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World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great 1914 1918 first battalion regiment
Cpl. Michael White
British Army 2nd Battalion, A Coy. Royal Dublin Fusiliers
from:Naas, Co. Kildare, Ireland
Michael White was born in Naas, Co. Kildare, Ireland on March 16th 1882. In April 1900 he enlisted as a private in the 2nd Battalion of the RDF at the battalions depot in Naas. His Service record for the RDF shows that at some stage previously he had joined the Royal Irish Regiment but had been dismissed for being under age. Michael served with the RDF during the second Boer war in South Africa and was awarded both the Queen's and King's South Africa medals with clasps. After the Boer war he also served in peacetime at Malta, Crete and Egypt with his regiment. In April 1908, when his 8 year's service was up, he transferred to the army reserve.
With the outbreak of WW1, as a reserve soldier, he was called up to the RDF and mobilised on 6th of August 1914. With the rest of the second battalion he sailed from Southampton for Boulogne and then travelled by train to Le Cateau. His regiment, along with the rest of the British Expeditionary Force, was hurredly thrown into action in an attempt to stop the German advance through Belgium into France.
The battalion first engaged the advancing German forces during the retreat from Mons on August 26th, suffering many casualties and loosing many men as prisoners of war. Michael White was wounded twice during the chaotic fighting and retreats during the battle of Le Cateau. He was sent home to Naas to recover and during his recoevry there he was interviewed by the local Kildare Observer newspaper. The article is below: Extract from Kildare Observer Sept 1914:
Wounded at Cambrai - Naas Soldier Back From the Front 19th September 1914.
Private Michael White, "A" Company, Royal Dublin Fusilier, was in the firing line at Cambrai in the retreat from Mons on August 26th and was in the fighting line three days before he was rendered Hors-De-Combat by two Germans bullets. His wounds have now healed and he has been granted 14 days' Furlough. He is at present in his home at Rathasker Road, Naas, none the worse for his wounds. "I was one of four platoons of the 'Dublins'," He told me, "sent to hold the hills at Cambrai at all costs, but ten times our number could not have performed the task, as we soon found out when we saw the numbers against us. I was in the fourth platoon under Lieut. Mackey, who was afterward captured by the Germans and is now a prisoner, I believe. I tasted the lead of the German twice. The first wound I believe was here" - holding up his right hand, the third finger of which bore a recently healed scar. - "I paid no heed to that. It was nothing, and I got back into the ranks and fired away after I had got a bandage tied around it to keep the blood from bothering me. We were retiring all this time, and I asked Captain Clarke where I could get me hand bound up when the blood was troubling me. He told me to go back to the village - Cambrai - and I would find No.2 Red Cross Hospital there.
"I had got my finger bandaged when a German aeroplane buzzed right over the Church, which had been turned into a temporary hospital. The people in the aeroplane dropped a black disc suspended by a cord over the church for the purpose, I suppose, of giving the range to the artillery. A few minutes' later the steeple of the church came tumbling down and some French doctors and nuns were killed amongst other. This is not hearsay, as I saw it with my own eyes. We - some wounded - were told to clear out, as the place was about to be shelled and we lost no time in going, those of us who could look after ourselves.
"As I have told you, I re-joined my comrades, who were at this time retreating and some four or five hours' later, while we were fighting on our retreat some miles from Cambrai I got another bullet - this time in the groin that knocked me over, and I was sent to the field hospital at Rouen.
That night we had to clear off from there and got on board a ship which came through the Seine. We disembarked at Southampton, and a lot of us were sent to Plymouth Hospital, which was in charge of civilians and territorials. They fed you well and looked after you but did not bother to enquire further about you. That was the reason why, although I was wounded on August 26th, my name did not appear in the casualty list until a couple of days ago. It's the same with hundreds of others. They do not bother about reporting you as being wounded or in the hospital until you are fit to leave, and then they inform the authorities and you are sent to Naas or wherever you regiment may happen to have come from. I was discharged the day before yesterday - on Tuesday - and was the only one of the wounded sent to Naas.
"Yes" he said replying to a question I asked him as to whether he had seen any of the German brutality we hear so much about. "I saw two of our bands men - Private Flannery and Ives Flannery was from Tipperary and we called him "Tipp", and Ives is an Englishmen) go out with the stretcher from them and turned them back. I met them on the road and Flannery's hand was bleeding. He told me the Uhlans had broken his fingers with a slash of a sword. The Germans are all right now to our fellows when they are being forced to retreat themselves, but when they were marching on us they murdered all before them. I believe they are told if they meet a British soldier to shoot him or he will shoot them. "Yes, I'm feeling quite fit again now", said the private. "When my fortnight is up I'll go back to my regiment, and hope to be sent to the front again. I want to get some of my own back off those fellows".
Michael returned to France in January 1915. On 21st of March 1918, the German Army made its final major push in an effort to end the war. The RDF was heavily engaged during the German spring offensive and suffered significant casualties. At some point, Michael's company (A Company) was isolated and Michael was taken prisoner. He spent the rest of the war a POW. Michael was finally repatriated after the war had ended in December 1918. He was demobilised in February 1919.
