Private. ‘C’ Company, 1st/7th Battalion, Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment. Service number 307737.
Early life:
James was born in 1890, registered at Keighley in the third quarter of the year. Parents Wilson and Ruth Whitaker. In the 1891 census he was six months of age and living at 134, Lidget in Oakworth with his parents, two aunts, one uncle and his elder brother Albert. His father Wilson was a shuttle maker.
In 1901 he was ten years old and still living at 134, Lidget with his parents and elder brother Albert, plus younger brothers Clifford and Raymond. Father Wilson was now a Navvy.
By 1911 he was twenty and living at 19, Colne Road in Oakworth with his parents and four brothers. His father Wilson was a labourer at a shuttle works and James was a warp dresser at a worsted mill, working for Messrs. W. Haggas, Sons and Co., Oakworth.
War service:
James enlisted at Keighley around August 1915 with the 1st/6th Battalion West Riding Regiment and at some point was transferred to the 1st/7th Battalion West Riding Regiment. He was serving with them when he was killed in action on April 25, 1918.
War diary extract 1st/7th Battalion West Riding Regiment, April 1918:
April 24. POPERINGHE. C.O. 2nd in Command intelligence Officer & Coy Commander reconnoitred 27 Brigade front going by bus to OUDERDOM.
April 25. Heavy shelling & bombing raid during night 24/25. One shell accounted for a whole platoon of D Coy. Battalion standing to ready to move off at a half hours notice. Orders received at 10.30 am to enbus to OUDERDOM. Embussed & away by 12 noon; debussed & marched to MILLEKRUISSE; owing to visibility it was impossible to get into the trenches, so the men took cover in fields S. of Vicarage till nightfall when we took over from elements of the 9th Division from N.8.d.5 to N.15b.0.6. Sheet 28 SW. Posts were dug along this line, C, A & D in front, B Coy in support about N.8.b. Battalion Headquarters were in a strong shelter at N.2.c.7.1.
James went missing during this period and his body was never found. He is remembered on the Tyne Cot Memorial in Belgium. He was twenty-eight years old.
Keighley News report dated 31st August 1918:
Private James Whitaker, son of Mr Wilson Whitaker, Chapel Lane, Oakworth, has been missing since April 1915. Several rumours of his whereabouts have been from time to time current, but unfortunately none have been verified. He joined the West Riding Regiment and before enlistment was employed with Messrs W. Haggas, Sons and Co, Oakworth.
Post war:
James was posthumously awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal for his war service.
Remembrance
He is remembered on the Oakworth War Memorial at Holden Park in Oakworth and he is also named on the Oakworth Great War Centenary roll of honour at Oakworth Community Hall.
