WHITTAKER, Jesse Hubert

Jesse Whittaker was born in Brierley Hill and by 1914 he was a regular soldier serving in the 1st Battalion of the South Staffords. They were soon mobilised and sent to join the BEF in Belgium as part of the 7th Division. They crossed to Belgium on the 4th October, moved towards Ghent but were soon ordered to the defence of Ypres. They advanced along the Menin Road to Zonnebeke and on the 20th advanced again, only to be met by the main force of the enemy with heavy artillery. They were forced back into retreat, losing most of their transport and all their personal effects which had been left at the Battalion HQ. There were heavy casualties but a lull followed until the 29th when another grand German attack was made along the Menin Road. There was another attack began on the 31st when the Staffords were forced to retire again. After another lull the last German attack came on the 7th November. Only a remnant of the Staffords remained by this time but the German attacks had been halted at last. A wounded Captain Vallentin won a posthumous Victoria Cross, the first for old 38th Regiment, but Private Jesse Whittaker was killed in action on this day. He is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial and on the Brierley Hill Memorial.