WHIFFING, [SPARKS] Percy


No. 198173, Private, Percy WHIFFIN
Aged 33


5th Battalion, Canadian Infantry (Saskatchewan Regiment)
Died of his Wounds on Friday, 4th May 1917


Percy SPARKS was born in Haverhill on 12th September according to the Canadian Army. Birth registered 1883 D Quarter in RISBRIDGE Volume 04A Page 584 He was the son of Sarah SPARKES. The Canadian Army has him as WHIFFIN and year of birth as 1884. He was baptised Percy SPARKS in Haverhill on 2nd December 1883

1881 census... At Croft Row were Wellington WHIFFING [58] tailor; his wife Emma (née SPARKS)[39] trousers machinist; his daughter in law (sic should be stepdaughter) Sarah SPARKS [18] trousers machinist; daughter Susannah WHIFFING [8]; sons Arthur Wellington WHIFFIN [7] and Albert WHIFFIN [5].There had been a previous Albert born and died in 1871

1891 census... Aged 7 Percy was at 5 Croft Row with his widowed grandmother Emma WHIFFIN [50]his cousins ? Arthur [16] a clerk, Albert [14] cloth cutter, his mother Sarah SPARKS [27] a machinist and his sister Jessie SPARKS (10 weeks] who sadly would die later that year. No marriage of Sarah SPARKS (or WHIFFIN{G})has been found and the two children have no registered father.

In 1893 Winifred SPARKES was born 1893 D Quarter in RISBRIDGE Volume 04A Page 671 and in 1897 Beatrice SPARKES 1897 S Quarter in RISBRIDGE Volume 04A Page 767. Neither has a registered father.

1901 census...His mother [37 had married Walter Mason [58] a cloth presser and her two daughters Winifred SPARKS and Beatrice SPARKS

On 6th April 1905 Percy emigrated to Canada aboard the SS Virginian, sailing from Liverpool to Saint John, New Brunswick.

1911 census...His widowed mother Sarah MASON [47] was at 8 Mill Road still, with daughter Beatrice SPARKS and Blanche Emma MASON [9] born Haverhill.

In 1911 Percy was employed as a railroad engineer and was lodging with the Duck family in the Thunder Bay District of Ontario.
The Ducks were English, having emigrated to Canada in 1908. On 3rd July 1912 Percy married their 17 year-old daughter, Gladys Maud, and the following year on 25th June Percy and Gladys' daughter, Irene Louise, was born in Thunder Bay.


Canadian Archives: RG 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 10273 - 45 Item Number: 309049.
on 11th November 1915, he enlisted in Fort William, Canada, giving his date of birth as 12th September 1884, in Haverhill, Suffolk, living at 243 W.Amelia Street, Fort William, Canada with his wife Maud Gladys Whiffin. He was a stationary engineer, 5 feet 5.75 inches (167 cm)tall, chest 33.5" to 37" (85.1 to 94 cm), blue eyes, light brown hair, Church of England.

His Battalion sailed to England from Halifax on board the converted liner SS Olympic, arriving in Liverpool on 6th July 1916. He was admitted into a military hospital at East Sandling almost immediately, then had 3 days n the General Hospital in Bulford, but was able to join the 32nd Reserve Battalion on 21st July 1916 before being transferred to the 5th Battalion, Western Cavalry on 21st September 1916. Unfortunately the Canadian Archive do not have the circumstances of death cards beyond "SIMS".
Their records place his widow Gladys M Whiffin at 13 Winkfield Road, Wood Green, N22, England and his mother Sarah MASON at 8 Mill Road, Haverhill in 1920

He died of his wounds at No.1 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station on May 4th 1917. the Resident Chaplains kept records about the deaths of 879 soldiers at No. 1 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station (CCCS). but unfortunately Percy is not among them

Aubigny Cemetery was used by 24th and 1st Canadian in 1917 during the capture of Vimy Ridge by the Canadian Corps.



The South West Suffolk Echo of 19th May 1917 reported that:-
"On Thursday of last week Mrs. Percy Whiffing of Haverhill, received the following letter, announcing the death of her husband, Pte. Percy Whiffing, of the Canadians. The letter was written by a Sister in a Canadian Hospital in France:-
"Your husband wanted me to write you to tell you how much he wanted to get better for your sake. He was badly wounded in the chest and abdomen, and no hope was held out for him. Poor man, he did try so hard to live, and was such a good patient. He gave me your address and wished me to write you, and to give to you his love. I am so sorry to have to give you this news, but life is full of sorrow just now. It is terrible this awful war. Such a sacrifice of life and such good men. We see such a lot of sorrow here it is almost more than we can stand. He was such a good patient, and never believed he was going die for your sake, and I understand from him you have one child. Your husband died today (Friday), May 4th. at 3 p.m. With deepest sympathy".
Pte Whiffing who was 33 years of age was a native of Haverhill. He left the town some seventeen years ago and about two years later went to Canada, where he enlisted shortly after the outbreak of War. For some time he was on home service, going France about the end of September last."


Gladys, together with their three year old daughter Irene, had returned to England on 17th November, 1916 anticipating Percy's return from the war and went to live with Percy's grandmother, Emma Whiffing, at 8 Mill Road, Haverhill.
Percy's medals were sent to his widow Gladys Maud Whiffing on 10th July 1920. His death is also recorded in the Canadian Official Book of Remembrance.

Gladys eventually married Wellington Whiffin at Wood Green, London. Irene married William George in Edmonton, London in 1936 and died in December 2002 in Harlow, Essex aged 89 years.



photo Rodney Gibson

Percy Whiffin is buried in Aubigny Communal Cemetery Extension, grave 2:F:54

click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details


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