Whitwick Community Information

Roll of Honour

IN PROUD MEMORY OF THE MEN OF WHITWICK WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE WARS
1914 - 1918 and 1939 - 1945

Whitwick War Memorial consists of a ringed cross on a three tiered based raised on five octagonal steps and a circular platform. The memorial is made of Cornish granite and stands 6 metres high. Constructed by Messrs Wells and Co of Hugglescote it was unveiled on 5th November 1921 by Major General Sir A R Hoskins KCB CMG DSO, General Officer Commanding the North Midlands Area, and dedicated by the Bishop of Peterborough. At the unveiling Lieutenant S E Perry led a contingent of ex-servicemen and a Guard of Honour was provided by 'D' Company of the 5th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment. The memorial contains 82 names from the First World War and 31 from the Second World War. Please select a panel to view details of the fallen.

Left Panel

Front Panel

Right Panel

Rear Panel

Can you help?
There remains a few names that we have been unable to trace or confirm, any information on these would be greatly appreciated. Also we are keen to include background on all the brave men whose names appear on the memorial, pictures and details would again be greatly appreciated.

The Following Perished in the Great War but do not appear on the Memorial

The Following Also Served in the Great War

The Following were Awarded Gallantry Medals in the Great War

The Following Perished in the Second World War but do not appear on the Memorial

The Following Also Served in the Second World War

Great War Medals

The 1914 and 1914-1915 Star

1914/1915 star The 1914 Star, popularly known as the Mons Star was awarded to all officers, warrant officers, non-commissioned officers, and all men of the British and Indian Forces, including civilian medical practitioners, nursing sisters, nurses and others employed with military hospitals; as well as men of the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Royal Naval Reserve and Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve who served with on the establishment of their unit in France and Belgium between August 5th 1914, and midnight of November 22/23rd, 1914.
The decoration consists of a lacquered bronze star, the uppermost ray of the star taking the form of the imperial crown. Resting on the face of the star is a pair of crossed swords, and, on them, is a circular oak wreath. A scroll winds around the swords : it is inscribed with the date Aug.-Nov. 1914. The ribbon is red merging into white and then into blue. A bar inscribed "5 Aug. to 22 Nov. 1914" was given to all those who served under fire. Since the same ribbon is used with the 1914-15 Star, holders of the earlier award were permitted to wear a small silver rosette on their ribbon when the decoration itself is not worn.
The 1914-15 Star
A Star similar to the 1914 Star was issued to all personnel mentioned above, with certain exceptions, who served in a theatre of war before December 31st 1915 and who did not qualify for the earlier star.

The 1914 and 1914-1915 Star
	The 1914 Star, popularly known as the Mons Star was awarded to all officers, warrant officers, non-commissioned officers, and all men of the British and Indian Forces, including civilian medical practitioners, nursing sisters, nurses and others employed with military hospitals; as well as men of the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Royal Naval Reserve and Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve who served with on the establishment of their unit in France and Belgium between August 5th 1914, and midnight of November 22/23rd, 1914. The decoration consists of a lacquered bronze star, the uppermost ray of the star taking the form of the imperial crown. Resting on the face of the star is a pair of crossed swords, and, on them, is a circular oak wreath. A scroll winds around the swords : it is inscribed with the date Aug.-Nov. 1914. The ribbon is red merging into white and then into blue. A bar inscribed "5 Aug. to 22 Nov. 1914" was given to all those who served under fire. Since the same ribbon is used with the 1914-15 Star, holders of the earlier award were permitted to wear a small silver rosette on their ribbon when the decoration itself is not worn. The 1914-15 Star A Star similar to the 1914 Star was issued to all personnel mentioned above, with certain exceptions, who served in a theatre of war before December 31st 1915 and who did not qualify for the earlier star.

The British War Medal 1914-18

It is impossible to set out all the details of qualification for this medal, but briefly, the requirement was that a member of the fighting forces had to leave his native shore in any part of the British Empire while on service. It did not matter whether he/she entered a theatre of war or not.
The medal is silver, and circular. A truncated bust of King George V is on the obverse, while there is a depiction of Saint George on the reverse. There is a straight clasp carrying a watered silk ribbon. This has a central band of golden yellow with three stripes of white, black and blue on both sides. The blue stripes come at the edges.
An attempt was made to draw up a list of bars, but it was found to be an overwhelming task and was abandoned. Some 4,700,000 of these medals were struck for distribution at home, and another 600,000 in the Dominions and Colonies.

The British War Medal 1914-18
	It is impossible to set out all the details of qualification for this medal, but briefly, the requirement was that a member of the fighting forces had to leave his native shore in any part of the British Empire while on service. It did not matter whether he/she entered a theatre of war or not. The medal is silver, and circular. A truncated bust of King George V is on the obverse, while there is a depiction of Saint George on the reverse. There is a straight clasp carrying a watered silk ribbon. This has a central band of golden yellow with three stripes of white, black and blue on both sides. The blue stripes come at the edges. An attempt was made to draw up a list of bars, but it was found to be an overwhelming task and was abandoned. Some 4,700,000 of these medals were struck for distribution at home, and another 600,000 in the Dominions and Colonies.

The Victory Medal 1914-18

British War Medal 1914-18 This medal was awarded to all those who entered a theatre of war. It follows that every recipient of the Victory Medal also qualified for the British War Medal, but not the other way round. 300,000 fewer Victory Medals were required than British War Medals. All three services were eligible.
It is not generally known that Victory Medals continued to be awarded after the Armistice, for the British forces who saw action in North Russia (up to October 12th, 1919) and Trans-Caspia (up to April 17th, 1919) also qualified.
The medal was struck in bronze. On the obverse is a full-length figure of Victory. On the reverse is the inscription "The Great War for Civilisation". There is no clasp, but a ting attachment through which the ribbon is passed. The official description of the colour of the ribbon is "two rainbows with red in the centre". An oak-leaf emblem was sanctioned for those who were mentioned in despatches.

The Victory Medal 1914-18
	This medal was awarded to all those who entered a theatre of war. It follows that every recipient of the Victory Medal also qualified for the British War Medal, but not the other way round. 300,000 fewer Victory Medals were required than British War Medals. All three services were eligible. It is not generally known that Victory Medals continued to be awarded after the Armistice, for the British forces who saw action in North Russia (up to October 12th, 1919) and Trans-Caspia (up to April 17th, 1919) also qualified. The medal was struck in bronze. On the obverse is a full-length figure of Victory. On the reverse is the inscription "The Great War for Civilisation". There is no clasp, but a ting attachment through which the ribbon is passed. The official description of the colour of the ribbon is "two rainbows with red in the centre". An oak-leaf emblem was sanctioned for those who were mentioned in despatches.

The combination of the Star, Victory Medal and War Medal earned for itself the common nickname, 'Pip, Squeak and Wilfred'.