Private Frank Harold Whiteman
Frank Harold Whiteman was born on 7 May 1894 at 39 Gattan Street, Bromley, London, one of at least thirteen children of optical instrument maker Frederick Edwin Whiteman and his wife Edith Elizabeth Ann (née Dummelow). At the time of the 1911 Census he was living at 67 Westbury Avenue, Wood Green, Middlesex, with his parents and his seven surviving siblings, and working as a doctor's groom.
On 12 June 1912 Whiteman enlisted in the Royal Navy (No. L/3691). He gave his occupation at the time as a plumber. He was discharged on 6 August 1914. By 1915 he was living at 41 Franklin Road, Weymouth, and working as a fitter. On 3 July that year he married Maud Ellen Stringfellow in the Weymouth Parish Church of St Paul. The couple's first child, Maud Florence, was born a year later.
Whiteman enlisted in the East Surrey Regiment on 6 October 1916 (No.5215). On 23 January 1917 he was transferred to a London yeomanry regiment. On 12 September 1918 he was one of 56 men compulsorily transferred to the Corps of Hussars – he was issued regimental number 81215. On the same day they embarked at Folkestone for Boulogne, where they were posted to the 1st North Irish Horse (V Corps Cyclist) Regiment. They joined the regiment in the field on or soon after 18 September, and were assigned to A, D and E Squadrons, joining in the fighting during the Advance to Victory offensive in the final weeks of the war.
Whiteman returned to the UK on 20 June 1919 but three weeks later re-enlisted in the Hussars (No.80905 – later Army No.537762). He served with the 18th and 13th/18th Royal Hussars (Queen Mary's Own) from 13 October 1918, in India from 18 November 1919 until 9 November 1922. On 10 October 1923 he was discharged at the termination of his period of engagement, his military character recorded as 'fair'.
This page last updated 3 January 2023.