Name
Richard Herschel Whately
27/03/1894
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
25/08/1916
22 Years
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lieutenant
Rifle Brigade
5th Battalion, Attached 2nd Battalion.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LOOS MEMORIAL
Panel 129
France
Headstone Inscription
He has no Headstone. He is commemorated on the Loos Memorial to the missing in France.
UK & Other Memorials
South Mimms Village Memorial, Christ Church Collage Memorial, Oxford
Pre War
Richard Herschel WHATELY was born on 27th March 1894, in Kensington, London, son of Henry Arthur Whately a Solicitor and Margaret Alice Edith Herschel Whately (nee Marshall). The youngest of their four children.
1901 Census records Richard aged 7, living with his parents, and sister Madeline (9) at “Laurel Lodge”, Dancers Hill, South Mimms, Herts. The family had five live-in Domestic Servants, a Cook, Parlourmaid, Housemaid, Maid and a kitchen Maid.
Richard was educated at Fonthill Preparatory School, East Grinstead from May 1903 to July 1907, Eton Collage, Eton, Bucks, from September 1907, from there he went up to Christ Church College, Oxford, in 1913.
His mother Margaret died on 19th March 1909, in Sheerness, Kent, aged 48.
1911 Census records Richard aged 17, a boarder at Eton Collage, Eton, Bucks, His widowed father, brother Francis (26) a Solicitor, and sister Madeline (19), are still living at “Laurel Lodge” Dancers Hill, South Mimms, Herts.
Wartime Service
Richard enlisted, posted to the 5th Battalion, Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort’s Own) in November 1914. He went to France on 15th May 1915. He was Killed in Action on 25th August 1916, aged 22. At the time of his death, he was attached to the 2nd Battalion. He held the rank of Lieutenant; some documents give his rank as captain. He has no known grave he is recorded on the Loos Memorial to the missing. Panel 129.
Additional Information
His effects of £83-12s-02d, went to his father Henry Whately.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
Jonty Wild
