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A local history and genealogy site for Wimpole, a village and parish in South Cambridgeshire
Curated by Steve Odell

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(Henry) George Whetstone
Remembered with Honour
The Wimpole and Arrington War Memorial.
A local history and genealogy page for the Parish of Wimpole.
Badge of The Rifle Brigade Regiment
In memory of
(Henry) George Whetstone
Corporal 814. 2nd Battalion, Rifle Brigade
(The Prince Consort's Own)
(Wimpole)
Died: 22 May 1915, aged 29.
Died of Wounds, Isle of Sheppey.
- Lest We Forget -
Henry George Whetstone, son of John and Mary Whetstone of Wimpole, Cambridgeshire.
Baptised: 3 January 1886 at St Andrew's Parish Church, Wimpole.
Lived: Southern Lodge (Old Wimpole Road), Wimpole, Cambridgeshire.
Enlisted (Career Soldier): aged 18, at Cambridge Recruiting Office during 1905, possibly alongside Charles Hales Pratt.
Regiment: 2nd Battalion, Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort's Own).
Regimental History:
- 4 August 1914, at the outbreak of WW1, the 2nd Battalion was stationed at Kuldana, Pakistan.
- 20 September 1914, the Battalion embarked for England from Bombay arriving at Liverpool on the 22 October 1914. They moved to Hursley Park, Winchester to join the 25th Brigade of the 8th Division.
- 06 November 1914, the 2nd Battalion was mobilised for war and landed in Havre, France, the following day and engaged in various actions on the Western Front including the Battle of Neuve Chapelle (March 1915) and the Battle of Aubers Ridge (May 1915).
Arrived in France: 7 November 1914.
Theatre of War: France and Flanders.
Died: 22 May 1915, aged 29, at the Isle of Sheppey, Kent.
How died: Death unspecified [died of wounds while recuperating].**
Buried: Grave M10, Minster-in-Sheppey (SS Mary and Sexburga) New Churchyard, Kent.
Monumental Inscription: "Late of Wimpole Cambridgeshire, Rest in the Lord"
Medals: 1914 Star (with clasp and rose), showing service with the British Expeditionary Force prior to 31 December 1914, the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
[Noted (i) listed on the Wimpole and Arrington War Memorial as "G Whetstone" and (ii) that some Military records indicate rank as Lance-Corporal, of the 5th Battalion]
** 14 October 2007: Chris Goodfellow writes "Henry George Whetstone (Rifle Brigade) died at Sheppey. The 5th and 6th Battalions of the Rifle Brigade were Training Reserve Battalions and they were both based on the Isle of Sheppey. Wounded Rifle Brigade soldiers were sent back to the 5th Battalion for recuperation before being sent back to France or being struck off as unfit for further military service.
The medal roll for the 2nd Battalion Rifle Brigade has him entering France on 7 November 1914 and died of wounds 22 May 1915 so he probably died of his wounds while recuperating.
Henry George Whetstone was entitled to the 1914 Star (with clasp and rose), showing service with the British Expeditionary Force prior to 31 December 1914, and also entitled to the British War Medal and Victory Medal."
Family Information: "Son of Mrs Mary Whetstone, of Southern Lodge, Wimpole, Cambridgeshire" [CWGC records].
Henry George's father was John Whetstone (1847-1906), agricultural labourer born Wimpole and his mother was Mary Whetstone, nee Bullen (1859-1948) also born Wimpole. Henry George was the elder brother to William John Whetstone (1887-1965) who was the organist at Wimpole Church for 59 years. John, Mary and William John are buried in Wimpole Churchyard.
1901 Census:
Living at Southern Lodge, Wimpole.
John Whetstone Head M 53 Agricultural Labourer Wimpole, Cambridgeshire
Mary Whetstone Wife M 43 - Wimpole, Cambridgeshire
[Henry] George Whetstone Son S 15 - Wimpole, Cambridgeshire
William [John] Whetstone Son S 13 - Wimpole, Cambridgeshire
Eliza Bullen Sister-in-Law S 45 Assistant in Gardens Wimpole, Cambridgeshire
Rhoda Bullen Niece S 18 (Imbecile from childhood) Wimpole, Cambridgeshire
814 Corporal H G Whetstone, Rifle Brigade
Grave: M 10
MI: "Late of Wimpole Cambridgeshire,
Rest in the Lord"
Cemetery: Minster-in-Sheppey (SS Mary and Sexburga) New Churchyard, in Kent, England.
The ancient Abbey Church of The Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Sexburgha, is situated on one of the highest points of the Isle of Sheppey off the North Kent Coast, fifty miles to the east of London.
The Wimpole and Arrington War Memorial
The Wimpole and Arrington War Memorial pictured in 2011
© Photographed by Lorraine and Keith Bowdler
The servicemen and women are listed under the Parishes of Arrington or Wimpole
as shown on the Cambridgeshire County War Memorial in Ely Cathedral.
War Memorial research by Steve Odell.
The War Memorial Project would welcome any additional information, research,
photographs or memories of Henry George Whetstone for this page.
Please contact the website.

This page was last updated on: 29 April 2020.


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