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 buried on 27 March 1941 in Section N, 3rd Class, Grave 644 in the Plumstead Cemetery, Cemetery Road, London, SE2. It was announced in the London Gazette dated 30 May 1941 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 Victoria Cross Holders and local WW2 Civilian Heroes plaque 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 Lewisham War Memorials website that tells the story of what happened on the night of his death and on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