2/Lt. Nathan White
British Army 29th Btn. Northumberland Fusiliers
from:Jarrow
(d.1st Jul 1916)
Nathan White, a Second Lieutenant, served with the 29th and 21st (Tyneside Scottish) Battalions, Northumberland Fusiliers and died age 31 on the 1st July 1916. He is remembered at St. Paul's Church and on the Thiepval Memorial. His medal card records the award of the War and Victory Medals shows his mother as next of kin.
Nathan was born in Jarrow 1885, son of Martha and the late Joseph White. In the 1911 census the family is living at Palmers Gasworks where Nathan(26) is the manager. His widowed mother Martha(73) and his two sisters, Lilian(32) a dressmaker and Dora(30). Nephew Nathan Keau(12) and Niece Edna Keau(9) complete the family.
Pte. Owen "Jack" White
British Army 6th Btn. Northamptonshire Regiment
from:3 Carey St. Kettering, Northants
(d.10th August 1917)
Pte. Percival White
British Army 8th Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment
from:Worthing, West Sussex
(d.23rd Oct 1918)
Cpl. Percy William White
British Army 1/5th Btn. Sherwood Foresters
from:Long Eaton
Percy White was with 1/7th Robin Hoods until break up, then went to 59th Division. He was wounded in front of Baillieul on the 17th of Apr 1918. Recovered and went back to the 5th Battalion Sherwoods. He was wounded on the Somme on the 17th of Oct 1918, in front of Bohain. Sent back home and discharged on 5th of March 1919.
Pte. R. White
British Indian Army 26th Bn. Hyderabad Rifles Indian Defence Force
(d.1st November 1918)
Private White is buried in the Purna Roman Catholic Cemetery in India, Grave 731.
Pte. Reginald Rolt White
New Zealand Expeditionary Force 1st Btn. Canterbury Regiment
Richard White
Royal Navy HMS Newcastle
from:8 Hallgarth Avenue, New Brumby, Scunthorp,e Lincolnshire
I am the youngest sister of Dick White, from a large family of ten. I was only aged 1 when he was in the war. I know he received a medal but didn't collect it. I still have his cap band from the HMS Newcastle.
Capt. Robert William White MC.
British Army 16th (Pioneer) Battalion Royal Irish Rifles
from:Kilkeel, Co Down, Ireland
Robert William White was awarded the Military Cross and I am hunting for the citation, which was gazetted on 1st January 1918 in London Gazette supplement page 49: T /Capt. William Robert White, R Ir. Rif. Also a photograph would be nice
L/Sgt. Robert Bransby White MM.
British Army 13th Btn. Durham Light Infantry
from:Middlesborough
(d.20th Sep 1917)
Robert White was awarded the Military Medal on 29th of July 1916. He is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial.
Pte. Robert James White
British Army 5th Btn. Oxford & Bucks Light Infantry
from:Adstock, Buckinghamshire
(d.23rd March 1918)
Pte. Robert Masson White
British Army 7th Battalion Gordon Highlanders
from:Chorlton upon Medlock, Manchester
(d.13th Nov 1916)
Robert White is believed to have fought in Festubert, Givenchy, Battle of High Wood with the 7th Battalion, Gordon Highlanders. He was killed at the Somme 13th November 1916 and is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial in France.
Pte. Samuel White
British Army 10th Btn. Cheshire Regiment
from:Port Sunlight, Cheshire
(d.24th March 1918)
Samuel White was my grandfather, his son Samuel my father, my brother Samuel his son. I did not know any of my father's relatives so, if there are any out there with photos? He married Jane White, they lived on New Chester Road, Port Sunlight and all worked at Lever Bros. His name is on the war memorial in Port Sunlight.
Pte. Samuel Caddis White
British Army 1st/4th Btn. Royal Scots Fusiliers
from:Ayr
(d.13th Nov 1917)
Samuel Caddis White was killed in action on 13th of November 1917 and was buried with his comrades in Palestine at Ramleh War Cemetery
Pte. Sidney White
British Army 10th Btn. Royal Warwickshire Regiment
(d.23rd Mar 1918)
Sidney White served with the 10th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment and died on the 23rd March 1918. He is remembered on Bay 3 of the Arras Memorial.
Pte. Sidney Albert White
British Army 5th Btn. Royal Berkshire Regiment
from:Larbert
(d.12th May 1918)
Sydney White served with the 5th Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment and died on 12th May 1918.
Cpl. Sidney Herbert "Chalky" White
British Army Royal Berkshire Regiment
from:Barking
My grandad Sidney White fought in the Battle of Ypres, was taken as a POW and survived the Great War. He was wounded and walked with a slight limp the rest of his life. He lived until the age of 69 and died in 1962. He came from Barking, East London and lived there all his life. He married Alice, a local girl who died a year after him. They had 3 sons, Herbert, Richard and John, who was my father.
Capt. Stewart Alexander White
British Army 21st (Tyneside Scottish) Btn. Northumberland Fusiliers
(d.3rd July 1916)
Stewart White was my great uncle who died leaving a widow but no children. He was the Battalion Adj and was shot and wounded on 1 July 1916 and died of his wounds on 3 July.
