No.203367, Private, William WHITEHAND
Aged 39
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William Whitehand was born in Isleham on 24th January 1879 (PoW record) (Newmarket Q1-1880 3B:563), baptised 28th March 1880 in Isleham,
the son of Robert and Eliza WHITEHAND (née TURNER).
1881 census...Aged 1, he was at Exning Road, Newmarket with his father Robert WHITEHAND [23], agricultural labourer; his mother Eliza [21] and sister Sarah Elizabeth [3]. All were born in Isleham. 1891 census...Aged 11, he was at The Pits, Isleham with his parents, sister Sarah E. and new siblings: brothers Nathan [9],David [6] and Robert [2] and sisters Eliza [7] and Jane [4], born in Isleham. 1901 census...Aged 21, He was still single, a farm labourer, living at The Pits, Isleham with his parents, brothers Nathan (grocer's labourer),David (farm labourer) and Robert , with three new siblings, Arthur [8], Kate [5] and Joe [1], all born in Isleham. 1911 census...Aged 31, single, a farm labourer, still at The Pits with his parents, brothers Nathan, Robert and Arthur (all farm labourers) and Joseph, plus sister Kate and another sister, Violet [6]. Of the 12 children borne by Eliza, one had died |
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German records say he was captured, unwounded, at Jussy on 23rd March 1918..date of birth 24th January 1879. Address Pits, Isleham The battalion war diary is too long for here, but William was one of 146 missing at the end of the day. The German record has him in the 4th Battalion which never left UK. The card which could tell us how and where he died is not on line. Whilst his service records have not been found, those of his brother Nathan have. Nathan served the entire war in the Grenadier Guards. Early in the war the Newmarket Journal reported, on 18th December 1915:- ISLEHAM SOLDIER IN HOSPITAL Pte.William Whitehand, 2nd Suffolk Regt., who is now in hospital in Edinburgh, suffering from wounds, in a letter to his parents, Mr. and Mrs R.Whitehand, says the bone keeps discharging enough to keep him in hospital. "They won't discharge you until you are clean, so I hope it will soon close up, and I thank God it is no worse...It won't be long now, I hope, before I can come right home, and I hope to be at Isleham by Christmas". He is thinking, he says, of his old comrades who are perhaps sodden wet through and having a rough time of it, while he is under three or four blankets. He is sure the Allies intend to fight to a finish, and says that after what the Germans have done nothing is too bad for them. "I expect you will see something else more disappointing in the papers next week for those who have hung back, but if compulsion comes it will be a bad job for England and will just suit Germany, because she's wondering where England is getting her troops from without compulsion". The Bury FreePress of 25th January 1919 reported:- TWO ISLEHAM LOSSES We regret to announce the death of Prvt William Whitehand, son of Mr. Robt.Whitehand, the Pits, Isleham. He had been missing for some months past, but official news received a few days ago by his parents stated he died whilst a prisoner in Germany four months ago. Much sympathy is felt for Mr. and Mrs. Whitehand and family in their great loss...... The other loss was a simple statement about Stanley Aves. |
photo; Commonwealth War Graves Commission
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