Oliver Whiting
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Oliver Whiting was born in 1897 at Nottingham and was the son of John, a pawnbroker and jeweller, and Ada Whiting née Woodhouse of 'Elm Dene' 13 Park Avenue Mapperley Road, Nottingham. His father was firstly married to Ann Woodhouse in 1882 at Nottingham, and had the following children with her John b1883, Edgar William b1886, Arthur b1887, he went on to marry her sister Ada Harriett Woodhouse on 2nd September 1891 at St Phillips Church, Lambeth His father John was born in 1858 at Nottingham and his mother Ada Harriett Woodhouse was born in 1868 also at Nottingham, they were married on 2nd September 1891 at St Phillips Church, Lambeth and went on to have the following children, Winifred Mary b1895 , Oliver b1897, and Eric Graham b1900
Rifleman Oliver Whiting enlisted at Nottingham on 11th December 1915 at Nottingham, he was 19 yrs and 3 months old, he was living at Elmsdene, Park Avenue , Mapperley Road, Nottingham and was a farm pupil. He was posted to the 21st battalion King's Royal Rifle Corps and landed in France on 5th May 1916, he was killed in action on his 20th birthday 17th September 1916, having no known grave his name is commemorated on the Thiepval memorial, Somme, France.
Rifleman Whiting was a sniper with 21st Battalion, the King’s Royal Rifle Corps, commonly known as the “Yeoman Rifles”. The Earl of Feversham had the idea of raising a battalion of farmer’s sons and country lads from the north of England. The future British Prime Minister, Anthony Eden, was among its officers. The Yeoman Rifles moved up to attack just beyond Delville Wood towards the village of Flers on 15th September 1916, during the Battle of the Somme. For the first time they were supported by the new secret weapon, tanks. The tanks did well before they were knocked out or broke down, but there were too few of them. As part of the 41st Division, the Yeoman Rifles had 10 tanks to support them, but these couldn’t keep up with the men who attacked with such great enthusiasm that they ran into their own artillery barrage, but also overwhelmed the front line German trenches before they knew what was happening. With the help of the few remaining undamaged tanks the village of Flers was captured. However, the Yeoman Rifles had been at the front of the attack and the Germans, quickly recovering from the shock of the initial onslaught, had taken a great toll of them. By the end of the day the Yeoman Rifles had suffered heavy casualties. They got beyond Flers, out into the green countryside beyond, filled with uncut corn. Rifleman Whiting, the Earl of Feversham and many of their comrades were dead or wounded. The tanks had done well, but the surprise element had gone and they had been knocked out far too quickly. Research Simon Williams Photo Source: The Old Boys of Nottingham High School Killed in the First World War. Unpublished. Courtesy of the school librarian.
