Gunner 152093 Richard White

Original photograph expertly colourised by a friend of David Allen, Richard White's grandson.

Killed in Action on Thursday, 18th October 1917, age 25.
Commemorated on Panel 4 to 6 and 162 of Tyne Cot Memorial, Zonnebeke, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.

Royal Field Artillery, 123rd Brigade, "B" Battery. 37th Division.

Husband of Mrs Annie White of 166 Bloomfield Road, Tipton, Staffs.
Born: Tipton, Enlisted: Tipton, Resident: Tipton.

First landed France & Flanders, post 31st December 1915.
Medal entitlement: British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Soldier's Papers at National Archives did not survive.

Commemorated on the Tipton Library Memorial.
Commemorated here because he appears on a Tipton memorial.

Link to Commonwealth War Graves Site: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/876828/

Genealogical Data

Birth of Richard White registered June Quarter 1892 in Dudley.

1901 Census
25 Park Lane West, Tipton, Staffs.
Richard White (42, Coal Miner - Underground, born Tipton), his wife Ellen (42, born Tipton), and their 3 children: Samuel (16, Soloution Maker, born Tipton), Noah (13, Tapping Machine Minder, born Tipton), and Richard (10, born Tipton).

1911 Census
25 Park Lane West, Tipton, Staffs.
Richard White (52, Coal Miner - Hewer, born Tipton), his wife Ellen (52, born Tipton), and 2 of their 4 surviving children of 5: Noah (23, Labourer for Die Setter, born Tipton), and Richard (19, General Labourer at Door Furniture Works, born Tipton).

Marriage of Richard White and Annie Jones registered June Quarter 1915 in Dudley. Richard and Annie had 2 daughters, Marian born 25th September 1915 and Naomi born 14th January 1917.

As well as losing her husband in the Great War, Annie also lost her elder brother George Jones (41334, Norfolks), and younger brother Thomas Jones (8586, Worcesters). They were both Tipton men and are also commemorated on this site.

Personal Data

In March 1918 Richard White's widow, Annie, received his outstanding army pay and allowances; this amounted to £5/3/11d (5 pounds, 3 shillings and 11 pence). In November 1918 Annie also received Richard's War Gratuity of £5/0/0d (5 pounds exactly); this amount combined with his date of death suggests that he enlisted in July 1916.

Richard's widow, Annie, was awarded a Widow's Pension of £1/5/5d (1 pound, 5 shillings and 5 pence) for herself and her 2 children, effective from 6th May 1918. Her address was given as 156 Bloomfield Road, Tipton. Annie married Frank Caswell in December quarter 1919, at that time her Widow's Pension would have ceased and been compensated by a lump sum payment; the pension in respect of the 2 children would have continued until their 16th birthdays.

Action resulting in his death

According to the letter in the Tipton Herald below, Richard White and a comrade were killed by a direct hit from a German shell whilst they were asleep in their dug-out, between Hill 60 and Ypres. The War Diary does not mention this specific incident, just that the Brigade had suffered heavily from German bombardments, including gas, from the time they came into the line on 6th October. The other man killed was fellow memer of 'B' Battery, 123rd Brigade, Gunner David Nairn of Forfar, Scotland. Reverend Chalinor wrote that he had buried both men near to the location of their gun battery and the dug-out in which they were sleeping.

A document dated 19 August 1919 from the CWGC Archives, "Erected crosses found with no remains and re-erected in Perth China Wall Military Cemetery", lists a number of instances where a cross has been found but the location of the body has been lost. This includes Gunners White and Nairn whose crosses were found at Map 28 location I.34.c.3.9. This is inside Ravine Wood (in today's Palingbeek Provincial Domain), about 1200 yards south-west of Hill 60 and 500 yards north of The Bluff near the Ypres/Comines canal.

Subsequent action must have caused the crosses to be seperated from the graves, and in 1919 the wooden crosses were moved to Perth (China Wall) Cemetery. They were never replaced by the standard CWGC Portland stone headstones and were eventually lost. Both Gunners White and Nairn are commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial.

Newspaper Cuttings

Tipton Herald December 8th 1917
ANOTHER TIPTON HERO.
A well-known Tipton man, Gunner R. White R.F.A., whose wife resides at 166 Bloomfield Road, Tipton, has been killed instantaneously while serving his country in the fighting line.
The widow has received a very sympathetic letter from the Chaplain (Rev Basil Chalinor) who in the course of it says:- "Dear Mrs White, In all probability you will already have heard the sad news of your husband's death. He was killed instantly as he lay asleep on the night of October 17th/18th in his little dug-out by a German shell, which landed right on top of it. We laid his body to rest yesterday, about 4.30 p.m., in a grave quite close to the battery position, and alongside the body of his mate who was in the same dug-out and killed at the same time. The Major and a number of his fellow Gunners were also at the graveside to show their last respects to their dead comrade's body, while I held a short and sincere service over the remains. Your husband's grave is between the famous Hill 60 and Ypres, and quite close to the front."
Major Bryant, commanding the battery, in a letter to the widow remarks:- "I wish to say that during the time he has served under me, I have always found him most faithful in all duties allotted to him, and I wish to convey to you the deep grief of his comrades in the loss of your husband. Assuring you of the sympathy of officers of the battery and myself."