Marine Edward Thomas John Whitman was born on 16 June 1922 in Islington, the fifth of the six children of Edward Thomas Whitman (1891-1961) and Mary Ann Whitman née Cole (1889-1953). His father was a horse-keeper/carter. His siblings were: Violet Mary Ann Whitman (1912-1985), Dorothy Lillian Whitman (1915-1995), Gladys Maude Whitman (1917-1992), Ada W. Ivy Whitman (1920-1996) and Rose Elsie Whitman (1926-1996).
Electoral registers from 1922 to 1929 show his parents listed at 1 Nailour Street, London, N7 and from 1931 to 1938 at 85 Herbert Street, Shoreditch. The council renamed Herbert Street to Herbert Grove, Shoreditch and his parents were listed in 1939 at 85 Herbert Grove.
He enlisted in the Royal Marines, service number PLY/X 109373, and, as a Marine, was attached to No.41 Royal Marine Commando when died, aged 21 years, on 12 September 1943 whilst on active service in Italy. He was buried near where he fell but on 16 June 1944 his body was exhumed and reburied in Plot 5, Row A, Grave 39 in the Salerno War Cemetery, SS 18 Tirrena Inferiore, 84090 Pagliarone SA, Italy.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
