospital, East Dulwich Grove, London, England with an accidental fracture of Spine.
Fred Whittaker, Patient, made the following statement “Patient states that at Havre on the 1st Jan, 1919, he was getting on a tram car and someone gave him a violent push and he fell under the front of a car passing in the opposite direction and was dragged about 50 yards.”
On 24th January, 1919 Private Fred Whittaker’s condition was reported to be stationary.
Private Fred Whittaker died at 5.10 am on 8th March, 1919 at Southwark Military Hospital, East Dulwich Grove, London, England from injuries accidentally received – fracture of Spine & Bronchitis.
He was buried in Brookwood Military Cemetery, Surrey, England where around 360 other WW1 Australian War Graves are located.
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/tu---z.html
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