Corporal. 52nd Regiment, Reconnaissance Corps, R.A.C. Service No: 4544102.
Early life:
Allan was born on 31st August 1915. His parents were William Whitaker and Lily Whitaker née Grange, who had been married at St. Michael and All Angels Church in Haworth on 4th March 1914.
In the 1921 census the family were living at 34, North Street in Haworth and Allan was aged 5 years and 10 months. By this time his mother had died (in 1919) and his father William had remarried to Mary Rawlinson and they had a son, Norman Whitaker, Allan’s half brother. Mary and Norman were staying at her parent’s house in the census at 40, Rosse Street in Bradford and considering that Norman was less than a week old it’s likely that she had taken him to meet them for the first time. Although we found no actual marriage record for them it appears that William aged 35 and Mary aged 27 had been married shortly before the birth of Norman. There must have been some urgency for the wedding to take place before the birth.
Allan married Doris Earnshaw and their wedding was registered at Keighley in the second quarter of the year.
In the 1939 Register Allan was living with Doris at 11, Station Road in Oakworth and Allan was a worsted spinning overlooker. They had a child but their name is redacted from that record. We think she was called Eileen and was born in the third quarter of 1939, and her birth was registered at Keighley. They had a son, Ralph, born in 1942.
War service:
We have no Army service records for Allan, but some other sources give us a picture of his service.
The newspaper obituary states he joined the Army in 1940 and was attached to the British Liberation Army (B.L.A.) in 1944. This was the force which landed in Normandy on D Day and fought to end the war in Europe. It was later redesignated as British Army of The Rhine (B.A.O.R.). He had been serving with the Royal Armoured Corps and he was later attached to the 52nd Battalion Reconnaissance Regiment.
52nd Reconnaissance Regiment formed in January 1941 from the three Brigade Reconnaissance Groups of the 52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division: ‘A’ Sqn (Royal Scots and King’s Own Scottish Borderers); ‘B’ Sqn (Royal Scots Fusiliers and Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)); ‘C’ Sqn (Highland Light Infantry and Gordon Highlanders).
The Regimental War Diary tells us what was happening in the days running up to and including Allan’s death on 11th April 1945.
April 1945 war diary. Summary of Events and Information:
HEEK
2nd April:
Regiment moved to HEEK Role: To protect Divisional H.Q.
NEUENKIRCHEN
3rd April:
Regt moved to NEUENKIRCHEN.
RHEINE 8009
4th April:
‘C’ Squadron cleared ground between DORTMUND-EMS Canal and river, from railway line 8012 to 8606 in morning and no enemy found, but when doing same job on WESTERN side of railway line, encountered fairly stiff opposition in area woods 7913. One heavy car was knocked out by a bazooka (1 killed. 2 wounded). ‘B’ Squadron Assault Troop (under command of ‘C’ Squadron) cleared woods, took 18 prisoners of war and killed about 15 enemy. ‘C’ Squadron withdrew and held line 794110 804109. ‘B’ Squadron with ‘A Squadron Assault Troop under command to go through first light and get to bridge at 776198. ‘C’ ‘B’ and Regimental Headquarters moved to RHEINE 7909. Our casualties, 4 Other ranks.
FARM 8916
6th April:
‘A’ Squadron crossed DORTMUND EMS canal (830117) at 0700 hrs with object of reaching line HOPSTEN 9020 to 938160. This was accomplished to wood 925177 which was strongly held. 40 prisoners of war taken… Own casualties, 1. other rank wounded, 1 Armoured Car knocked out.
FARM 8916
7th April:
At first light ‘A’ & ‘G’ Squadrons moved forward (‘C’ on right ‘A’ on left) to clear to River line between 195198 – 936160 – 006181. Divisional Command later ordered Regt not to go further Eastwards than the 95 Easting. Operation was completed by 2000hrs. 2 Officers and 262 ORS taken prisoners of war. Own casualties 1 killed, 3 wounded.
RECKE 9819
8th April:
‘B’ Squadron moved to look after Divisional flank and clear area. 8 prisoners of war taken. ‘C’ Sqn and Regimental headquarters moved to RECKE whereupon ‘C’ Son ordered to clear area bounded by WEEZE 9924 RECKE – Bridge 0819 – NEUENKIRCHEN 0724 but were unable owing to darkness and fairly stiff opposition on the right. 33 prisoners of war taken.
FARM 0321
9th April:
At first light ‘C’ Squadron changed axis and advanced on road 062210 ACHMER with object of reaching UF ELN 1027 via BRANCHE 1623, ‘C’ Sqn reached 092224 72 prisoners of war taken.
BRAMCHE 1623
10th April:
Task for today was for ‘A’ Squadron to pass through ‘C’ Sqn and take ACEDER 1323 BRANCHE 1623 then N and W to UPEIN 0927 and B Sqn to clear the area within the above area. All this was done and 156 prisoners of war taken in the process. B Sqn dame under command 157 Inf Ede.
11th April:
A Squadron continued NORTHWARDS and reached HOLDORF and DAMME and cleared Divisional axis back round to GEHRIE, 54 prisoners of war taken.
(This is the day Allan was killed)
Keighley News clipping, 5th May 1945:
Official information has been received that Corporal Allan Whitaker, attached to a reconnaissance regiment in the B.L.A., has been killed in action. He was aged 29, and had been with the B.L.A. since July 1944. Prior to joining the army five years ago, he was employed by Messrs Rouse, of Oakworth, and was a member of the Bronte Wheelers. His home was at Station Road, Oakworth. He leaves a widow and two children.
Remembrance:
Allan is remembered on his grave at Rheinberg War Cemetery at Rheinberg, Kreis Wesel, Nordrhein-Westfalen in Germany.
He is also named on the Oakworth WW2 memorial panels in Holden Park. (Note: this has his name as ‘Allen’ but all records show he was named Allan.)
Allan is also remembered on a family memorial in Haworth Cemetery. The inscription reads:
Cpl Allan Whitaker, Grandson of the Above,
Killed in Action in Germany
April 11th 1945. Aged 29 years
Also remembered on this headstone are Allan’s Grandfather Joseph, Grandmother Sarah Ann – their Children: Margaret, Ann, Rebecca, Thomas.
Post war:
Allan’s widow Doris appears to have remarried and emigrated to New Zealand, where we think she died in 2014.
Information sources:
West Yorkshire, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1813-1935.
England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915.
England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916-2005.
England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1916-2007.
England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1916-2007.
52nd Reconnaissance Regiment war diaries.
Keighley News archives at Keighley Library.
Army Roll of Honour, 1939-1945.
Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007.
WW2 Talk forum and website.