In a letter to the War Office in early 1917, his widow related the following particulars of his death as related to her by 2Lt Spearing, a junior officer of the Regiment: " Mr Spearing was one of Capt White's juniors and related that the morning of July 1st immediately "Advance" was sounded Capt White leaped over the parapet followed by his men. It seems he was wounded but pressed onward taking 2 lines of trenches. Meanwhile another Company - where most of the Officers fell almost at once - were about to lose their heads, when Capt White and late Capt Charlton rallied them and led them to the 3rd line. My husband was wounded in the abdomen and, I am told was carried into German Dug Out in 3rd line where he lay for three days until his death. It was impossible to restore him as he was bleeding very badly."
Capt White was an Oxford Scholar, Mathematician and school teacher. His younger brother Bruce, emigrated to Australia in 1911 and successfully raised a large family, one of whom served in the Royal Australian Air Force and was killed in WW2. Another son, Bruce also served in WW2 and was my father. I was born on 1 July 1956 and in 2016 I will celebrate my 70th Birthday, the day on which we will also pause to remember the 100th anniversary of the fatal wounding of Capt Stewart Alexander White.
Lest we forget!
Pte. Thomas William White
British Army 2nd Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment
from:Alton, Hampshire
(d.13th May 1915)
Pte. Thomas White
British Army 2nd Btn. Northumberland Fusiliers
(d.18th Feb 1915)
Pte. Thomas White
British Army 12th Btn. Northumberland Fusiliers
from:Hebburn
(d.13th July 1916)
Thomas White served in the 12th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers and died on the 13th July 1916. He is remembered at St Paul's Church and Thiepval Memorial. His medal card records the award of the War and Victory Medals.
Thomas was born in Wallsend 1891, son of James and Margaret White of 5 Tweed Street, Hebburn. In the 1911 census the family is living at 8 Bladen Street, Jarrow with James(56) a stationary engineer in iron works, his wife of 32 years Margaret(51) has had 9 children of whom 5 survive and 2 are living at home. Robert(30) is a labourer and Thomas(20) is a boiler fireman in the iron works.
Pte. Thomas White
British Army 2nd Btn. South Staffordshire Regiment
from:Birmingham
(d.27th April 1917)
Pte. Wilfred Percy White
British Army 2nd Btn. Dorsetshire Regiment
from:Stourpaine, Dorset, England
Pte. William White
British Army 8th Battalion Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
from:44 Murano Street, Firhill, Glasgow
(d.29th July 1918)
William White served with the 8th Battalion, Cameronians (Scottish Rifles). He died on 29th July 1918.
Pte. William White
British Army 10th Battalion Cheshire Regiment
from:Tarporley
(d.25th Aug 1916)
I started my family history research last year and soon discovered my maternal grandfather Thomas White, was one of 10 siblings. He was the eldest having been born in 1881. William, his younger brother was born on 27th April 1889 and attended Tarporley Central school, which I remember as the C of E school. He lived in Tarporley at his parent's home at 117 High Street - now demolished.
He joined up in Chester and was soon sent to France where he served with the 10th Battalion Cheshire Regiment. I am currently researching his earlier service but thanks to a Cousin, Jenny, we have found his date and place of death as almost certainly in the battle of High Wood on 25th August 1916. He is buried at Blighty Valley Cemetery, Authuille Wood near Amiens in a marked grave. I intend to visit this as soon as possible. Up until last December I was totally unaware of William's existence let alone the sacrifice he had made.
A/Bdr. William Spencer White
British Army Clyde Battery Royal Garrison Artillery
from:6 School Road, Ore, Hastings, Sussex
Pte. William John White
British Army 5th Btn Dorsetshire Regiment
from:Wooton Fitzpaine, Charmouth, Bridport, Dorset
(d.19th Aug 1915)
William John White was killed in action, at Gallipoli in 1915 aged 26. He was the son of Jarvis White, of Wootton Fitzpaine, and the late Amelia White; husband of Ellen Sarah Crate (formerly White), of The New Inn Farm, Wootton Fitzpaine, Charmouth, Bridport, Dorset. He is commemorated on the Helles Memorial in Turkey.
Pte. William Jarvis White
British Army 5th Battalion Dorsetshire Regiment
from:Wooton, Fitzpaine
(d.19th Aug 1915)
William White of the 5th Battalion, Dorsetshire Regiment died on the 19th of August 1915 Aged 26. He was the son of Jarvis White of Wootton Fitzpaine, and the late Amelia White; husband of Ellen Sarah Crate (formerly White) of The New Inn Farm, Wootton Fitzpaine, Charmouth, Bridport, Dorset.
Pte William Harper White
British Army A sub section Royal Horse Artillery
from:King Street, Ayr
My Grandfather, William Harper White, served during the 14-18 war mostly in France. He is sitting at far right hand side of the 2nd back row. He was the lead gunner (rode the first horse carrying the cannon). He saw action at the battle of the Somme. He also suffered a mustard gas attack which eventually led to his early death at only age 59.
Pte. William White
British Army 7th Btn. East Yorkshire
from:Sheffield
(d.17th November 1915)
Page 38 of 76
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