Edwin Walter Whitcher was the son of Frederick and Mary Whitcher. He was born in 1881 in Winchester. At the time of the UK Census 1901, Edwin was 19 years and working as a bricklayer’s labourer. The family were living at 10 Hillside Terrace, Winchester.
Records show that in November 1908, Edwin Walter Whitcher and Annie Harriet Wild were married in Winchester. By 1911, aged 30 years, Edwin was still a bricklayer’s labourer and living with his wife at 12 Staple Gardens in Winchester. Annie’s father, George, was living with them having been widowed before the turn of the century. On 22 August 1913, Annie gave birth to a daughter, Doris Annie. Three years later, on 13 November 1916, their second daughter, Gladys May was born.
Edwin signed up for military service on 1st September 1918 and served on the Home Front He died on 24th September 1918 at Canterbury. Private Edwin Walter Whitcher (D/30267) served with the 2nd/1st Derbyshire Yeomanry.
2/1st Derbyshire Yeomanry
The 2nd Line regiment was formed in 1914. In February 1915, it was at Chatsworth and joined the 2/1st Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Mounted Brigade. By June, the brigade was in the 2/2nd Mounted Division in the King’s Lynn area. On 31 March 1916, the remaining Mounted Brigades were ordered to be numbered in a single sequence and the brigade became the 9th Mounted Brigade (and the division 3rd Mounted Division).
In July 1916, there was a major reorganization of 2nd Line yeomanry units in the United Kingdom. All but 12 regiments were converted to cyclists and consequently, the regiment was dismounted; the brigade was redesignated as the 9th Cyclist Brigade and the division as the 1st Cyclist Division. The regiment was in the Canterbury area and was still there (at Bridge) when the brigade was renumbered as the 5th Cyclist Brigade in November 1916. The regiment remained near Canterbury in 1917 and the brigade was an independent formation from September to December 1917. During 1918, the regiment was at Ash (near Canterbury), still in the 5th Cyclist Brigade but now in The Cyclist Division.
Derbyshire Yeomanry cyclists in Kent 1916 courtesy 0f https://bsamuseum.wordpress.com/cyclists-your-king-country-need-you/
It was whilst on active service in Canterbury that Private Whitcher, died of pneumonia on 24 Sep 1918 aged 37 years. His widow, Annie, was living with her two children, Doris and Gladys, at 2 Avenuue Terrace, Winchester He is buried in St. Giles Hill Cemetery.
Private Edwin Walter Whitcher is remembered on a memorial plaque at formerly displayed in Parchment Street Methodist Church Winchester, Hampshire. This church is now Winchester Business Centre and the plaque has been moved to The United Methodist Church on Jewry Street, Winchester (Hampshire, SO23 8RZ). See My methodist History website for details.
Memorial plaque at the United Methodist Church.
Thanks go to Stuart Adlam from the CWGC for supplying the above information. Other sources of information were the book “Debt of Honour (Winchester City’s First World War Dead)”, by Jen Best. See page 217.
Don’t hesitate to get in touch with Dave Stewart Email dave@stgileshill.org.uk if you have any questions, corrections or additional information that could be added to this page.