William Edward Richard Whitlock was born on 29 April 1916, the younger son of Bertram Sidney Whitlock (1890-1917) and Rosetta Whitlock née Killick (1893-1971). His birth was registered in the 2nd quarter of 1916 in the Woolwich registration district, London. His elder brother was Sidney Bertram Whitlock (1914-1997).
His father was killed in action whilst serving as a Private in the 7th (City of London) Battalion, The London Regiment on 2 December 1917 in France and in the 4th quarter of 1918 his mother married Charles Cornelius Salter (1894-1956) in the Stonehouse registration district, Devon.
He married Hilda Lillian Thornton (1914-1989) in the 4th quarter of 1940 in the Woolwich registration district.
He died, aged 24 years, as a result of enemy action whilst working in the Royal Victoria Yard, on 19 March 1941. He was on 27 March 1941 in in the Plumstead Cemetery, Cemetery Road, London, SE2. It was announced in the that as an Acting Storehouse Assistant, Admiralty Outstation, he had been posthumously commended for brave conduct in Civil Defence.
He is shown as 'Whitlock W E R' on the Royal Victoria Yard war memorial located at The Colonnade, Grove Street, London, SE8, as 'W.E.R. Whitlock' on the inside Lewisham Shopping Centre, Molesworth Street, London, SE13 7HB and as 'Whitlock, William Edwin Richard' on the Civilian War Dead Roll of Honour 1939-1945 that is kept just outside the entrance to St George's Chapel at the west end of Westminster Abbey. The Roll of Honour also records that his home address had been 44 Leckwith Avenue, Bexley Heath, Kent (now Greater London). He is also commemorated on the that tells and on the .
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
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