Corporal 2093 Leonard Victor Whitehouse

 
Photograph courtesy Derek and Maureen Ashton.

Died Malta on Friday, 8th September 1916, age 27.
Buried in Grave C. XI. 5. at Pieta Military Cemetery, Malta.

1st/1st, Derbyshire Yeomanry. GHQ Reserve.

Son of Mr and Mrs WT Whitehouse, of 26 Victoria Rd., Tipton Staffs.
Born: Tipton, Enlisted: Chesterfield, Resident: Edgbaston, Birmingham.

First landed Egypt, 27th April 1915.
Medal entitlement: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Soldier's Papers at National Archives did not survive.

Commemorated on the Dudley Grammar School Memorial.
Commemorated here because identified as Tipton on 'Soldiers Died in the Great War'.

Link to Commonwealth War Graves Site: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/116029/

Genealogical Data

Birth of Leo Victor Whitehouse registered March quarter 1889 in Dudley.

1901 Census
11a Dudley Port, Tipton, Staffs.
William T. Whitehouse (46, Schoolmaster, born Tipton), his wife Mary A. (46, born Birmingham), and their 5 children: Arthur J. F. (18, Pupil Teacher, born Birmingham), Daisy E. (17, Pupil Teacher, born Tipton), Elsie C. (14, Monitoress Pupil Teacher, born Tipton), Wilfred E. (13, born Tipton), and Leo Victor (12, born Tipton).

1911 Census
23 Victoria Road, Tipton, Staffs.
William Thomas Whitehouse (56, Head Teacher, born Tipton), his wife Mary Annette (56, born Birmingham), and 4 of their 5 surviving children of 6: Arthur Joshua Falkner (29, Pupil Teacher, born Birmingham), Daisy Ethel (28, Certified Assistant Teacher, born Tipton), Elsie Clarice (25, Pupil Teacher, born Tipton), and Leo Victor (22, Inland Revenue Valuer's Clerk, born Tipton).

Personal Data

Leo was an old-boy of Dudley Grammar School, and before the war had already served for 6 years with the Worcestershire Yeomanry. Leo had worked at the Inland Revenue Offices in Chesterfield, and is commemorated on the Inland Revenue Memorial in Somerset House, London.

After Leo's death, his outstanding army pay and allowances amounted to £27/3/9d (27 pounds, 3 shillings and 9 pence); this was paid to his mother and sole legatee, Mary A., in January 1917. His War Gratuity was £9/10/0d (9 pounds and 10 shillings), this was also paid to his mother in August 1919. The value of the War Gratuity suggests that Leo had enlisted in approximately September 1914.

Action resulting in his death

Leo joined the Derbyshire Yeomanry immediately after the outbreak of war, and after a brief training in the Machine Gun Section, was drafted out to Egypt. He served throughout the Gallipoli campaign, where he was wounded. After his recovery at Alexandria, he was sent to Salonica. Here he was contracted malaria and was sent to St. George's Military Hospital, Malta, where he died. Leo is buried in Pieta Military Cemetery, Malta.

Newspaper Cuttings

Tipton Herald November 6th 1915
Private Leo V. Whitehouse, the youngest son of Mr W.T. Whitehouse, Victoria Road, Tipton, is at present in hospital in Alexandria, suffering from wounds received in the Gallipoli peninsula.

Tipton Herald September 23rd 1916
TIPTON YEOMAN DIES FROM MALARIA.
News has been received at Tipton, from the War Office, of the death of Corporal Leo Victor Whitehouse, a son of the late Mr W.T. Whitehouse, of 26 Victoria Road, Tipton. He joined the Derbyshire Yeomanry immediately after the outbreak of war, and after a brief training in the Machine Gun Section, was drafted out to Egypt. He served throughout the Gallipoli campaign, where he was wounded. After his recovery at Alexandria, he was sent to Salonica. Here he was attacked by malaria and sent to St. George's Military Hospital, Malta, where he died.
The deceased soldier was educated at Dudley Grammar School. At the outbreak of war he held a position at the Inland Revenue Offices, Chesterfield. He had served for six years in the Worcestershire Yeomanry, for which he obtained his star. His father, it will be remembered, was for over thirty years the much respected headmaster of Dudley Port Council School, and died in 1915, following upon a complete breakdown in his health. The sympathy of many Tipton people, who knew both the late Mr Whitehouse and Corporal Whitehouse, will be extended to Mrs Whitehouse and the other members of the family.
also
ROLL OF HONOUR.
WHITEHOUSE.- On the 8th inst at St George's Military Hospital, Malta, of malaria, Corporal Leo Victor Whitehouse (Derbyshire Yeomanry). Dearly beloved son of Mrs MA and the late Mr WT Whitehouse, 26 Victoria Road, Tipton.
Interred at Pieta Cemetery.

Tipton Herald November 18th 1916
THE LATE CORPORAL LEO WHITEHOUSE.
A short time ago we gave a short account of the death of Corporal Leo Victor Whitehouse, of the Derbyshire Yeomanry, a son of the late Mr. W. T. Whitehouse, Victoria Road, Tipton. As showing the deceased soldier's bravery, and the esteem in which he was held, we append a copy of a letter sent to the relatives by Major G. Winterborn, of 'A' Squadron, Derbyshire Yeomanry.
"I should like you to know that it is, in my opinion, entirely his great devotion to duty which caused his death. He was ill for some considerable time, and knowing how short-handed we were, although repeatedly told he ought to give in and go to hospital, he insisted on continuing with his work, until, when he finally had to give in, he was in a very weak state. I consider he is every bit as much a hero as the man who is killed in the heart of action. I cannot tell you how much the officers and men of the squadron miss him. I myself had a very high opinion of him, and he had a fine career in front of him."

Tipton Herald September 8th 1917
In memoriam.
WHITEHOUSE.- In loving memory of Leo Victor, late of 26 Victoria Road, who died in St. George's Military Hospital, Malta. September 8th 1916.