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WHITTON, Edgar Arthur

Private 14579769

GENERAL SERVICE CORPS

Edgar died  on the 24th April 1943, aged 18

Edgar was the only son of Arthur and Lorna May Whitton of Hallatrow Road, Paulton in Somerset. He was born in Bristol and was resident there when he enlisted. His grandfather was the Reverend Edgar Whitton, the Baptist Minister in Paulton.  

    He joined the General Service Corps, which had been formed in February 1942 to provide a "pool" into which recruits were assigned when first enlisting. This allowed them to be subsequently assigned to the most suitable branch of the Army in which they would ultimately serve. There was an Army camp in Langenhoe during the war but many men, particularly those from Somerset were billeted with the villagers in their homes. It was during this initial training in the Abberton/ Langenhoe area that Edgar died. He was very ill after being inoculated  and was taken to Colchester General Hospital, where he died from meningitis. He is therefore remembered along with our own villagers.

Edgar is buried in Colchester Cemetery, Section B, Division B, grave 109. Colchester Cemetery was opened in 1856 and is now owned by the Corporation. It covers 67 acres. The newer part is on the western side of the original burial ground and it is the site of a Roman Way. There are over 300 burials from the 1914-18 War, of which 50 are in the War Plot, while 11 Australian graves are together in a nearby group. The Cross of Sacrifice shown in the picture was erected after the First World War. The War Graves Plot shown includes graves of men killed at sea after being evacuated from Dunkirk. 

Edgar lies with the other British servicemen, who have died over the years along with one unknown soldier from the 1939-45 War and two Polish Servicemen.

The inscription on his grave reads :-

"The will of the Lord not ours be done"

04/02/02 last updated

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission does not list Edgar. His details were kindly provided by a website called ROERDOWW2 http://www.goring1941.freeserve.co.uk/regindex.html#A-B 

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These pages are dedicated to the memory of the Fallen from the two World Wars, who lived in Abberton & Langenhoe.. Prepared by Saint Andrew's Parochial Church Council. November 11th 2000

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