Edward Austin Whyman
He enlisted in the Royal Marines (RMLI) in February 1908, previous occupation footman.
- Family History
- Military history
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Edward Austin Whyman was born on 31 August 1889 at Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire, the son of Thomas Edward Whyman and Mary Hannah Whyman (née Austin).
His father, Thomas Edward was born in Ashton Oundle, Northamptonshire, in 1868, and his mother Mary Hannah Austin in 1861 in Stilton, Huntingdonshire. They were married at St Peters Church, Oundle, Northamptonshire, on 14 January 1889. They had three children, Edward Austin, Mary Sophia Newham b. 1894 Woolsthorpe, Lincolnshire, baptised Woolsthorpe 11 February 1894, and John William b. 1896 Kirkby Laythorpe, Sleaford.
At the time of the 1911 census the family was living at 13 Ashover Terrace, Manning Street, Nottingham: Thomas Edward (43) a foreman fitter's assistant, Mary Hannah (50) and their youngest son, John William (15), an errand boy. Edward Austin had joined the Royal Marines in 1908 and was serving in HMS Suffolk at sea off Genoa, Italy.
Edward Austin married Annie Attwell (b. 24 October 1887), the daughter of George and Hannah Attewell of 26, Elmsthorpe Avenue, Lenton Boulevard, Nottingham, at Radford All Saints Church on 6 July 1916. They had two children, Edward Attewell Austin b. 7 September 1917 and Joan Mary b. 13 November 1919.
Annie was still living at 26 Elmsthorpe Avene when her husband died in 1920 and was recorded at the same address on the 1939 England & Wales Register. Also in the home were her widowed mother, Hannah Attewell (b. 1865 d. 1942), and her two children, Edward an accounts clerk for a Trade Association and Joan an attendant (cigarettes machinist).
Annie died in 1951 aged 63. Her son Edward has not been traced after 1939 but her daughter Joan married Alfred R Marriott in 1952; she died in 2004.
Edward Austin's parents and siblings were living at 69 Manning Street, Nottingham, in 1921; his father was a gardener (private), his sister Mary a grocer's assistant (CW Judge, Mapperley) and his brother John an out of work porter. Mary may have married Stanley Saunders in 1922 but died in September 1923 (burial Carrington St John). Her parents and brother were still living at 68 Manning Street in 1939; her father had retired but her brother was working as a kitchen porter. It is likely that all three died in 1941; Mary's death was registered in the first quarter of the year, Thomas died in April and John in September (burial 2 October).
Edward Austin Whyman joined the Royal Marine Light Infantry on 7 February 1908. He was aged 18y 1m 7d, trade footman.
Service record: Recruit Depot Deal 7 February 1908-10 February 1909. Plymouth Division, 11 February 1909-31 March 1910. Plymouth Division at Gosport, 1 April 1910-2 May 1910. HMS Suffolk 3 May 1910-28 October 1912. Plymouth Division 28 October 1912-3 February 1913. HMS Theseus, 4 February 1913-22 March 1914. Plymouth Division, 26 March 1914-2 April 1914. HMS Nottingham 3 April 1914-19 August 1916 (ship sunk), 20 August 1916. Plymouth Division 21 August 1916-12 October 1916. HMS Glorious, 13 October 1916-31 March 1919. Hercules for HMS Glorious, 1 April-16 February 1920. Plymouth Division 17 February 1920-1 June 1920. 8th RMB 2 June 1920-2 December 1920. Record annotated ‘DD’ [Discharged Dead] (enteric fever)
Edward was a veteran of Heligoland Bight, Dogger Bank and Jutland and survived the sinking of HMS Nottingham, a Town Class Cruiser, by U-52 on 19 August 1916 less than two months after his wedding. He took part in the Zeebrugge raid on 23 April 1918.
Edward remained in the RMLI after the Armistice and served with the 8th Royal Marine Battalion in Ireland in 1920. He died of enteric fever at the Royal Naval Hospital Queenstown on 2 December 1920. He was buried in Nottingham General Cemetery on 7 December 1920.
Edward qualified for the 1914/15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
His brother, John William Whyman, attested on 11 December 1915 at Nottingham and was posted to the Reserves the following day. He was mobilised on the 31 January 1916 and posted to the Labour Corps on 2 February 1916. John William was discharged from the Army (defective vision) on 30 November 1917; he had not served overseas.
CWGC Additional information: Husband of Annie Whyman, of 26, Elmsthorpe Avenue, Lenton Boulevard, Nottingham.
CWGC headstone personal inscription: 'Whom I have loved and lost awhile'
Report from a local paper: 'MARINE FROM H.M.S. NOTTINGHAM. INTERESTING WEDDING.
'Private Whyman, the Royal Marines, who is stated to be the only Nottingham man serving on board H.M.S. Nottingham (although there are several others from the neighbourhood), was married at All Saints' Church, Nottingham, this afternoon, [6th July 1916] his bride being Miss Annie Attwell. Whyman has been on the Nottingham ever since she was commissioned, and came to Nottingham when the pieces of plate were presented on behalf of the city. He was in all the three engagements in which she has participated — Heligoland, Dogger Bank, and Jutland. The ship's luck in escaping injury the men ascribe, he says, to the presence of a black cat on board.
'Amongst the wedding presents an engraved silver-plated salver from his shipmates.
The engraving, which was done by one of their number, gives not only representation of the present vessel, but her predecessor, the old Nottingham, of 1704. The dates of the new Nottingham battle honours are also inscribed. Four marines from the ship were present at to-day's ceremony.'
Above courtesy Jim Grundy facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918
Nottingham Evening Post, 7 December 1920: ‘Survivor of HMS Nottingham. Military Funeral at the General Cemetery. The funeral took place at the Nottingham General Cemetery to-day, of Private EA Whyman of the Royal Marine Light Infantry, who died on Thursday last at the Royal Naval Hospital, Queenstown, Ireland. Private Whyman, who was a Nottingham man, had a notable record of service. He served in HMS Theseus, Amphion, Russell, Suffolk, Nottingham and Glorious. He was in the Nottingham at the actions of Heligoland Bight, Dogger Bank and Jutland, and was one of the survivors when the ship was torpedoed and sunk in August, 1916, being rescued from the sea after three hours’ immersion. Subsequently Whyman was transferred to HMS Glorious, and he took part in the Zeebrugge attack. He was serving in Ireland at the time of his death. In 1916, the deceased married Miss Annie Attewell, daughter of the late Mr Attewell of Nottingham, He leaves a son and a daughter. The body was brought from Ireland by the naval authorities, and to-day full military honours were accorded, a firing and bugle party of the Sherwood Foresters from the Derby depot being in attendance. The service was conducted by the Rev. H Lovell Clarke, a special service was being held in All Saints’ Church.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Edward Austin Whyman
Buried in Nottingham General Cemetery. Photograph courtesy of Peter Gillings
Photo of Edward Austin Whyman
Buried in Nottingham General Cemetery. Photograph Gary Crosby (23 May 2023).