Service Number 9912
Service Army
Battalion
Regiment Army Pay Corps
Biography
Benjamin Greaves Whitley was born in Bramley, Leeds in 1884, the son of John Whitely. In 1911, he was living at Eshold Villas, Woodlesford with his widowed father and his brother and two sisters. Benjamin was a commissioning agent for a foundry.
On the 4th September 1912, Benjamin married Beatrice Huscroft Poole at the Parish Church in Lofthouse, Yorkshire. Benjamin was 28, gave his address as Eshald Villas, Woodlesford and his occupation as a traveller. Their son, Joseph H Whitley, was born on the 16th September 1916.
Benjamin's name appears in the Collingham Electoral roll for 1914, 1915, and in 1918 he is listed as an absent voter due to Naval or Military Service. On his military service record, Benjamin gave his address as Clevedale, Collingham.
Benjamin enlisted for military service on the 2nd December 1915 and was immediately transferred to the reserve. He stayed in reserve until the 19th November 1916. During this time, his son, Joseph Haywood Whitely, was born on the 16th September 1916. Only two months later, Benjamin was called up (on the 19th November 1916). He was posted to the Army Pay Corps/Army Service Corps with the service number 9912 and went to the West Yorkshire Depot. One year later exactly he was promoted to Corporal in the Army Pay Corps.
Benjamin carried out all of his military service in the UK and was transferred to the reserve after the war was over on the 23rd March 1919.
In 1939, Benjamin, Beatrice and Joseph were all registered as living at 2 Kent Drive, Harrogate, where Benjamin was a District Manager at an iron foundry.
Biography last updated 16 November 2019 17:30:06.
Sources
1911 Census. The National Archives. Class RG14 Piece 27174
First World War British Army Pension Records. The National Archives (WO364).
If you have any photographs or further details about this person we would be pleased to hear from you. Please contact us via: alan.berry@collinghamanddistrictwararchive.info