Day 818. Hull Pals Memorial Post. PRIVATE GEORGE WHITELEY 22356. Born in October 1896, George was one of ten children to Walter and Elizabeth Whiteley of 6 Richmond Terrace, Harrow Street, Hessle Road, Hull. A Rullyman by trade, he enlisted at Hull City Hall on 9th December 1915, just days before the passing of the dreaded Conscription Act meaning he joined the army a volunteer and not a conscript, who were considered lowest of the low. Mobilised on 20th January 1916 he joined the 14th Battalion (Reserve) East Yorkshire Regiment, though he was transferred to the 11th Battalion on his arrival in France on 4th May. He served on the Somme and at Oppy Wood and appears to have made it through both unscathed. George Whiteley was listed as missing, and later missing presumed dead following trench raids on German positions at Fresnoy on 8th November 1917; his body was never recovered and his name is commemorated on the Arras Memorial to the missing; he was 21 years old. Thankfully for Walter and Elizabeth Whiteley, seven of their children were daughters and Georges brothers were far too young to follow him. He was probably always their hero.
Posted on: Thu, 01 May 2014 21:16:24 +0000
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